Human Blend (6 page)

“He's a bit full of himself,” Julie said. She
originally had no intention of mentioning the encounter to Austin,
but now it seemed unavoidable. “I pretty much told him that and he
apologized,” Julie recited. She left out the part where he was
doubled over in pain.

Austin looked reflective. “I'm sorry. I'm
sorry you had to go through that,” Austin said.

“Austin why are you apologizing for something
your friend did? You're not responsible for him,” Julie reminded.
She hated to see the frown on his face. Julie reached across the
table and touched Austin's hand, to bring his eyes back to hers.
“I've dealt with guys that think like your friend, Rick, before.
Their arrogance is broadcasted far and wide. They think their
confidence and Neanderthal ways will get them what they want. Maybe
on someone who is unsure of themselves, it might work. I don't
consider myself under that umbrella. Rick found that out right
quick,” Julie finished. She hoped she didn't come across like a
know it all. She just wanted Austin to understand, she could take
care of herself. Judging by his smile, she succeeded.

“Should I be worried if he came out alive?”
Austin asked, and they both had a good laugh.

Cindy brought Austin's drink over. “You guys
ready to order?” she inquired.

“Yes,” Austin answered, quickly. “We are both
going to have a bacon cheeseburger,” Austin ordered. Julie
smiled.

“How do you want them cooked?” The waitress
asked.

Austin paused and looked to Julie. “Well
done, please,” Julie answered.

“Okay, that'll be up shortly,” Cindy said,
and then left to put the order in. Austin and Julie smiled at each
other. A greater understanding seemed to permeate the evening.

The food arrived quickly and was cooked to
order. The meal came with a side of fries. Julie only ate a few and
gave the rest to Austin. “I'm not a fry person,” Julie
commented.

“How can you not be a fry person?” Austin
didn't understand how anyone could not like french fries.

“I like baked potatoes better,” she
admitted.

“My Uncle Gordi makes the best baked
potatoes. He loads them up with everything you can think of,”
Austin remembered, fondly.

“Does your Uncle Gordi live in Marion?” Julie
asked.

“No, in the Poconos,” Austin said, finishing
the last of the fries.

“That's in Pennsylvania, right?” Julie
confirmed.

“Yeah, we used to drive up every winter
around the holidays to visit and go skiing,” Austin said.

“Used to?” Julie questioned, catching the
past tense.

“Yeah, my dad and him had a falling out a few
years back, now we just don't go anymore,” Austin said. “He's a bit
of a strange guy, a loner of sorts, but I always got along well
with him,” Austin elaborated.

“That's a shame,” Julie remarked.

Cindy was back, “How was everything?” she
asked.

Julie smiled up at her. “Wonderful, thank
you,” she said.

“You guys getting dessert?” she asked. Austin
looked at Julie with raised eyebrows.

“What does Austin usually get?” Julie asked
her, but smiled at Austin who rolled his eyes.

“He usually gets the frozen yogurt cup to
go,” Cindy said, seeming to enjoy embarrassing Austin. Austin just
kept quiet sitting back in his chair, letting the girls tease
him.

“What's his favorite flavor?” Julie asked,
her smile getting wider as Cindy played along.

“Oh, he likes to add fruit like strawberry
and kiwi to vanilla,” she told.

“Oh that sounds awesome,” Julie replied.
“Let's get two of those,” she ordered.

“Coming right up,” Cindy said and laughed as
she walked away.

“Having fun?” Austin smirked.

“Absolutely,” Julie smiled.

“I've got to work on being less predictable,”
he commented.

“Don't you dare change,” Julie admonished.
“You're fine just the way you are,” she added.

Cindy returned with the two frozen yogurt
cups and the check. Austin quickly picked it up and paid. “I have
money, Austin, I can...,” Julie started to say, but Austin cut her
off.

“I told you, you are my invited guest,” he
reminded her.

“Well, next time, you're going to be my
guest,” she insisted. Austin smiled, he liked the sound of
that.

“Next time it is,” he confirmed, and stood
with his dessert cup. Julie just realized, then, she had made plans
to be with him again. She couldn't hide her smile. All of this was
new to her. She had never really wanted to be with another person
before. She spent so much time just doing what she had been told to
do, that the only thing she ever desired was to be left alone. She
didn't feel that way now. Being with Austin was different.

Together they strolled slowly back toward the
hotel, eating the frozen treat along the way. The dessert was
finished as they arrived at the lobby of the hotel. Disposing of
their trash, both were silent for a moment.

“You have finals tomorrow,” she said,
breaking the silence.

“You start a new job,” Austin added.

“We should probably say goodnight,” Julie
said, surprised to hear the reluctance in her voice.

“Can I walk you to your room?” Austin
asked.

“Sure,” Julie smiled.

Upstairs, Julie unlocked her door and opened
it. She entered and turned to face Austin. Down the hall another
door opened, An elderly gentleman shuffled out of another room,
carrying an ice bucket. The ice machine was at the end of the long
hallway. The man began the slow, arduous walk towards it. “Why
don't you come in for a minute,” Julie suggested to Austin. She
knew the man would be in the hallway for a long time and felt
awkward saying goodnight to Austin with a potential audience.
Austin stepped inside and Julie closed the door.

“How long you think it's gonna take him?”
Austin kidded.

“Oh, stop. You'll be that old someday,” she
reminded him. Julie looked at Austin. “I had a really good time
today,” she said, “Thanks for spending your whole day showing me
around,” she said.

“You're welcome, it was my pleasure,” Austin
said with a bow.

Julie laughed, “You better get going, silly,”
she said.

“Can next time be after you get off work
tomorrow?” Austin asked.

Being this close to him, Julie was having a
hard time keeping him at a distance. “Probably,” she said, “Let me
see how tired I am,” she finished, not wanting to commit to
anything definite.

“Okay, we'll see how you feel,” he said.
Julie knew the moment was coming. She reminded herself to stay in
control of her own hormones as Austin moved closer to her.

“I really like you,” Austin all but whispered
as his lips touched hers for the second time that day. The kiss was
gentle, but Julie still felt a rush of heat course through her.
Austin pulled back slowly, but Julie wasn't ready for the moment to
end just yet. She tilted her head and re-closed the gap that had
begun to open, reconnecting her lips to his. Austin responded by
pulling her closer. His hands reached for her face. Julie placed
her hands on his hips as the kiss deepened. She never wanted anyone
as much as she wanted Austin right then. The kiss broke once again,
but their bodies remained connected. Austin's breathlessness
matched her own. The momentary increase in oxygen helped clear her
head, slightly.

“Finals. Work,” was all she could say.

“Yeah,” was Austin's one word reply. Julie
rested her head on his chest. Austin's arms wrapped her up
comfortably as both waited for their heartbeats to resume a normal
rhythm.

“Think he made it back yet?” Austin asked,
and Julie burst into laughter. She knew he was referring to the
older gentleman.

Julie playfully punched his shoulder, “You're
so bad,” Julie stepped out of his embrace and smiled. “You better
go,”

“Tomorrow,” he said. Julie opened the door
for him.

“Good night,” she said.

“Sweet dreams,” he wished and walked out the
door.

Julie closed it behind him. “Nothing but
sweet dreams,” she said softly to herself.

She walked over to the bed and sat down,
reflecting on the day. She hoped everything would go well tomorrow
at the hospital. She really liked it here. The town, the people.
Austin.
“Time for bed,” she said to get herself moving. She
had a long day ahead of her tomorrow, one that would mean big
changes one way or another. She readied herself for bed and, after
setting the alarm, curled comfortably under the covers. She went
seeking the sweet dreams that Austin had wished her.

Chapter Three--First Day on the Job

Julie awoke at 7 A.M. feeling well rested.
She decided to dress in jeans and a t-shirt and carried her uniform
in a small bag to change into. She was down in the lobby by 7:45
A.M., ready to take the walk to the hospital. She stepped outside,
but moved no further than the overhang that covered the hotel
entrance. The rain was coming down in buckets. “Crap,” Julie
exclaimed. She was going to need transportation. She went back into
the hotel and went to the front desk. Patricia was on duty.

“Good morning, Patricia,” Julie greeted.

“Good morning Miss Miller,” Patricia
returned.

“I was wondering if you could call me a cab,”
Julie asked.

“Certainly, Miss Miller. It will probably
take about fifteen minutes,” the clerk explained.

“No problem,” Julie accepted.

She decided to take a seat and wait for her
ride. There was a small seating area, so Julie took a seat opposite
a man whose face was obscured by the morning newspaper. “There's
coffee and bagels over on that table,” a voice from behind the
newspaper addressed her, “if you're hungry,” the man finished, then
poked his head around and smiled. He looked to be somewhere in his
early forties, graying at the temples and wearing jeans and a light
colored blazer.

“Thank you,” Julie replied, but made no move
to help herself to any.

“You know what they say,” the man continued
his conversation, “breakfast is the most important part of the
day.”

“So I've heard,” Julie answered. She was not
in a talkative mood, her mind was focused on what she wanted to
accomplish that day.

The man folded his newspaper and placed it
onto the table next to the chair he was sitting in, before standing
up. “We'll I'm certainly going to partake in some. Sure I can't get
you anything, Miss...” The man asked, expecting Julie to fill in
her name.

“No, thank you,” was all Julie replied. The
man did not give off good vibes, and Julie was not about to provide
him with any information. She didn't recognize him, but something
about him made her uneasy.

“Suit yourself,” the man said and made his
way over to the food.

“Miss Miller, your cab is here,” Patricia
called over to her.

“Thank you,” Julie answered back and walked
out the door to an awaiting cab, unaware of the man's eyes
following her all the way.

The cab driver met her at the awning with an
umbrella and escorted her to her seat.
Nice touch
, Julie
thought. “Where to, ma'am?” the driver asked once he was back
behind the wheel.

“Smyth County Community Hospital, please,”
Julie requested.

“Hospital it is,” the driver said and put the
cab in gear. Thankfully, this driver was not a talkative one, and
they made the 10 minute journey in relative silence. They pulled up
to the hospital. “That'll be eight dollars,” the driver said. Julie
passed a ten dollar bill up to him.

“Thank you,” she said, and opened the cab
door. She was underneath the hospital's overhang, and easily made
it into the building nice and dry.

She was early. She didn't have to be in
Kathy's office for another 45 minutes. There was no one at the
courtesy desk, so Julie looked at the hospital directory located
near the elevators. The cafeteria was listed as being on the third
floor. She caught the next elevator up to that floor and quickly
spotted the cafeteria. It was a busy area, with doctors, nurses,
and orderlies all milling about at tables or in line getting food.
Julie immediately felt a sense of belonging. She got into line
behind a man in what appeared to be an orderly uniform and waited
her turn.

The line moved quickly. The kitchen staff
seemed to be in tune with the fast pace required in a hospital
setting. “What can I get for you, my dear?” the woman behind the
counter asked Julie.

“A plain toasted bagel with butter and a
small orange juice, please,” Julie requested. As she gave her
order, she noticed the man in front of her turn to look at her. He
looked more like a boy than a man.

“Hi,” he said, smiling when she glanced his
way. Julie gave a quick return smile before looking away. “Are you
visiting someone?” he asked her.

“Yes, and no,” Julie replied, and for some
reason this bought an even bigger smile to the boy's face.

“Cryptic, I like that,” he said.

“Neal, quit bothering the young lady and take
your food,” the woman behind the counter admonished him.

“Spoil sport,” Neal replied to her, but took
his food and moved on.

She handed Julie her food next. “Don't mind
him, sweetie. He's like a puppy; harmless. If you give him
attention, though, he'll follow you around all day long,” she
advised.

“Thanks for the warning.” Julie laughed. She
picked up an apple before heading to the cashier to pay for her
food. She found an out of the way, partially obscured table, and
sat down.

As soon as she had taken the food off the
carrying tray, Neal sat down next to her. “I wasn't going to let
you get away that easily,” he said.

“Neal, go sit somewhere else. You're gonna
scare her off before she even starts,” Joy said, sitting down with
her breakfast.

“You're gonna be working here, nice!” Neal
grinned. Julie was so glad to see a friendly face. Neal's
persistence was past the verge of annoyance.