We Leapt Into the Sky

Chapter 32

The bed squeaked as Seph pressed down on the overstuffed suitcase, trying to squash his clothing flat enough for him to shut it. But the top popped open again, and a thick gray sweater bulged out. With a sigh, he flopped onto the bed.

Another chapter of his life was ending. No more tenure-track stress, no more overcrowded research vessels, no more working with Bria. Maybe he would come back to research in some capacity, but not now. He needed to rest, and that wasn't going to happen here.

So it would be a new chapter for Seph, and he had aspired to start it with at least a few pieces of clothing that weren't absurdly loose. Unfortunately, the jeans and shirts and sweaters may have fit him, but they didn't fit in the suitcases he had brought. He rolled over to stare at the ceiling. There was so much uncertainty, so much that still felt unfinished. He wanted to see Antony, but there was a lot they needed to talk about, and his stomach clenched at the prospect of his anxiety flaring up again and making things worse.

He hadn't wanted to leave Bria on such a sour note either, and he sighed. It wasn't like he could leave until he bought another suitcase, anyway.

His wrist buzzed, alerting him to a new message—to his surprise, it was an email from Isabelle.

Hi Seph, she wrote. I'd love to catch up with you while you're in town. I'm free this afternoon. If you have time, you're welcome to swing by my office. Otherwise, let's find a time!

He closed the email, not wanting to commit to anything until he could talk to another former colleague without wanting to throw up from anxiety. Leaving his hotel room would at least be a start, so he stood, combed his hair, and pulled on his coat.

The streets were blissfully empty when he left the hotel, and he convinced himself he could head for a coffee shop first. It was one he had visited many times before, and it buzzed with low chatter. The line was short, with most students in class now, and he surveyed the menu. A photo of a bright pink drink caught his eye. It reminded him of Kendra.

She'd kept a bag of the powder in the research station, and it had always smelled good to him, bright and mellow all at the same time. But he never tried it or asked her about it, or even talked to her as much as he wished he had.

He ordered one and walked in the general direction of the biology building. Not directly there, of course. Too much purposeful, direct movement was likely to send him back into a panic, so he approached slowly, sipping the drink. It was as delicious as he imagined, fruity and creamy, and a little salty.

Ten minutes later, he'd finished the drink and stood in view of the biology building. He tossed the empty paper cup in a recycling container and stepped inside. The warm lighting comforted him as it filtered in through the windows, illuminating dust motes in the air.

Glass cases with specimens lined the hall, and the doors on the first floor led to teaching labs. Seph made it as far as the second floor before he sat down on the first bench he saw, staring down at his feet. The leather of his shoes was splashed with mud and salt, which had also made their way up onto his slacks.

"Oh hello there!" came a bright voice from his right.

He craned his head in that direction to see Isabelle approaching, her heels clacking against the floor. She wore a white blouse and a neat pair of tan pants in a fabric that swished and flowed as she walked.

"Hi, Isabelle. I got your message, and I was coming to visit. Just needed to sit down for a moment," he said and let out an awkward bark of a laugh.

"Are you alright? We can always meet another time."

"No, now is good. Things have been odd, is all."

"Tell me about it if you like," she said. "I'm up on the third floor. Just popped down here to talk to one of the new professors, so your timing is great."