Alcott yawned, wishing little Marcus would sleep through the night instead of the day. She ducked into Levi's office to say goodbye before her meeting.
"How was lunch?" she asked. "You got back before I did."
"I can't tell," he admitted. "She was distant as usual. Had a meeting right after. I need to remember that I have to plan things with her instead of just showing up like I used to." He shrugged. "I tried. We spoke some. I'm going to label it a small victory and not look at it so closely. I'm pushing too hard, I know."
"So long as you are taking care of yourself," Alcott told him. "So you had lunch with Dylan, what are your plans for dinner?"
He shrugged. "Depends if Dylan comes over or not."
"Let's assume that she's not, and say that you're coming to my place and helping me eat all the cauliflower I talked myself into." Alcott replied. "Bring some cookies."
"You're going to eat them all and leave me with the cauliflower," he pointed out.
"So long as you know. I have my appointment now, but I'll expect you after work or send me a message. Got it?"
"Yes ma'am," Levi remarked.
Alcott smiled and headed out of botany. She would have set these appointments afterhours, but Anatoly insisted and Alcott wasn't in a position to argue.
Blair was patching up Joan who looked like she had bumped her head. Both of them smiled at Alcott, which made her feel a pang of guilt. Everyone assumed that O'Keefe had shot Lincoln, when in fact, Alcott had been the one with the gun.
"What happened to you?" she inquired.
Joan grimaced. Alcott didn't know the woman well, only that she was Lincoln's former partner. Alcott wondered how she was holding up, but was a little afraid to ask. She was probably the wrong person to inquire.
"I was just here to say hello to Harper," Joan explained. "And Blair decided I needed stitches."
"You were still bleeding when you walked in," Blair scoffed. "Is everyone in builds as bad as you and Harper? We need you to take better care of yourselves."
"It's not my fault," called Harper from another room.
"If you pulled your stitches yelling it will be," Esperanza retorted, walking out of another room. "Madison's in her office, Alcott."
Alcott nodded and rounded the corner, knocking lightly. When she heard Madison's voice, she entered the room. To her surprise, Dashiell was also there. He rose when she entered, but did not leave.
"How are you doing?" Madison inquired, seemingly unperturbed by the captain's presence.
"Fine, I think," Alcott said. "He just wants to be more awake than I do in the early hours of the morning, but we're learning to compromise. Um..." She glanced at Dashiell hoping for an explanation.
He sat beside her and gave a smile that was supposed to be reassuring.
"I have a proposal for you," he said. "I didn't mean to corner you like this, we just happened to overlap appointments. I want to pay for everything to make sure your child is cared for. It's unfortunate that your partner was killed and we don't have anything in place to help you."
"My parents will help," Alcott replied. "And Levi has offered to assist as well. I'm not worried. Why are you offering? What is this proposal?"
Dashiell sighed.
YOU ARE READING
If Jove Stray
Science Fiction{✨Book 5✨} Earth. Light years away, and yet now that some on the base were born there, it seems so...close. As communication with the mother planet seems more and more likely, Dylan and Alcott have to wonder if Earth really has anything to offer to...
