The Genetic Code

Chapter 28

It's Sunday, which usually means a busy day at the coffee shop, but today the place is relatively empty.

Sterling had stopped by earlier, claimed his 'free' drink, and told me to meet him in the middle of the town center where Hershel would pick us up at four O'clock because he has something he wants to show me. He's being all secretive about it as if he's some James Bond counterpart on an espionage mission. Arrogant bastard.

He somehow managed to lure a grumpy Albert out of the backroom he'd been holed in all morning and the two of them shamelessly flirted right before my very eyes. I fear I might just be the other woman in this love triangle, caught between an ardent bromance. I might have to forewarn Judy of her husband's possible elopement with my boyfriend.

Needless to say, by the time Sterling left Albert was in a much better mood, and even left the shop himself to go get lunch down the street, which he never does, leaving it up to Max and I to run the place. Not having the eyes of judgement lurking around did give me more space to breathe and relax a little.

The door jingles and a customer approaches the counter to order. The lady has sandy blonde hair in soft ringlets which frame her face, porcelain skin glowing with a light blush. She wears a light blue ruffled blouse which matches her bright eyes, along with a white pencil skirt, and holds a purse in one hand and a tablet in the other.

Her eyes are fixed on her tablet as she types furiously with concentration, eventually looking up at me with a tight smile, eyes crinkling at the corners, though her eyebrows are still knitted together in a tense furrow.

"Hi, can I get a large latte—" she stops mid-order as her large eyes scan over my face. "Oh, it's you! Juliette Aldaine, what a pleasant surprise."

She lifts the purse up on her shoulder and extends her hand over the counter for me to shake, and I immediately do so, while racking my brain for where I've seen her before. Her face looks so familiar...

"Oh! The tester for my Gene Test..."

"Yes, Julia, from Rosamund Tech. Nice to see you again, Juliette." She smiles, revealing her pearly whites. "How's Perfect life treating you?"

I'm not sure what the appropriate response is to that question, because the truth may not be what most people want to hear, so instead I just laugh awkwardly and try to do a smile that ends up more like a grimace.

"Not well, I take it." She chuckles. "Perfects do generally tend to be a tad... overbearing, hard to receive and not receiving. Even within their own circles. Takes being one to really feel it."

I make an expression of wordless agreement and smile politely back at her. "I'll bring your coffee out to you soon, Miss Julia, feel free to take a seat first."

She's reading through a slim black file when I place the coffee mug on the table, breaking her out of her focused reading. She folds the file shut and looks up at me with a warm grin, "Thank you, Juliette."

I'm about to walk back to the counter when I catch the name printed on a label stuck to the top left corner of the file.

Julia Quinton.

"Quinton..." I mumble to myself.

"Hmm?" She looks back up at me.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I couldn't help but notice the name on the top of your file. May I ask, is Quinton your maiden name, Miss Julia?"

"Yes, it is. Not a very common last name these days." She chuckles lightly.

I chew on my bottom lip uneasily. It can't be. Must just be a coincidence. That Quinton was an Invalid, and Miss Julia is a Perfect...