Page 40
She put her tunic on the suspension bed, pulled her arms free of the webbing, kept everything pinned to her chest, and pulled the long tunic on. When it was down, she peeled off the rest of the webbing and handed it to Winthrell. “There you go. A souvenir.”
He nodded. “We will use these measurements to make you a suit.”
“I don’t need a suit.” She pulled on her trousers and put her shoes on.
Her father hugged her again. “Come on. Let’s go to dinner. Your mom is going to want to make sure you eat right. You rarely eat right.”
Hazor frowned. “But she works with food.”
“People who work with food rarely eat what they are cooking. We wear it on our skin and smell it in our sleep. We actually eat trail mixes and a variety of other stuff during the day until we can head home and have someone else make us food.”
Hazor laughed. “I had never thought about it.”
“You don’t have to. Doc, are we done?”
Winthrell nodded. “We are. For today.”
She linked arms with her father. “Come on. Let’s go see what Mom can throw together.”
“We are going to the Fired and Iced Pub.”
“I know, but Mom is going to do the ordering.”
She nodded. “Night, Hazor. Have fun burning that off.”
His eyes flared. “You know that I can just take you out of here.”
“Yes, and I can hate you for the rest of your considerable life. So, pick your poison.” She fluttered her lashes.
Her father chuckled, and they left the lab, walked down the hall, and headed out into the night air. She inhaled and exhaled slowly. “No joking. I am starving.”
He nodded. “Good thing the Fired and Iced is just down the street.”
“Tell Mom to start ordering.”
He lifted his com and said, “Food is a go. Gogogo.”
Her mother called affirmative, and they kept walking.
* * * *
Hazor asked, “How serious do you think she was about hating me?”
“Does she have to work in the morning?”
“Yes. Her partner ran afoul of some thugs.”
“Right, so she would hate you. Her body would ache and burn, and moving would be hell, or so my wife has said after my rut,” Winthrell said wryly.
“Ah. Damn. She works all days except one.”
“Then you had better pick her up before her day off and hope she doesn’t engage in sports. If you are in town.”
He snorted. “Mother came by to meet her today. I believe she was impressed. Father certainly was. They like her food if nothing else. I think Dad is addicted to vegetables. It’s astonishing.”
“Veg—is this regarding the food stall at the docks?”
Hazor grinned. “That is her business.”
