Chapter One
"Quick give me a kiss."
"They're still staring."
"Yeah, it was worth a shot."
'It was definitely worth a shot' I mused.
"Arthur. Arthur!" She exclaimed snapping her fingers.
"What Janie?" I sighed.
"Here's your tea." Janie said placing a steaming mug in front of me. "What's wrong with you Artie? It's unlike you to space out like that."
"Just thinking,"
"Okay." She said sounding unconvinced. "So, why don't you tell me more about the job you pulled, mind you it involved planting an idea that could very well break a childhood friend of mine." Janie said giving me a pointed look.
"Thank you for helping us by the way."
"It was no problem all it involved was answering a few phone calls from you about the little details and a lot of phone calls from Eames."
"Eames. I hate Eames." I ranted. "How in the hell did he get your number?"
"I might have given it to him." She shrugged as if it were no big problem in the world for my little sister to give the man I despised the most her number.
"Please don't get involved with Eames, Janie."
"Arthur, I'm aware you hate Eames and please big brother give me a little credit Eames isn't as charming as he likes to think he is."
"It makes me very happy to you hear you say that." I said staring at my tea.
"So, why don't you tell me more about your new architect Ariadne."
"Why?"
"Because big brother not only did you pay her a compliment, you also kissed her, granted it was brief, but it was spontaneous! You do nothing spontaneously! You require the specificity for everything!"
"I do not."
"Bull. You plan your outfits out three days in advance. Let's see what's today Tuesday, what three piece suit do you plan on wearing on Friday?"
"My gray one with the black shirt gray vest and teal tie."
"There are so many things wrong with that." She said shaking her head.
"Okay enough about me what has been going on in the life of my sister Dr. Janie Hathaway?"
"Well let's I've acquired an accumulative amount of vacation days so I'm off the rest of this week and all of next week. Tomorrow I'm getting up early and getting my hair cut and then at five o' clock I'm going to Maurice Fischer's wake. Thursday I'm going to his funeral and then on Friday I'm going to go visit dad in the nursing home."
"How is dad?"
"He's doing better, which is good but he keeps calling me Lila."
"He thinks your mom." I stated.
"Yep,"
"Maybe we should change topics. What are you going to do all of next week?"
"I'm going to lay out by my damn pool."
"You mean our damn pool."
"I'm more than you. What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to spend my three weeks before I meet back up with the team doing something productive."
"Can I make a suggestion?"
"No, but you're going to anyways."
"How about you look at those three weeks as a vacation and do nothing."
"No."
"Workaholic. Is there anything you regret about your last job"
"No, not really I mean Cobb's back with his children where he belongs."
"Yeah, now that Cobb's out of the extraction business does that make you in charge?"
"Well we don't know for sure that Cobb's out of the extraction business. I think I'm going to bed. Is the guest house still clean?" I asked pushing the bar stool back up against the bar.
"Yes, but Arthur you're not answering any of my questions." She said following me.
"You know Janie I do believe there is something I regret."
"What?"
"I regret missing seeing Eames as a woman."I said walking off. That she throw her off the loop.
"Wait, what?"
"Goodnight Janie."
"Please tell me about the Eames as a woman thing!" Janie called after me running towards the door.
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Please? Big brother my life's so boring at the moment that I'm trying to live vicariously through you!"
"No."
"Then at least tell me about your new architect, or girlfriend, or whatever she is to you!"
"No."
"What if I told you about my love life?"
"That." I said turning around. "Is something I never want to hear about."
"What if I told you I've been having sex with Eames for the past nine almost ten years!" Janie yelled.
"I'd be more concerned if you said 'I've been in love with Eames for the past nine almost ten year and we're running to Mexico to elope."
"Now you know I was voted most likely to elope in Las Vegas why on Earth would I go to Mexico?"
"Goodnight Janie."
"Arthur!"
"Go to sleep Janie."
"I hate you!"
"Act your age not you shoe size."
"Act your age not your shoe size." I mimicked washing the dished. "I'm going to shove my seven foot so far up his-."
"Do you need some help with that?" A male voice asked from behind me.
"No I think I'm good." I said smiling.
"If you're sure." The man said encircling his arms around my waist
"So do you care to explain something to me." I asked turning around to face him.
"Anything you want, love." He said pulling me closer.
"You were a woman?"