amusement, not menace. Addie was pretty confident that anyone that sounded like that couldn’t be bad. There was no ‘evil madman’ in it, just pure delight.
No, we have no desire to invade your world, Merrick said. I swear on my life.
“Oh, okay. Hold on a second, I’ll be right back,” Addie muttered when the door opened.
“Hi, Addie,” Ted greeted her in a startled voice. He quickly signed to her. “Is everything okay?”
Addie smiled reassuringly at Ted. Signing, she asked if she could ‘borrow’ his lock pick set. It wasn’t the first time she had to use it. One of her nephews had locked her bathroom door the last time her sister Alisha visited. Since it was the only one, it had been imperative to get it open.
Ted grinned. He nodded and turned back into his and Pam’s apartment. Addie followed him inside and watched as he bent to lift his tool bag. She looked around, puzzled, when she didn’t see Pam.
“Where is Pam?” Addie asked in a husky voice.
Ted turned so he was facing her. “She went to her mom and dad’s for the week. She’s expecting, and wanted to tell them in person.”
“That is awesome! Congratulations!” Addie replied with a grin.
She impulsively stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Ted’s waist to give him a brief hug. A surprised gasp escaped her when she heard a low, menacing growl ricochet through her head. Pulling back, she blinked up at Ted before releasing an uneasy laugh.
Knock it off, Addie pushed out, trying to cover her discomfort.
You should not touch another male, Merrick retorted, disgruntedly.
Ted is my best friend! I’ve known him and his wife, Pam, since I was a kid, Addie snapped silently. They are having a baby. Of course, I’d give him a hug.
I… apologize, Merrick finally responded.
Yeah, you should, Addie muttered. Just… chill for a minute more.
“So, did you lock yourself out of the bathroom again?” Ted teased before he turned to pick up the small plastic case holding a wide variety of picks. “You can hold onto this set,” he added, holding it out to her. “I don’t need it back any time soon. I bought a really nice set to replace it.”
Addie nodded as she read his lips. Signing her thanks, she turned to head back to her apartment. She paused in surprise when she felt a hand on her arm. Turning, she looked back at Ted.
“Are you okay?” He signed.
“Of course,” Addie replied. “Why?”
“I don’t know,” he said, shifting from one foot to the other. “You seem a little pre-occupied.”
“I had my final exam today,” Addie said with a shrug. “I’m just worried about how I did.”
“Oh, okay,” Ted replied with a nod. “I’ll see you later tonight at work.”
“See you later,” Addie responded, thankfully escaping.
It is too dangerous. I told you, I gave the guard information to call for help, Merrick insisted.
Well, think of this as Plan B, in case he doesn’t, Addie silently retorted, stepping back into her apartment and closing the door. I don’t know what happened to you this morning, but you can’t take much more.
You are the most…
A chuckle escaped Addie at the obvious curse that fluttered through her mind. She didn’t care. It was a good plan… and not that dangerous, at least for her. She would do her job. When she got to his level, she would slip the set of lock picks she had borrowed from Ted to him.
It would take seconds at the most. She would be in and out. After that, it was up to him. Well, sort of. He would need a distraction to help him get out of the building. She was still working on that part of the plan.
And that is why you should not be doing this! Merrick’s voice interrupted her thoughts again.
Addie crossed her eyes and stuck her tongue out. Growing up with a hoard of older siblings led one to use a lot of creative faces when you didn’t want your parents to see the numerous silent battles. Addie’s repertoire had grown significantly since she lost her
No, we have no desire to invade your world, Merrick said. I swear on my life.
“Oh, okay. Hold on a second, I’ll be right back,” Addie muttered when the door opened.
“Hi, Addie,” Ted greeted her in a startled voice. He quickly signed to her. “Is everything okay?”
Addie smiled reassuringly at Ted. Signing, she asked if she could ‘borrow’ his lock pick set. It wasn’t the first time she had to use it. One of her nephews had locked her bathroom door the last time her sister Alisha visited. Since it was the only one, it had been imperative to get it open.
Ted grinned. He nodded and turned back into his and Pam’s apartment. Addie followed him inside and watched as he bent to lift his tool bag. She looked around, puzzled, when she didn’t see Pam.
“Where is Pam?” Addie asked in a husky voice.
Ted turned so he was facing her. “She went to her mom and dad’s for the week. She’s expecting, and wanted to tell them in person.”
“That is awesome! Congratulations!” Addie replied with a grin.
She impulsively stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Ted’s waist to give him a brief hug. A surprised gasp escaped her when she heard a low, menacing growl ricochet through her head. Pulling back, she blinked up at Ted before releasing an uneasy laugh.
Knock it off, Addie pushed out, trying to cover her discomfort.
You should not touch another male, Merrick retorted, disgruntedly.
Ted is my best friend! I’ve known him and his wife, Pam, since I was a kid, Addie snapped silently. They are having a baby. Of course, I’d give him a hug.
I… apologize, Merrick finally responded.
Yeah, you should, Addie muttered. Just… chill for a minute more.
“So, did you lock yourself out of the bathroom again?” Ted teased before he turned to pick up the small plastic case holding a wide variety of picks. “You can hold onto this set,” he added, holding it out to her. “I don’t need it back any time soon. I bought a really nice set to replace it.”
Addie nodded as she read his lips. Signing her thanks, she turned to head back to her apartment. She paused in surprise when she felt a hand on her arm. Turning, she looked back at Ted.
“Are you okay?” He signed.
“Of course,” Addie replied. “Why?”
“I don’t know,” he said, shifting from one foot to the other. “You seem a little pre-occupied.”
“I had my final exam today,” Addie said with a shrug. “I’m just worried about how I did.”
“Oh, okay,” Ted replied with a nod. “I’ll see you later tonight at work.”
“See you later,” Addie responded, thankfully escaping.
It is too dangerous. I told you, I gave the guard information to call for help, Merrick insisted.
Well, think of this as Plan B, in case he doesn’t, Addie silently retorted, stepping back into her apartment and closing the door. I don’t know what happened to you this morning, but you can’t take much more.
You are the most…
A chuckle escaped Addie at the obvious curse that fluttered through her mind. She didn’t care. It was a good plan… and not that dangerous, at least for her. She would do her job. When she got to his level, she would slip the set of lock picks she had borrowed from Ted to him.
It would take seconds at the most. She would be in and out. After that, it was up to him. Well, sort of. He would need a distraction to help him get out of the building. She was still working on that part of the plan.
And that is why you should not be doing this! Merrick’s voice interrupted her thoughts again.
Addie crossed her eyes and stuck her tongue out. Growing up with a hoard of older siblings led one to use a lot of creative faces when you didn’t want your parents to see the numerous silent battles. Addie’s repertoire had grown significantly since she lost her
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