Learning How to Bend

NaNo Day 6 - Nope, done with titles.

"Feel better."

"Email me what you want me to do, and I'll try to peek at it in a couple hours."

"I don't think so."

"I never thought I'd hear you trying to convince me not to work. Are you sure you're not feeling ill?"

"I am," he said.

"You're feeling ill? Or you're sure you aren't?" I smiled again. "There are some benefits to saying more. Not every word is a waste of energy."

"I am well aware." He paused. "I am sure I am not sick."

"Good," I said. "I'd be worried if you were."

"You need not worry," he said. "I have to go."

"And again...you have not hung up." The smile on my cheeks grew wider. My head was still throbbing, but this was the first time I had actually a somewhat civil conversation with Thaddeus that did not revolve around work.

"I thought you had a migraine."

"I do."

"Yet you have not hung up either." I thought I sensed the tiniest hint of tease in his otherwise dry tone, but it was hard for me to tell. It could have simply been my imagination.

"I am taking advantage of our apparent truce," I said. "I don't know how much longer it's going to last."

There was silence at the other end of the line.

"Aaaand, apparently it's over." I sighed. "I mean it, though. I'll look at whatever it is you wanted me to look at after I can get this migraine under control. Just send it to me."

"You can work on it tomorrow," he said.

"Thank you." When there was no answer, I continued. "What number is this, by the way? I don't have it saved in this phone, obviously, or my work phone. Or at least I don't think it's stored there; I don't know how to use the ridiculous thing."

"It's my personal," he said.

He trusted me enough to give me his personal number rather than one associated with one of his several work phones. Why was that making me feel warm and fuzzy on the inside? Stop beating faster, heart. I did not need to deal with its antics at the moment.

"Ooooookay," I said, filling the silence. "I'm just go—"

"You're going to go," he said. That time he was definitely amused. I could have sworn I heard it, even if most people would not have. The pitch of his voice had raised infinitesimally. On a musical scale, it would have been smaller than a half-step up, smaller than the gap between a B and a G-sharp on the treble clef. But it was there. I heard it.

"Yes." It was futile to stop the bubbles of laughter which traveled from the depths of my heart out to my throat and lips. I cringed at the movement. "Don't make me laugh; it hurts."

"That was not my intension," he said.

"I'm going to try to go back to sleep," I said, failing to keep the smile out of my voice. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"You will. Our meeting is scheduled for 9:00AM. Don't be late."

"Do I faze you as the type of person to be late?"

"No," he said after a moment of hesitation.

"I won't be late. Anyway, if there's anything you need, call this number. I'll usually answer it a lot faster than my work one." I rolled back over onto my back. "Goodbye, Thaddeus."