Escape Velocity

Chapter Ten

The Galactic Lobby was packed. Couches and chairs arranged in small groupings allowed couples and families to enjoy high tea. White-jacketed servers hustled across the room with tiered silver trays and French porcelain teacups. The delicate cups were steel blue with a gilded fleur-de-lys pattern. A tiny woman in a pink and green gingham dress forced her way through the small clot of people creating a bottleneck at one entrance. She pulled a toddler by his arm and, as they passed me, said sharply to him, "Stop dawdling or we won't find a seat."

I sat in a cushy chair that allowed me to see into the Andromeda Lounge through a wide doorway. It was more sedate with no crowd. Banks of windows let in the sun. Melisse, Liz, Christina, Olivia, and Kate sat on the sofas at the far end. They chattered like little birds and switched seats several times as they plucked items off the serving trays and held up teacups for a server. It was the five of them. No adults. Unlikely anyone noticed I was missing.

The weight pressing down on me would not go away. The mere thought of the effort to be part of the group drained my energy. I was all rough edges trying to find a way to slide among them without catching on anything. After a few moments, I became aware of my hands clinging to the arms of the chair as if I might be suddenly flung off a cliff into the unknown. In that moment, I was removed from everything. I floated outside my body. I wondered who the stranger was, seated in my chair.

Have I always been this way? I can't remember when I wasn't.

Melisse's bright laughter brought me back, and a part of me wished I could be in on the joke. But I could never be on the inside, not without opening myself to complications. I preferred the safety of my own company, although sometimes I wasn't certain I could even trust myself.

Kate nibbled at a small crustless sandwich and then, holding her cup and saucer high, took sips of tea. Once, when the others were studying Christina's phone, she shoved two of the tiny sandwiches into her mouth and chewed, her cheeks bulging. She swallowed hard behind a napkin, then rubbed her throat a few times before standing and glancing my way. I raised my hand up for cover, but it was unnecessary. Her glance swept past me without stopping.

"Miss? Would you care for some tea?"

I couldn't help my flinch.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." His eyes flickered with recognition, and his gaze darted to the girls in the Andromeda Lounge and back to me. "Oh, you're Ms. Gilson. From the Arouet Suite. I delivered your package yesterday."

"Hi, yeah, I remember now. I didn't recognize you in a different uniform." Like I would forget. He was gorgeous. Maybe it was it a requirement for working here. I managed a tiny smile, but my skin was sticky, and there seemed to be cotton balls where my brain used to be. Some genius. I couldn't even put a sentence together.

"Your friends are over there in the next room." He tilted his head in their direction. "Aren't you joining them?"

"I, uh..." I desperately tried to find an excuse for why I was sitting by myself. As I fumbled, another server waved from where he stood next to Kate. I was afraid I might collapse when I recognized Duncan. He walked toward me and Gorgeous Guy.

"Savanna. Hi, it's me, Duncan. From the train." He turned. "Hey, Ben. I see you've met Savanna."

Ben frowned in response to Duncan's broad grin. "We haven't met."

Duncan said, "Okay. Yeah, I get it. We're on duty. Ms. Gilson it is then," Duncan continued to smile. "Ms. Gilson, may I escort you to your seat? The rest of your group awaits."

"It's okay. You both can call me Savanna." If it was possible, while glaring at Duncan, Ben was even more handsome. "Really, it's okay. Can I call you Ben? Or is that not allowed?"