Forbidden Love

Chapter 11: Damn it Ed!

I drove to the station after I dropped Max off at home, and called someone to change the locks, and install a camera in the living room. I arrived at the gates, showed my ID, and pulled into the parking lot. I was worried about whether Ed would say anything or not. I hoped that it was just one big coincidence as I looked at my phone. I had received a text. I unlocked my phone, and stared at the text in shock.

'I knew you would find me Newt.'

Genesis had replied, before I said anything else, another text popped up.

'Meet me at 2 AM here.'

I looked at the address that had been linked. When I clicked on it, it showed up as an abandoned house outside of the city, almost an hour away. "Aw man, an hour?" I quietly whined to myself. Then I remembered the rule. I sat in my car, staring at the address.

'Its illegal, I could lose my job.'

I answered back sadly. I would have loved to meet her, but I was so scared to lose my job, It was the only thing I had to keep a roof over Max's and I's head.

'No one will know. You are safe from the law.'

I turned my head in confusion, what was that supposed to mean?

'How?'

I waited for an answer, and looked at the time. I didn't want to go in, but I didn't want to be late. I looked down at my phone as it buzzed with a reply.

'Trust me. I will wait for you there.'

I sighed and turned off my phone. I needed to get inside, I was going to be late. I got out of my car, grabbed my bag, made sure I locked my car door, and headed inside. I was nervous for what might happen when I entered the building.

"Good Morning Newt! Happy Friday." One of our receptionists beamed. "Happy friday guys!" I beamed back, I had to stay positive. I walked over to my desk, and Ed and Jack were nowhere to be found. I suddenly got worried that Jack might have confronted Ed, but I wasn't sure. I put down my bag and walked over to get a coffee. The coffee was steaming hot, and I started to pour myself a cup. "Good morning Newton." Ed said, and I jumped in shock, pouring coffee all over my hand. I felt the pain of the heat soaking into my skin as I dropped the coffee pot on the table. It thankfully didn't break but it made a loud noise, I grabbed my hand in pain, and I felt the sting of the hot water on my other hand. "Damn it Ed!" I shouted loudly. I looked up at him angrily, "Why the hell do you have to sneak up on me like that?!" I yelled even louder, my voice boomed throughout the room. He started to stutter as everyone looked at us "Newton I- I didn't mean to-" "Dont, Ed." I cut him off. I stormed into the bathroom to go wash my hands under cold water. I felt like I shouldn't have gone into work today.

I let the ice cold water run over my hands as I leaned over the sink. I sighed and slowly looked up in the mirror, I had a spot below my eye where the burning coffee landed, and it was red. I took my less burned hand and lightly pressed on it. It stung and was sensitive. The coffee most likely almost burned through the first layer of my skin on my hand. I heard the door open, and Jack's voice shouting. "Neeeewwwwt!" He sang, "Where are you Newton's Law of Gravity!" He laughed as he turned the corner. "Right here." I mumbled as I looked over at him. "Oooh, yikes a battle scar, looks good though, the women will love it!" he laughed, "Just say you ran into a fire or something, yaknow, something heroic, something that's not yelling at your pet forensic scientist and spilling coffee on you." he joked. I looked over at him, unamused. "He's NOT my pet." I hissed. He jokingly put his hands up and took a step back. "Whoaa Nelly, I'm not the enemy here." he giggled, "Can you get me some gauze or something like that?" I asked, ignoring his jokes. "Someone didn't have a coffee this morning." He joked. "Yeah, I have it on my hands." I shouted back. I sighed in frustration, I couldn't go see Genesis like this, I felt stupid. Jack opened the door and shouted at me, "Come out! Mary will help you out!" "Alright!" I replied. I took a deep breath and walked out of the room as Jack opened the door for me. People were eyeing me, and I caught a glimpse of Ed, staring at me across the room, fidgeting with his hands nervously. Mary was waiting for me down the hall in an office that the officers turned into the station's little intermary, with all the medical things for all of the accidents that happened. It had everything an emergency care would have, but a lot of things had been moved out of the room, since some of the ladies wanted to do some interior design, and make it look aesthetically pleasing, and less like an office. "Hey Newt, how bad is it?" Mary asked, and I showed her my hands. "Oooh, that ain't good.." she grimaced as she gazed down at my right hand that was red. She started to guide me through everything she was doing. "First I'm gonna take off your bracelet, you can put it on after." I heard my bracelet clink as it touched the counter, and I suddenly felt sad. "Okay now I'm gonna... put on some lotion so it doesn't dry out.. I suggest ones with aloe vera.." she commented, but I was already zoned out staring at my hand.

I remembered being 11 in 2022, we were in a national lockdown because of all the riots and anger around America. I remembered my old house in Maine, and how I slept in a bonus room above the garage. I had gotten in a huge fight with my sister, Maiya, because she reset my favorite call of duty game. I remember losing my mind because of my anger issues that were horrible when I was younger. Our parents made us sit down the next day because I was still mad at Maiya, and they made us make bracelets for each other. I remember sitting in shock when they first placed down the huge box in front of us. The box had supplies to make any kind of bracelet. She made me make a dark grey leather bracelet with a star charm for her, and she made me a black leather bracelet with two forest green beads and a navy blue one in between them. "Make sure you re-wrap it daily, and no fluffy cotton in the bandage!" Mary said. "Uh huh.." I mumbled as I snapped back to reality and watched Mary wrap my hand. I looked over at my bracelet on the counter. "Don't you miss your friends and family?" I blurted out, and Mary stoped wrapping my hand. "Quiet down!" she whispered at me, "They might think you're tryna rebel!" she looked around the corner as she pushed the door closed with her foot and continued to wrap my hand. "Yeah, I do." She sighed. "Why don't we do something about it?" I whispered, and she stopped wrapping my hand again and looked straight into my eyes. "Mary this isn't just us, this is gonna destroy the whole country, this is gonna be like the 2020 lock down again, cops cant see their family, can't talk to their kids or wives or husbands. This is gonna tear us ALL apart." I whispered at her. She shook her head and continued to wrap my hand and replied, "Newt dear, I get where ya comin from, I do, but I'm too old and too low ranked to do anything about-" "I'll do something about it." I blurted, interrupting her. "You will?" She giggled, thinking I was joking. "Uh yeah maybe" I smiled, going along with it. "Yikes, what was that.." I thought to myself. "Alright Mister Rebel, your hands are wrapped." She laughed as she gave me my bracelet that I slipped on. "Ooh wait your cheek," she said as she grabbed the lotion, pulled out a bandaid from a drawer and handed it to me. "I won't get up in your face" she giggled as she left the room. "Thanks Mary!" I shouted, as I heard a reply echo in the hallway, "Anyday Newt!" I smiled as I put lotion on the little burn on my cheek and placed a bandaid over it. I sighed as I looked into the mirror. I still was still thinking about seeing Genesis. I thought about my sister. Maybe I could visit her if I had some experience. I shook my head and pushed myself up off of the counter, and left the room. I had work to do.