Chapter Two
Telling Ecklie
Conrad Ecklie was a tough but reasonable man. He knew there was another romantic relationship going on at the lab because of rumours and whispers going around. He had an idea of whom it was, but didn't want to confront the people. He had been targeted as unfair and mean in the past he knew he was not liked by many – especially the grave shift team. He decided to wait until the people in question came to him.
"Are you ready?" asked Wendy.
"Ready as I'll ever be…" he replied as they arrived at Ecklie's office.
Wendy knocked softly.
"Come in." called Ecklie.
Ecklie frowned slightly. Not who I was expecting. "What can I do for you today?"
The two lab techs exchanged glances nervously. "I – uh. We want to come clean with you Conrad. We are now in a relationship, established a few weeks back. Um. We realize one of us needs to change shifts and um as the man, I would like to be the one…" Hodges said.
Ecklie looked from Hodges to Wendy then back to Hodges again. Is this a joke? David Hodges and Wendy Simms in a relationship.
Wendy frowned. "What? You can't believe I chose David?" she said as she read the silence as shock.
"I would have never suspected that the two of you were a couple. I thought you hated him Wendy, after that whole 'Mindy Bimms' thing." He replied.
"That was two years ago Conrad. I have forgiven him for that." Wendy said and tossed her hair back.
Ecklie was still a little shocked. He had heard that Wendy and Henry had a date and thought that they were going to come clean as a couple, but HODGES and Wendy? Never in his wildest dreams would he guess that the cute perky DNA tech would go for the obnoxious trace tech.
"Ok." Ecklie shrugged. "What shift do you want Hodges?"
"If possible can I have swing?" he asked.
Ecklie sighed. "Yeah sure. You can have swing. The trace tech on that shift is on vacation anyway so you can take over his spot."
"Oh and not even tell him?" Hodges asked.
Ecklie shrugged again. "I'll tell him when he gets back. He's gone for another two weeks." Which is how long I believe this relationship is going to last. He thought that last part under his breath.
Hodges and Wendy left Ecklie's office. "I don't believe he believes we will last as a couple!" Wendy said.
Hodges shook his head. "I know. He doesn't realize that this is for real."
Wendy was quiet and Hodges got nervous.
"What? Are you regretting it already." He asked in a panic.
Wendy laughed and rolled her eyes. "You don't have any confidence do you?
"Wendy I have had very little luck with women. Every time I tried with you – I stuck my foot in my mouth."
"Who kissed who David?" she said and turned to face him.
"Good point." He replied.
Wendy went back to her lab while Hodges headed to the break room. He had left his lunch in the fridge and was hungry. Wendy finished what she had to do in her lab and headed to the front door. She was meeting Hodges there and they were going to take his car and go out for supper. But she stopped as she saw two people in deep conversation at front reception. Judy was nowhere to be seen, but Wendy stayed out of view of the two people in question.
"Are you ready to tell Ecklie about us?" the male asked.
"I don't think he can take two revelations in one day." She replied.
"Two?"
"Hodges and Wendy came clean."
"What the hell does she see in that guy?"
"Now now, Hodges has mellowed out a lot over the last few years. It think it is because of Wendy. She has changed him."
"How long have they been a couple"
"A few weeks"
"And you say that Wendy changed him?
Catherine rolled her eyes. "Look, everyone knew he was in love with her but had a hard time showing it. Every time he'd try to show his feelings – it would turn out bad and insulting ." she said.
"Oh-ok…"
"He knew that in order to impress her, he had to mellow and stop being such an ass. It worked, and they're a couple."
Detective Vartann took Catherine in his arms. "Lets go to your place before your daughter gets home"
"Lindsay is at a friend's house this weekend…"
"Ohhh…. Fun times for us then…."
TBC