Road to Redemption by Natalie Ann

excitedly, “Can you believe it? I was so excited when Clare stopped me and said she was reassigning me. I’ve got the whole week with Jack.”
    Shorts in place, Cori yanked her head though her pink top, twisted and turned to get her arms through, then turned and beamed at Brooke. “Did you know he wore glasses? Oh my God, Brooke, horn rims! Seriously, I thought I was going to start drooling right in his office doorway.”
    With a roll of her eyes, Brooke stood up and watched Cori wiggling her feet into her already-tied sneakers. “No, I didn’t know he wore glasses. Or that you had a fetish for them.”
    “Neither did I. But boy, what a fetish to have.” She giggled.  “I’ll never look at another pair of horn rims the same again.”
    As they were walking out of the locker room Brooke reminded her, “Remember, I’m going straight home after work tomorrow. It’s Lucas’s birthday.”
    “I remember,” Cori said with a pout. “You’ll be getting your workout after dinner. Or maybe before, and then after again.”
    On cue the blush rose up Brooke’s neck. “I swear you say those things on purpose to see how fast I can blush.”
    “Of course I do.”
    They were positioned side by side on weight machines and had begun their reps when Brooke asked, “So how did it go? I know you are dying to tell me. I’m surprised that you waited this long to talk about your day with Jack.”
    “Well, since you twisted my arm.” Cori grinned at Brooke’s eye roll. “You know if you keep doing that your eyes are going to start to do funky things on their own. Just saying,” she added when Brooke glared at her. “Anyway. It went well, pretty non-eventful to be honest.  We didn’t see much of each other. Only a few passes in the halls. Though I did stop in to say hi when he first got there.  That’s when I noticed the horn rims.”
    “So how was he to work with?”
    “Good. Very professional and cordial like you said. At least with his patients.  But the rest of the time he was the same as he was any other time I’ve seen him—quiet. Though,” Cori added more thoughtfully, “when he did answer me, if I had a question, he didn’t seem to stumble over his words.  He actually carried on a conversation, of sorts.”
    “Oh,” Cori added a minute later. “I think I confuse him.”
    “You think?” Brooke answered dryly.
    “Ha, ha. No, seriously. I was hungry, and in between patients. So I was off to the side munching on M&M’s and he walked by and saw me. He stopped for a second to stare, so I offered him some. He mumbled no thanks and moved on.”
    “He probably thought it was odd you were standing in a corner eating candy like a child hiding so you wouldn’t be caught.” Cori had a fondness for snacking during the day.  And she didn’t like to share, so she would often find a quiet place where she could scarf down her sugar without anyone seeing her.  That she was willing to share with Jack shouldn’t have surprised Brooke, but it did concern her.
     
     
    ***
                 
    During the commercial break of Top Gear , Jack went to the kitchen for a snack.  He was doubtful he would find much since he hardly kept any food in the house. Not only did he not know how to cook anything that didn’t go on a grill, but he wasn’t home enough to even worry about it.  He bought most of his meals at work or picked them up on his way home. 
    Looking at the nearly bare cabinets and drawers, he discovered he was going to have to suck it up and make a trip to the grocery store soon.  On his second round of opening all the cabinets, he realized he had a sudden craving for chocolate and knew there was absolutely none in his house.

Whoa There
     
     
    On Wednesday morning Cori rushed out the door earlier than normal.  She always woke at the last minute and hit the snooze button on the alarm clock exactly three times each morning. She knew how much time she needed to get ready. Then she would rush