District - 17: Reunification

Complications

"RUSSO!" SHE CALLED out, beckoning him with her index finger. "Avoiding me?"

He shrugged. "No, ma'am."

There was something off about him, she couldn't place what it was. She glanced out the window. "It's nice out, walk with me?"

They strode down the hallway. Caught the elevator to the mezzanine. Took the exterior walkway around the perimeter of the Tower. Warm and bright out. They were alone after a while, walking with the breeze at their backs.

"Dr. Geet –"

"I'm not a doctor, Ryder."

He gave her a look. "You're not?"

"In name only for the most part."

"Planning on changing that?"

She nodded. "I'll take a year off and get my license."

"A year?" he said, skeptically.

She held up a single finger. "One year. That's all it will take. The resources and connections here make it more than possible. Besides, I have someone in mind who will take over in my stead."

He smirked. "Sure. We're going to miss you."

She caressed his arm, felt the muscle, the strength underneath. "Be back before you know it. You feel strong. How are you holding up?"

"My body is practically back to how it was. I think I'm nearing the end of my recovery process." He caught her giving him a knowing stare. "But, of course, I'm no medical professional so I'll leave that to you."

She gave him a wide smile with perfect white teeth. "How is your sleep schedule? Are you getting enough rest? Any issues, like waking up in the middle of the night, or difficulty returning back to sleep?"

Tell her.

"No. I sleep sound. Najrina watches over me some nights."

That piqued her interest. "Najrina? I was under the impression Jaketta was taking care of you."

He froze. Unsure how to respond. Was it any of her business what his personal relationship consisted of? "No, we — we ended things a while ago. Better for the both of us. It didn't work out for Jaketta and me. Honestly, it never stood a chance looking back on it. There were too many problems. Big, looming problems."

"Have you spoken to Elza about any of this?"

"Counselor Ressie has more important things to deal with than to be bothered with my emotions."

She crossed her arms and stepped in front of him. "So, when did you get made a member of the faculty? And on top of that, who made you her boss?"

He raised his hands, palms facing her. "OK. OK. I'll see if I can get an appointment this week."

Zaida gestured at a bench shaded by a large songapple tree. They sat and he turned toward her. Rolled up the sleeves on his blue shirt. "I appreciate all that you've done for us. Cube Nox. Me. I never really got to say it, so, thank you. You saved my life."

She waved his sincere gesture away with a short laugh. "I made a vow to protect and look out for you. All of you. I'm not going back on that promise. Not ever." There was a glimmer in her eye. Ryder caught it. Then the guilt caught up with him.

"Talk to me, Ryder," she said. She was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

His countenance shifted. His tone grew heavy, then weak. Cracking and cutting out. He couldn't stop thinking about it anymore. The memories. The egregious act he unintentionally committed earlier.