It was past six in the afternoon, and Ismene was still working in the basement, the lab phone rang, and startled her. She was taking out the CPU, so she hurriedly put it on a work bench and picked it up.
-Hello?- it was the first time she had heard that phone ringing, she almost had trouble locating it.
-Ismene?
-Dr... Roger. Hi.
-Eirian told me you would be down here. You shouldn't stay there too long, one loses perception of time. It has happened to me before. Once I left on the verge of midnight, when I finally got home my wife wanted to kill me.
-You wanted to talk to me?- Ismene took him back to the topic.
-Yes. Would you mind coming to my office? I'll make you some tea so it's ready when you come.
-Sure, I'll be there in a second.
Ismene put some order around the workbench, leaving the screwdrivers and all the tools she had been using on a box, and trying to make sure nothing stood on the way of anyone wanting to work in the lab, she wouldn't be going back until the following week, after all. Before leaving, she took a second look to make sure everything was in its place. She was leaving the notebooks and blueprints behind on a pile on her assigned desk down there, so she didn't need to carry them around all the time. She took the elevator and went to Roger's office. As promised, he was waiting for her with some freshly brewed tea.
-Sit down, Ismene. How are you doing?
-Pretty well, thank you.- she said taking the cup of tea he was handing her.- I've already told you, but I completely love this job.
Roger smiled.
-I can see that, and you're making very good progress on everything. I wanted to talk to you because we need to ask for funds, so we need to write a project. I want you to write it.
-What is it going to be it about?
-It's actually quite related to your PhD dissertation, I had the idea while reading it, actually. I think we should collaborate with your thesis director, or at least inform her of what we are planning to do. And since it was your project I want you to take the lead on it.
-So, are you going to explain me this idea or not?
Roger started telling her his idea, and before they realized the sun had already set and they still had a thousand things to discuss.
-I think we should both go home, and resume the discussion tomorrow in the morning. At what time will you arrive?- he asked opening his agenda.
-I'll be here at 8, but I was going to go with Eirian for a run. I can skip it, though, if the timing suits you better.
-Nonsense, go for your run and I'll be here. We could meet at 9.30, let's say?
-Sure. I'll be here at 9.30.
Ismene left Roger's office to go pick her things in her office. There was no one left in her office, not even Eirian. She switched off her computer that was on stand-by, and turned off the light. The empty lab had a ghostly feeling. The campus was also empty, and apparently she was lucky enough to catch the last bus back to the city. She switched her mobile phone on, after she had switched it off before entering Roger's office, and it buzzed almost immediately. Leo had sent her a message asking her if she had already signed in for the competition, she had completely forgotten about it. She replied telling him that, and he texted her back immediately telling her to do it as soon as possible, and asking her whether she was free during the weekend. She felt guilty after answering that no, that she had stuff to do. For a split second she considered telling him to join her and Eirian on Friday, but she had promised her friend her undivided attention, and she liked to keep her promises. He send her a sad smiley, and told her to book the weekend of a fortnight from then for him. She smiled widely, like an idiot, was she falling in love?
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