“Thanks, man.” Levon uploaded the SIM card’s contents to the SSoF server, then pocketed the thing again before erasing his history off the computer and shutting it down. It wouldn’t eliminate his data completely, but then no one would really be looking for anything suspicious on a desktop in… He glanced around at the sentence diagrams and Shakespeare quotes on the walls. The English Department. Ugh. He suppressed a shudder as he pushed to his feet and checked the hallway through the window in the door to make sure it was still empty before he exited.
Yeah. Sometimes he still got nightmares about being trapped in English class and being forced to read aloud some sonnet or something else equally convoluted and perplexing in front of the class.
He went back to work, this time changing fluorescent bulbs in the gym with a couple other guys from maintenance. It kept him busy and he lik
ed working with his hands. Before he knew it, the day was over and it was time to go. He checked his phone, but no message yet from Clint. After washing up again, Levon headed out to his truck in the faculty parking lot behind the school. Olive was already there, waiting for him. As she piled into the cab, he couldn’t help noticing her troubled expression and her silence. He started the car and pulled out of the lot, heading for his rental home. “Looks painful.”
“What does?” Olive frowned over at him, her hand settling on her stomach and her tone distant. His heart flipped a little. Did he do something to upset her? If he had, he wasn’t sure what exactly, since they hadn’t seen each other since this morning.
He looked away from her and concentrated on the road ahead. “Whatever’s got you so preoccupied.”
She sighed and sank further back into her seat. “Franklin didn’t come to class today. I’m so worried about him, Levon.”
“I know.” That piece of news wasn’t good. And honestly, Levon was worried about the kid too. But there wasn’t anything he could do until he had more information, like what was on that SIM card. Besides, it could be nothing. High schoolers skipped class; it was a thing that had been known to happen. “And I have an idea.”
“You do?” Olive perked up at this. “What?”
“Well…” He drew out his answer until they’d pulled up in his driveway and were on the porch, his key in the lock. “I think you need to relax.”
Her shoulders slumped slightly as he stepped aside to let her in the house after he’d flipped on the lights and scanned the interior. “I do, but that seems next to impossible right now, I’m afraid. Too much on my mind.”
“Then allow me to help,” he said, locking the door behind them and holding up a finger for her to wait while he went down the hall to draw her a bath, being careful not to make it too hot. By the time he returned and led her to see his handiwork, she was smiling.
“God, Levon, this actually looks amazing.” Olive breathed in the aromatic scent of roses he had stirred into the water for her. “It’s been so long since I had a nice long soak in the tub.”
“Good for the baby, too,” he mentioned. Olive looked surprised, and he replied simply: “I read about it online. Anything that helps the mother relieve anxiety and relax is good for her cargo. And don’t worry, I checked the temp so it’s not too warm.”
“Thank you.” Olive’s hand drifted to her stomach again, and his heart ached at the sweetness of her expression. Blood pounded in his ears and his fingertips itched to hold her and stroke her and pleasure her, but this time belonged to Olive. Olive and their baby. He started out of the room, stopping at the door to turn back to her, “I’ll leave you to it, then. Enjoy.”
He exited then, before the sight of Olive, naked in the tub, broke his brain.
11
She stayed in the bath way longer than she intended. It was just too good, and as curls of her hair drifted in the water around her, her thoughts also drifted. For once, she found she was able to put everything that worried her out of her mind.
Everything save one thing. Or rather, one person.
Olive brushed an idle hand across the swell of her stomach, once, lovingly; she then sighed, reached out to yank the drain, and rose. She was still robed, and towel-drying her sweet-smelling hair when she rejoined reality in the kitchen. When he saw her, Levon started, which made Olive startle in response.
“Levon? Are you... what is that?”
“Nothing.” He made a vain attempt to hide the assembly kit laid out in front of him, but even at seven months pregnant, Olive was quick—especially when something sparked her curiosity. She whisked away the booklet of instructions before he could conceal them from her. “You’re building something!” she exclaimed. “More than that, you’re... wow, are you putting together something electrical?”
“You’ve just uncovered my nerdiest secret.” Levon sounded immensely dispirited by her discovery. Olive had been preparing herself to laugh along with him, but when she saw his tight, downcast expression, she realized this was no laughing matter.
She pulled up the chair beside his and sat down, still gripping the project instructions, but her sole focus was on Levon. “This is the coolest! Do you work from kits like this often?”
“... yeah.” Levon scratched the back of his head. “I mean, I like having them around to work on when I’m thinking. Working with my hands helps me problem-solve.”
“That’s awesome. And it sounds almost meditative.” Olive adjusted her glasses. “Which step are you on?”
Levon pointed at a page in the booklet she was holding. Olive smiled. “Mind if I help?”
“I’d love it if you did.”
His ready answer surprised her, but she kept a carefully neutral expression, same as him, as he passed her a step-by-step visual figure sheet. “Okay, so; you’re on figure four...?”
Time passed as they worked together, and the more she watched his sure, precise movements while constructing their object, the more her curiosity rose. As usual, she couldn’t stop herself from asking questions. “So, where did you first learn to do these kinds of projects?”