Even if he had fun in Texas, Sam was very aware that he had to return and face the music. And, strangely enough, he was glad to reach the airport and see Jerry waiting for them, a big smile on his face. It finally made Sam feel at home.
Jimmy and Jessie had a different flight, so it was just him, Kyle and Kay, which was fortunate, since they wouldn't have fit in the car otherwise.
"Great to see you." Jerry clasped his shoulder. "And you look rested."
"I sort of am, I guess," he answered. Because he had been sleeping a lot, but he still felt exhausted. It felt wrong to say that though, because he had no reason to be.
"Ah, crap," Kyle mumbled, checking his phone. "Haven't landed five damn minutes and there's an emergency at work." He lifted his eyes to them. "Sorry, Jerry, great to see you, blah, blah... gotta go."
"Wait, I'm coming with you." Kay gave Jerry a quick hug then hurried off after Kyle, even if he didn't seemed too thrilled to have her coming along.
"Um, bye?" Sam wasn't sure why, but it made perfect sense for them to rush out.
It made perfect sense for emergencies to hit, for people to leave, for life to start rolling at normal speed again. It also made perfect sense for him to suddenly realize that he and Christine were once again in the same city, that he could see her if he wanted. That she was in his house.
"Sam?" Jerry sounded a little worried.
Sam shook his head to snap out of it and focused on the present. He could face this. One tiny insignifiant step at a time. "Yeah. Right here. So... What's new?"
"It was actually very quiet while you were gone," Jerry said, leading him out of the airport and towards the car.
"You're lying. Tell me about this NASA thing." Sam got in and strapped his seat-belt, cursing his traitorous heart and how it had picked up the pace without reason. There was nothing wrong. Quiet was good.
"It's a great opportunity and I'm seriously considering it."
"Wait. You?" Jimmy hadn't said anything about Jerry.
Jerry let out a laugh. "Jimmy didn't mention that I would be coming with him? I've actually had some training if you must know."
"Really?" It was fascinating how far his head was up his own ass if he couldn't figure that out right away.
"Yes. I've been working on a serum that would help with the effect. That's the extreme nausea brought on by lack of gravity, by the way. It's pretty hard to adapt to a change of gravity. Messes with your inner ear and all your senses."
"True. So... You're seriously considering this?"
Jerry nodded, his eyes fixed on the traffic. Sam realized that, unlike Jimmy who had Jessie to think about, there was nothing holding Jerry back. The idea of his brother leaving the planet was terrifying.
"How long would this take?"
"An experimental two weeks. That is if Jimmy will decide to come. We're supposed to be fixing a satellite and testing out my wonder drug."
Two weeks wasn't too bad, and yet, Jerry was hesitating for some reason.
"You haven't made up your mind yet?" Sam asked.
Jerry shook his head. "I thought I did, but..."
He didn't go on and Sam's interest perked up. Ever since he'd broken up with Tina, Jerry had been very career driven, but now, all of a sudden, he was hesitating. And texting people at two in the morning. Did Jerry have a secret girlfriend he'd missed? He opened his mouth to ask, but Jerry interrupted.
YOU ARE READING
Lose Control (The Jewel Project #5)
Adventure"It's never going to end, is it? The rivalry, the hatred, the madness. Not even now. Not even after so many years." It has been three years since the last jewel was recovered, and the Agency seems to have put the project to rest. They have a new tar...
