>>5145414Still dumbfounded, you’re almost taken off-guard when Christy stares holes into your face. “I’m telling you all of this, Stanley, to rationalize just how much I HATED you for so long.” Her finger returns to the cellphone with a flurry of slashes. “And why Grandpa STILL hates you.”
You nod as you bite your lip. Yea, you kinda deserve it…
“That’s what I thought too.” Replies the mechanical voice from the phone. “Until recently.”
Blinking in confusion, you raise an eyebrow at your contact. Wait, wha?
“You have to realize, Stanley, that we were comfortable living in the dark.” Christy begins. “Even now I feel phantom pains in my throat, and with things the way they were, why would we bother questioning them?” The girl’s shoulders slump in exhaustion. “The door was closed a long time ago–why bother opening it again?”
Because, you mutter, regaining some of your classic confidence, she wanted to know the truth, right? Your contact responds with a nod.
“My grandpa never got closure with my parents. It tears him apart to this day.” She pauses, then continues typing. “I’ll admit I was apprehensive at first, but once I started talking to you I realized…” Another pause. Well?
“It <span class="mu-i">couldn’t</span> have been you who did this to me.” She concludes. “No way.”
Well, you reply with a growing smile, you <span class="mu-i">are</span> pretty nice once people get to know you!
“Yes,” the phone agrees as Christy gives you a genuine smile, “but you’re also way too stupid to pull something like that off.”
Exactl-<span class="mu-i">HEY</span>! Stifling a near-silent giggle, the personal assistant shakes it off and continues typing. “Being the primary contact for several teams including your own, Stanley, I’ve concluded several things: first, you’re impulsive. Second, you’re not one for long-term planning.”
Okay, you huff, <span class="mu-i">rude</span>.
“Third,” the robotic voice continues as Christy bashfully turns away from you, “you have a good heart, Stan. You’re not the type to mangle someone who didn’t deserve it–even if you black out.”
The conversation falls into an awkward lull. Adjusting her glasses, Christy leads the charge forward with her robotic voice: “So when I noticed grandpa snooping around in the security archives, I decided to do some homework of my own.” She pauses to give you a smile. “Thank you, Stan, for pushing me into the light.”
You’re uh, you mutter, you’re welcome?
>CONTD. 