Stepping Through Science (MxM)(Sequel to Equations of Dance)

Chapter 1

Trevon Carter

"Hello, Jim," I said as I passed him on the way to my office.

He barely looked up from the papers he had in his hand as he said, "Good morning, Trevon."

I said hello to a few other people on my way to my little office. The first thing I did when I got to my office was to make sure the coding I had been running all night long was still running. Then I looked up science articles in my field that were released over night. I saved the ones I wanted to look at. I took a sip of the coffee I had gotten on the way to work and then made a list of what I wanted to accomplish at work that day. Then I opened up the articles and made notes as I read them. When that was finished I continued working on the programming I had started yesterday.

I didn't realize how late it was until Jim knocked lightly on my office door. Debbie and Mario stood behind him. "We're going to grab some lunch. Want to come with?"

"Yeah," I said. I stood up and followed them out.

"How's the fellowship coming along?" Mario asked me.

"Great," I said. It was my first year at NASA in the postdoc fellowship program. I had worked hard to get here.

"Did you see that article this morning that was written by Dr. Andrea Talbot? I think it's in your field of study."

"Yes," I said. "It was informative."

"No talk of work during lunch," Debbie said as we stepped outside into the fresh air. The conversation changed to Debbie's family as we walked to the deli nearby. I ordered a roast beef sandwich. After we had all ordered, we found a table in the busy restaurant and sat down.

"What about you, Trevon?" Debbie asked. "Any plans for this weekend?"

"I have a date," I said. I knew my voice sounded unenthusiastic, but I just couldn't pretend. The date was mainly to fill the loneliness.

"With that ballet teacher again?" Debbie asked. I nodded. "That makes a total of five dates," she said. "I thought you weren't going to get serious with anyone."

I shrugged. "It's not serious," I said. The loneliness swelled as I thought of Arthur. I missed him. I wanted to see him. I wanted to touch him. But I couldn't. He was hundreds of miles away in a different state.

"Five dates is more than anyone else you've gone out with," Jim pointed out as if I didn't already know.

"If he says it's not serious then it's not serious," Mario said. "No one can hold a place in his heart like his boyfriend anyway."

"True," Debbie said. "How is Arthur?"

"Good," I said.

I must have shown something in my expression because they all gave me sympathetic looks and Jim said, "Any plans to go to New York soon? Or for Arthur to come down here?"

"My cousin is getting married in a few months and we are planning on attending together, but I'm hoping to see him at least once before then. Scheduling a time to fly to New York isn't easy though. I have my work here on the weekdays, but his ballet company is performing this month so he is busy on the weekends."

"That's tough," Debbie sympathized. I turned the conversation to Mario and what his plans were going to be for the weekend.

After lunch, we went back to the office and I went back to work. When the time came, I made sure my coding was up and running and then I left the office for the night.

I drove home, showered and got ready for the date. When my phone rang, I answered it without looking.

"Hello," I said. I studied myself in the mirror just to make sure I looked alright.