“Wow. This looks cheerful.” Creed stood in front of us. “All the food here is free? And you can get whatever you want, whenever you want?”
“Yep. Hot food service opens at ass-crack for breakfast and closes around five. But it’s open twenty-four hours for drinks, snacks, and grab-and-go. Ice cream machine flavors change on Wednesdays," I added.
“Amazing.” He disappeared.
“I’m sorry,” Nate said softly.
“The fact that you didn’t stop looking for me means everything–so does you letting me get to know my siblings. Riley is so excited to go to camp with Mercy.” I pushed away my food, done with it.
Nate smiled. “It’s silly, but I’m hoping Riley’s academic drive will rub off on Mercy. I mean, Riley’s a year behind her in school and already is thinking of things like internships.”
Yeah, I wasn’t going to pop the professor’s bubble.
Creed plopped down with us with his food. “This is going to be great.”
As he ate, he told us how his meeting went.
Nate’s phone rang. “I’m going to get that.”
He grabbed his phone and went out to the courtyard.
“That went okay? As much as Mum wanted to be close, Harry thought that you needed some time with him.” Creed shoveled food in his face.
“Yeah. I… I don’t know how much I can do, Creed. I mean, the woman Adriana sold me to literally made me forget my soulmate. But I want to love all my siblings. Even the ones I don’t know.” I’m sure they were getting overlooked in one way or another. I could already see it with Verity and Mercy.
Okay, and the fact Tru could justleaveand come visit me without anyone noticing was alarming.
They all needed a sibling who didn’t give a shit what their parents thought.
Creed hugged me. “It’s enough, Grace. You just made him so happy. And Tru is so excited about her special trip.”
“Verity can come, too. We’d have a lot of fun.” I swirled my drink cup, like it would magically refill by doing so.
He laughed. “Oh, you will. We’ll get her out here for visits.”
“How’s move in?” I finished my drink.
“They didn’t move me into the dorms when I went to Natty. I don’t know why they suddenly want to be all parental.” He rolled his eyes. “For now, I’m sharing an apartment with some other Compass BioTek fellows. They seem okay. At least I have my own room. You know, that’s what I liked about Natty–at home I shared with Hale for years.”
“That sounds chaotic.” I looked out the window at the professor.
“Dad’s fine. It’s probably just Mum.” Creed continued to eat. “I didn’t realize what an incredible project they put me on. I thought I’d be in R&D building medical shit.”
“You sort of are. Just tiny.” I grinned.
He nodded. “True. But as interesting as Dr. Terik’s project is, I sort of hoped to be working with you.”
“I’m also part of Special Projects. You’ll see me around, though our projects don’t cross over, like yours will with Margie’s,” I explained.
Creed leaned in. “What are you doing? Did you show Dad?”
“I told him about it. I can show you my lab when I walk you to Special Projects so you can meet with Narif,” I replied. “And we can work together at some point. After all, we have to start the framework, so when Tru solves Garamoci’s Theory of Everything and Spencer hires her, we can build a spaceship.”
The professor came back in and joined us. “I have to go but thank you for the tour.” He hugged me. “I’m so proud of you. Both of you.”
“Thanks, Professor. Let me walk you out?” I offered.
He shook his head. “Stay with Creed. I’ll see you later.”
