“You hung out with Marcy a lot…”
“She’s in Hawaii.”
“What about Belinda?”
“Backpacking across Europe.” Mallory sighed. “I feel like you’re my only friend these days. I’ve barely heard from anyone else.”
He inhaled deeply and rubbed her back. “Then they’re idiots.”
“Thank you.”
“For what?” he asked, sounding surprised.
She smiled and laid her head on his shoulder. “For being you.”
“I wish I could do more. Are you still willing to see the hypnotherapist?”
“I—I’d like to, but what if I shift in front of him?”
“If it happens when you’re nervous or afraid, you won’t shift. He’s going to put you into a deeply relaxed state. You just have to stay calm before that.”
She groaned. “I guess if hypnosis helps me stay calm and avoid shifts, it’s worth a try. At least if all I turn into is a monkey, I’ll have opposable thumbs to turn the doorknob and leave if he’s freaking out.”
* * *
Noah had set up their whole lab by the time Dante returned. It was almost time to leave for work, but he was proud of what he’d managed to accomplish in such a short time. As it turned out, he needed the distraction.
“Check out the spare room,” Noah announced proudly to his older brother.
“Okay, but we have to leave in a few minutes.” Dante strode down the hall to the last door on the left. When he opened it, he whistled in appreciation.
Noah stepped up behind him and viewed the fruits of his labors. A long collapsible table they’d bought for backyard parties was set up in the middle of the room, with a makeshift tin-foil top. A Bunsen burner had been duct-taped in place. There were droppers, a selection of measuring cups, a wooden rack that held glass beakers, and a few metal instruments for grasping the glass vials and holding them above the gas flame. There was a metal stand to hold a bulbous glass container mounted over the fire to cook for a while.
He felt like a proud papa. “All we need is a propane tank and some lead.”
“I’ll be damned. You’re actually doing it.”
“Did you think I was joking all that time?”
“Well, no. Not exactly…”
“What exactly did you think?” Noah asked.
“I guess I thought you needed a hobby. You know…until you find a girl to marry you and have your kids.”
“What? So you had no intention of helping me?”
“Of course I did.I will.I guess… All you wanted me to do was to translate the Latin for you, right?”
“Hell no. I want you to be here for safety reasons. No one should be alone in a lab. What if something goes wrong and I pass out from chemical poisoning? Or a fire starts? An extra pair of hands wouldn’t hurt when handling volatile substances.”
“Wait. Volatile substances?”
“You know…fire…chemicals…”
“Shit, yeah. I hadn’t thought about that.”
Noah shook his head. “Unbelievable.”
