brash and obnoxious ways. She is of no interest to him in any way except as a project database.” I didn’t recognize the voice, but it was a female.
Tears stung my eyes. As I stepped back to get away, I bumped up against something hard and turned to find Shimodo. He was as close to angry as I’d ever seen him. He reached out his hand to me, but I ran.
“I’ve caused enough trouble.” I dashed away a tear.
He came after me, but I twisted around to face him, hot tears rolling down my face. “I need to be alone right now.”
“Hannah,” he started to say.
I wasn’t listening anymore. I rushed down the hall and caught an elevator as it was closing. I don’t know if he came after me or not because I left the building and started walking. It didn’t take long before I realized I didn’t have a jacket, purse or my wallet. Eventually I’d have to return for my things.
I found a bench under a tree and sat down, hugging my arms to myself. I watched as students filled the yards between classes and wondered what happened to the last twelve years of my life. I know I’d lived that time, but it sort of slipped quietly away. A group of students vacated a spot under a tree so I headed there. I leaned my back against the trunk to help block the cold wind and tucked my legs under me. I watched the people around me, wondering how embarrassing it would be to go back now.
“Takeshi’s worried about you. I’ve been searching for you for over an hour.” Tom sat next to me. “I only left a few minutes to check on my liver-transplant patient and when I came back he was as close to yelling at his research group as I’ve ever heard. He told them their behavior was unacceptable and sent them all away. Are you going to tell me what happened?”
“I’d rather not. Let’s just say I overheard their opinion of me.”
Tom leaned in and touched my face. “I can be a good listener. Try me.”
“Please don’t, Tom. First of all, you’ll start those mood swings and crying is a big one today. And secondly, I’m already freezing out here. I took off without my jacket or purse or anything and I don’t know the way back to the lab. I guess I could get directions, but I’m not ready yet. I may never be ready.”
The students nearest to me started to stare. I could imagine the way I looked, having a conversation with myself.
“We’ll fix that. I’ll get you some help.” He blinked away.
About ten minutes later, Shimodo came walking up. I was shivering, but I tried to appear calm and cheery. “Tom didn’t need to get you. I could have followed him back. But he rushed off.”
He sat down next to me. “You’re ice cold, Hannah.”
He shrugged out of his coat and helped me put it on. He took my hands into his own and blew into the palms, rubbing his warmth into them. “This day did not go as I planned.”
I raised my eyebrow and smirked. “Ya think?”
He grinned back. “Yes, I think.” He pulled me up with him, saying, “Let’s get something warm to eat and drink. You’ll feel better and I can explain the childlike behavior of my coworkers.”
“You don’t need to explain anything. I kissed you this morning, thinking it might be fun and it’s my fault it started a rumor. Let it go. I’m a big girl and I’ve heard comments about my brash and obnoxious behavior before. Tom’s mentioned it often.”
“Hannah, please listen.”
“I can’t, Shimodo. I can’t listen to anything right now. Besides, I’m freezing my butt off. Let me grab my purse and jacket and I’ll buy us lunch.”
Carl came running up to us. “Are you okay, Hannah?”
“Sure, Carl.” I smiled warmly at him. He’d stuck in my corner and I’d remember that.
We walked back to the lab to find it empty. I went in and got my belongings. Tom sat at a desk and got up when we entered, coming to me. “Everything straightened out, Hannah?”
“Everything’s fine.” I took off Shimodo’s jacket, handing it back. He still
Tears stung my eyes. As I stepped back to get away, I bumped up against something hard and turned to find Shimodo. He was as close to angry as I’d ever seen him. He reached out his hand to me, but I ran.
“I’ve caused enough trouble.” I dashed away a tear.
He came after me, but I twisted around to face him, hot tears rolling down my face. “I need to be alone right now.”
“Hannah,” he started to say.
I wasn’t listening anymore. I rushed down the hall and caught an elevator as it was closing. I don’t know if he came after me or not because I left the building and started walking. It didn’t take long before I realized I didn’t have a jacket, purse or my wallet. Eventually I’d have to return for my things.
I found a bench under a tree and sat down, hugging my arms to myself. I watched as students filled the yards between classes and wondered what happened to the last twelve years of my life. I know I’d lived that time, but it sort of slipped quietly away. A group of students vacated a spot under a tree so I headed there. I leaned my back against the trunk to help block the cold wind and tucked my legs under me. I watched the people around me, wondering how embarrassing it would be to go back now.
“Takeshi’s worried about you. I’ve been searching for you for over an hour.” Tom sat next to me. “I only left a few minutes to check on my liver-transplant patient and when I came back he was as close to yelling at his research group as I’ve ever heard. He told them their behavior was unacceptable and sent them all away. Are you going to tell me what happened?”
“I’d rather not. Let’s just say I overheard their opinion of me.”
Tom leaned in and touched my face. “I can be a good listener. Try me.”
“Please don’t, Tom. First of all, you’ll start those mood swings and crying is a big one today. And secondly, I’m already freezing out here. I took off without my jacket or purse or anything and I don’t know the way back to the lab. I guess I could get directions, but I’m not ready yet. I may never be ready.”
The students nearest to me started to stare. I could imagine the way I looked, having a conversation with myself.
“We’ll fix that. I’ll get you some help.” He blinked away.
About ten minutes later, Shimodo came walking up. I was shivering, but I tried to appear calm and cheery. “Tom didn’t need to get you. I could have followed him back. But he rushed off.”
He sat down next to me. “You’re ice cold, Hannah.”
He shrugged out of his coat and helped me put it on. He took my hands into his own and blew into the palms, rubbing his warmth into them. “This day did not go as I planned.”
I raised my eyebrow and smirked. “Ya think?”
He grinned back. “Yes, I think.” He pulled me up with him, saying, “Let’s get something warm to eat and drink. You’ll feel better and I can explain the childlike behavior of my coworkers.”
“You don’t need to explain anything. I kissed you this morning, thinking it might be fun and it’s my fault it started a rumor. Let it go. I’m a big girl and I’ve heard comments about my brash and obnoxious behavior before. Tom’s mentioned it often.”
“Hannah, please listen.”
“I can’t, Shimodo. I can’t listen to anything right now. Besides, I’m freezing my butt off. Let me grab my purse and jacket and I’ll buy us lunch.”
Carl came running up to us. “Are you okay, Hannah?”
“Sure, Carl.” I smiled warmly at him. He’d stuck in my corner and I’d remember that.
We walked back to the lab to find it empty. I went in and got my belongings. Tom sat at a desk and got up when we entered, coming to me. “Everything straightened out, Hannah?”
“Everything’s fine.” I took off Shimodo’s jacket, handing it back. He still
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