NERIS (BoyxBoy)

Trying To Get My Attention

It was a month after I was called to the pack house to see father. 

Although I didn't visit him much since then, I still send Lennox with Quinn and Zen. So that Len can spend time with his grandfather. 

As for me, I was drowning myself in work so I'd forget the sorrow that was beginning to cloud my judgement. It was a weird and strong feeling, I'd never felt anything for the man before but all of a sudden hearing about his condition made me sad. 

A whack on my head, brought me out of my day-dream.

I turned and glanced back and my editor.  She crossed her arms and glared at me. "Ian!" (Author's note, he changed his name when he left the pack.)

I rubbed the back of my head. "What was that for?"

"You haven't finished yet! You missed another deadline, do you know how this pushes back Publication? This makes everything more complicated."

"But, I'm working on it." I whined.

"Really?"

"Yes."

She raised her eyebrow at me. "I've been standing here for thirty minutes watching you stare into space." 

I rubbed the back of my neck nervously giggling. "Oh, sorry." 

She sat down next to me and ruffled my hair. "Even though I yell at you, yoou know it's for a good reason right?"

"Yup, It makes me work harder."

Celina smiled. "Exactly. Now take a quick break. I brought some snacks for you." she said going back outside my room and coming back with a cup of Starbucks and one hand behind her back.

She placed a Starbucks next to me. "Hear you go. I got the large Hazelnut Frappucino with a shit ton of whip creme, just like you asked." 

I slowly picked it up and took a sip. "Thanks."

Celina slowly brought her hand from behind her back and almost had me tackling her in a hug. "I also was feeling a bit generous since your latest novel sold out so fast...so I got you this. At first I wasn't going to get it but I think you deserve it." 

I quickly took the box from her and put it down before grasping her in a big hug. "I love you, Ms. Editor!"

"I told you not to call me that." Celina smiled, after pretending to be angry didn't work. "Well, while you eat those, I'll get to work editing what you have here."

I gave her a chocolate glazed donut and we both got to work. Her, editing my work and me, I got to work on eating that box of Krispy Kreme.

---

"Ok, I'm done." Celina said getting up from her chair and stretching. 

I slowly sipped my Frappucino. "I was going to eat them all but I left some for the other three. "

"Speaking of the other three, where are they?" 

"Visiting my Father." 

Celina smiled. "That's nice. You should also spend some time and catch up with him before he's gone.  I know how it feels to have a bad relationship with your dad, if he dies and you don't mend it you'll be forever regretful." Her voiced seemed to fill with sorrow, she cleared her throat and then smiled. 

"I'll see you next week Ian." 

After she left I spent the next hour considering what she said. 

"Mama!" Len's voice yelled as his feet thudded on the ground towards my work room. 

I smiled at him as he came running in and jumping in my lap. I hugged him. "Aren't you a bit old to still be sitting in Mama's lap?"

"Nope." He said popping the 'p'.

I gently shook my head, ruffling his hair. "Where's Uncle Quinn?" 

"He's smooching with Zen in the car." 

Suddenly a light bulb went off. "It's Zen's birthday isn't it?" 

"Yup." Lennox said, nodding his head as he played a game on my computer.   

"I really should get him something."

"We got bigger problems than buying Zen a gift." Both Quinn and Zen came in carrying a shit load of presents. 

"Woah, Zen are those  for you?" 

"Nope, they're all yours. Lover boy." He replied with a smile. 

I rolled my eyes, knowing exactly who they were from. "Load them up and return them to him."

"No, how can we do that. He put all of his sincerity into this. Right Quinn?" 

"Yeah, all of his sincerity for his little sugar...gum..drop." Quinn mumbled and they bth started to snicker. 

I rolled my eyes. Stryker had sent a white teddy bear with a card attached to it saying, 'To my  little sugar gum drop.'  Both Quinn and Zen read it and has teased me about it ever since.

"How can you laugh at someone's pain?"

"Easy, I just raise the corners of my mouth into a smile and then I project laughter from my vocal chords. Like this." he said laughing again.

I rolled my eyes at him. "You're lucky you married Quinn. If you didn't I'm not sure who'd marry you and that attitude."

"It doesn't have a return address, so we can't return them. But..." Quinn said biting his lip.

"What?" I asked.

"I can volunteer my time to burn them for you." Quinn had a wicked smile on his face. 

I gave him one of my own. "Deal." 

Zen shook his head and took Len from me. "Come on, Bud let's leave the creepy men alone."

Quinn came and sat in the seat next to me. "Don't you think we might need to move?"

"Why?"

"Because, this dude is basically harassing you with his affections." Quinn scowled. "I, for one don't trust him. He rejects you and then banishes you only to be loading you with affections years later?"

He was silent for a while before he slowly shook his head and exhaled. "Something....no everything about this is sketchy." 

"Quinn, we're not in the position to move right now. But we will...soon." 

"I hope so." Quinn sighed. "I mean if you want to accept him back that's your own problem but you gotta make him work for it. He can't just say sorry and hope that it all turns out okey dokey. If sorry could fix everything, we wouldn't need the law or police, would we?"

I stayed silent. Listening to him, Quinn had a good point. although I wasn't too sure I wanted Stryker back in my life.