Incubus

11. Control

Wiping sweat off of my forehead, I rolled my neck around to remove the stiffness. I've been up since six this morning modifying and upgrading different motherboard panels and systems. I had a huge burst of focus after my dream last night and I have to take full advantage of it. I haven't been this focused in weeks. Smiling, I swept my braid off of my shoulders and back to the middle of my back. Loose strands of my midnight black hair are sticking to my sweaty face and it's kind of irritating.

Finished with motherboard number fifty seven, I adjusted my overalls for a second and nursed my sore middle finger in my mouth. Sounds of laughter and chatter registered to my ears and I looked down at the time.

Shit, it's nine thirty in the morning, I've been here for three house and thirty minutes by myself. I smiled and grabbed another order sheet, inspecting what I need to do and what parts I need before leaving the workstation for the closet of sensitive materials.

"Jessica?" Joe called out, his eyebrows raised high on his face in surprise.

"Hey, Joe." I smiled lightly. "So I finished fifty seven of the work orders and so you only have twenty left and you could finish them all today or tomorrow it doesn't matter to me as long as you do them in order of importance and timeliness. I was going to start this one but I just realized I've been here since six in the morning so I should probably go home and eat or something that would be nice, right? I'll come back later in the afternoon to compile the completed work orders on my computer, okay?"

"Uh..." Joe stood gaping at me before saying, "Boss, you alright? You've been outta focus for two and a half weeks and you kept making silly mistakes amateurs make. Also, you only finished about eight orders in the two weeks you were messing up. It looked like you hadn't slept in years and you were like strung out. Now you look vibrant as hell and woke up early as shit to finish fifty something orders?"

He's a little too observant for his own good. I shrugged while smiling sheepishly. "I'm fine, Joe."

"Yeah, um, are you on drugs? I'd guess cocaine. I know a good rehab program that no one will ever hear about it and it's really good you'll be out and back here in no time. But I'd recommend you pay it a visit."

Getting irritated, I whipped my head around to face him. "I'm not on drugs, Joe, stop it before I fire you."

"I'm your best worker, you'd never fire me. So what is it then?" He tapped his chin in consternation, his eyes watching me. Growing uncomfortable, I slipped my hands into the pockets of my overalls. "Oh, I see what's happening, it's a man, isn't it?"

After a blush, I said, "This really isn't your—"

"Of course. So, my guess is you were seeing some other guy and he was fucking up so it threw you off for a while. James that weird guy that shows up at the job liked you and you thought he'd replace your dreamy-fuck-up-guy and it didn't work out. But now dreamy-fuck-up-guy is back in your life with promises not to fuck up again. Did I miss anything?"

"Joe, don't you have anything better to do?" I mumbled, frowning.

"This is absolutely amazing, I love a good drama. You never have any drama, Jessica." Laughing, Joe patted my hand.

I snatched my hand away. "Well I'm a new Jessica. I'm Jessica two point O."

"Well I love it. Makes you much more fun to be around. But don't let dreamy-fuck-up-guy fuck up again. He does it again, you walk, Jessica. Do you hear me?"

Surprised he'd even care, I turned to nod at him. "I hear you."

"You're an amazing woman and any man who can't see that doesn't deserve you. You also don't have to settle for weird James because he's all blond like a Ken doll or whatever too. Don't be afraid of losing people, be afraid of losing yourself trying not to lose someone else."