Genesis Variant by Eliza Green

Author:Eliza Green [Eliza Green]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Eliza Green
Published: 2022-08-17T00:00:00+00:00

22

Bill got no sleep that night thinking about Stephen’s visit and his and Laura’s secret conversation. His wife had been feeling lost for a while now, but he had hoped with some time she’d figure out what she wanted. The day she had agreed to become his wife had been the happiest of his life. Her acceptance had eliminated all doubts in his head about her wanting him. But last night, seeing how tense she had been while she and Stephen talked brought back all his insecurities.

Laura slept soundly next to him in the bed. He leaned over her and tucked a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear, then pressed a soft, feathery kiss to her cheek. He loved this woman so much it hurt. It differed to the love he’d had for Isla, but was no less intense. Isla had been taken from him. Bill would not make Laura stay in a place or situation where she wasn’t comfortable.

With just the bare amount of sleep under his belt, Bill got up a few hours later. A headache plagued him that rivalled his worst caffeine-induced migraine. He slogged to the shower and attempted to wash away his discomfort, then dressed and headed for the kitchen to get a coffee. It was his worst addiction and he couldn’t shake it.

He slowed when he saw Laura at the replicator. She turned and gave him a smile as bright as the sun that streamed through the window. His doubts eased a little; whatever had been on her mind the night before had vanished in the morning light. He smiled back, albeit his feeling forced, and set to make some coffee.

‘That’s not going to sustain you. I can make some porridge. You want some?’

Bill wrinkled his nose. ‘Nah, coffee will do me.’

Laura shrugged. ‘Okay, but don’t blame me if you keel over from hunger later this morning.’

Laura never skipped breakfast; she couldn’t function without food in her belly. Low blood sugar, she called it. Bill, on the other hand, regularly forgot to eat, especially when his diet of caffeine and adrenaline sustained him.

‘I’ve lived this long. I’ll survive.’

She turned back to the replicator and Bill noticed her smile fade.

He couldn’t bear the tension between them. ‘You feel okay after last night? You seem... stressed.’

His wife nodded, concentrating on the food replicator as she punched in a code for porridge. ‘Everything’s fine, Bill. Please don’t worry. Let’s just work on a solution to stop the GS from taking more grid power.’

Her answer didn’t satisfy him. ‘You’d tell me if something was wrong? I don’t want you to think we can’t talk about this stuff.’

She turned and gave him a smile too wide to be natural. ‘I know, Bill. And I promise if there was something to talk about, we’d talk about it.’

‘Okay.’ Bill collected his mug from the coffee machine and drank the bitter liquid that matched his mood. He had a feeling this wasn’t the end of their talk. ‘I’m heading to work.

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