Page 42 of Fierce: Sawyer

James got a huge grin on his face. “Deal.”

14

Revolves Around A Dog

“You totally should have gone out with us on New Year’s Eve,” Jennifer said on Tuesday at work. Faith turned her head to talk with her coworker. Jennifer was a lab tech. There were several she worked with that did a lot of the basic testing for patients, collected samples and took care of the machines.

She could do all that stuff and had in the beginning when she was learning and starting out. She filled in when needed to, but right now it seemed she did a lot more work for the pathologist or things they would be required to do.

“Did you have fun?” she asked.

“We had a blast. There were twelve of us total,” Jennifer said.

“Really?” she asked. “Where did you go?”

“We ended up at Myra’s house. It was better. Six of us went to dinner and then we texted a few more.”

Myra worked with them too, but she was off today. Even if Faith didn’t have plans with Sawyer, she wasn’t going out with that many girls. Or that group.

She got along with everyone because it was what she did. But it’s not like she wanted to hang out with them all on her time off. They just didn’t have enough in common in her eyes.

“Who else was there from our department?”

“Not me,” Lonnie said.

Faith looked over at Lonnie. He was another tech. He had his lab coat, safety glasses and gloves on. He didn’t talk much to anyone but her it seemed.

Or more like he tried talking to others in the past, but it never went well. It reminded her of high school too much and, though they didn’t always treat her that way, she didn’t like that they did it to anyone at all.

“What did you do on New Year’s Eve, Lonnie?” she asked.

“Larping?” Jennifer asked. It was said sarcastically even though they all knew Lonnie did that.

“Actually, yes,” Lonnie said. “We had a great time. You should try it sometime. I think you’d like it, Faith.”

“I’m sure it’s fun,” she said. “We all have our own things that we like to do.”

“The next time we get together, I’ll let you know,” Lonnie said.

She smiled at him and before she could figure out a way to decline, Jennifer said, “Candy, Jess, Bethany and her boyfriend and Randy and his girlfriend joined us at Myra’s. I guess Bethany and Randy’s significant others are related somehow and they were together anyway. Dinner out was me, Doreen and Carla from our department, then a few nurses.”

“I bet it got loud,” Faith said. Some of the girls in their department could be that way when they got together. The group she talked about, they were all single or at least not married. The six that went to dinner were single and liked to go club hopping. She’d done it a time or two and never really enjoyed it.

“It’s always loud when Carla and Doreen are together,” Jennifer said, laughing. “But we did miss you. Did you have a family thing you had to do?”

“No,” she said. They all knew who she was related to and how her family did things.

“Then you totally missed out,” Jennifer said. “I bet it was just you and Fred. Or is that why you didn’t want to go? Because you didn’t want to leave Fred alone?”

“I don’t like leaving him alone at night when he’s alone all day.”

“That is nuts that your life revolves around a dog,” Jennifer said.

“I find it sweet,” Lonnie said. Jennifer elbowed her and rolled her eyes. Lonnie had never looked up from his work when he said it.

“Man’s best friend,” Faith said.

“That is how I am with my cats,” Lonnie said.