Chapter 22 A Leg Up
She missed him. That annoying man, his eyebrow quirking, that slow smile that would melt steel, even his frown and displeasure were endearing. How on earth was she going to keep going without him? Hang around disaster areas like some kind of crisis junkie or ambulance chaser? And for what? Just so she could see him? Wave to him? She would have paced, but the new artificial limb she had been given was more uncomfortable than the last one, and it squeaked when she walked.
The doorbell rang. She frowned, she wasn't expecting anyone. It didn't ring again so she settled further into the couch to brood. After a minute, it rang again.
"Fooey." She muttered and wished for the umpteenth time that she wasn't so curious and could leave things unanswered. Her mouth opened in surprise when she opened the door.
"Brains!"
"H-hello M-marie." He said cheerily. He hefted the classy stainless steel case in his hand. "I brought you your new leg."
"I really didn't expect" She said to his retreating back as he breezed into her little apartment.
"No b-bother. I really l-liked the challenge." He grinned at her and was rewarded by a weak smile. She looked tired, and to his eye had lost weight.
"So let's see whatcha got." He put the suitcase on the coffee table and snapped open the locks. Set in soft plush velvet was a human leg.
"Holy cats! That looks real." She reached out a tentative hand to stroke the surface. "Feels real too."
"Synthaskin. It is used in b-burn transplants mostly. The frame is a special carbon alloy, light but d-durable."
She pulled her hand back as if burned. "This must have cost a fortune to make."
"About half a million Euros." He smiled at her shocked expression. "But I expect to to get m-most of it back in p-patent rights. You'll b-be my h-hamster."
"Guinea pig." Marie corrected and brushed her fingers on the leg again.
"We have a l-lot of tests and adjusting, so if you'll ah ch-change into ah sh-shorts?"
"Right." Marie noticed that the scientist's stutter was less when he was talking shop, but as soon as he got personal it got worse. As soon as she went to the bedroom to change Brains pressed the button on his watch.
"Everything is g-going to pl-plan. I'll c-call you later."
About five minutes later Marie came out of the bedroom wearing a ragged pair of cut off jeans. Brains winced at the rolling gait the plastic and metal monstrosity that was supposed to be a prosthetic limb caused. And the darn thing squeaked too.
"D-did you b-buy this from W-woolworths?" He said scornfully and before she could protest started opening the straps and catches.
"Army surplus, I believe. They threw a can of sewing machine oil in the deal."
The new leg slid into place with the elastic synthaskin forming a tight firm seal with her real leg. The knee was not knobby and the color of the skin and the shape almost matched her other real leg perfectly.
"Not a b-bad match, if I d-do say so." Brains said smugly.
"How did you get it to look so right?" Marie twisted the leg experimentally.
"I might be l-logical, b-but I'm not dead to f-female aesthetics. Virgil wasn't the only looking and enjoying on that island."Brains said and then blushed furiously.
"You strong silent types..."Marie found herself laughing and it felt good.
"Uh..l-let me j-just adjust..." Brains took out a small screwdriver and began tinker around the ankle.
"I w-was w-wondering..."The scientist began as he worked his way up the shin towards the knee.
"Eeep. That tickles."Marie looked down at him.
"Hmm. Interesting reaction."Brains looked up at her. "I have a pr- proposition for you."
Marie looked down at the man who had one hand on her calf and the other on her bare thigh.
"Just what do you have in mind?" She queried.
She missed him. That annoying man, his eyebrow quirking, that slow smile that would melt steel, even his frown and displeasure were endearing. How on earth was she going to keep going without him? Hang around disaster areas like some kind of crisis junkie or ambulance chaser? And for what? Just so she could see him? Wave to him? She would have paced, but the new artificial limb she had been given was more uncomfortable than the last one, and it squeaked when she walked.
The doorbell rang. She frowned, she wasn't expecting anyone. It didn't ring again so she settled further into the couch to brood. After a minute, it rang again.
"Fooey." She muttered and wished for the umpteenth time that she wasn't so curious and could leave things unanswered. Her mouth opened in surprise when she opened the door.
"Brains!"
"H-hello M-marie." He said cheerily. He hefted the classy stainless steel case in his hand. "I brought you your new leg."
"I really didn't expect" She said to his retreating back as he breezed into her little apartment.
"No b-bother. I really l-liked the challenge." He grinned at her and was rewarded by a weak smile. She looked tired, and to his eye had lost weight.
"So let's see whatcha got." He put the suitcase on the coffee table and snapped open the locks. Set in soft plush velvet was a human leg.
"Holy cats! That looks real." She reached out a tentative hand to stroke the surface. "Feels real too."
"Synthaskin. It is used in b-burn transplants mostly. The frame is a special carbon alloy, light but d-durable."
She pulled her hand back as if burned. "This must have cost a fortune to make."
"About half a million Euros." He smiled at her shocked expression. "But I expect to to get m-most of it back in p-patent rights. You'll b-be my h-hamster."
"Guinea pig." Marie corrected and brushed her fingers on the leg again.
"We have a l-lot of tests and adjusting, so if you'll ah ch-change into ah sh-shorts?"
"Right." Marie noticed that the scientist's stutter was less when he was talking shop, but as soon as he got personal it got worse. As soon as she went to the bedroom to change Brains pressed the button on his watch.
"Everything is g-going to pl-plan. I'll c-call you later."
About five minutes later Marie came out of the bedroom wearing a ragged pair of cut off jeans. Brains winced at the rolling gait the plastic and metal monstrosity that was supposed to be a prosthetic limb caused. And the darn thing squeaked too.
"D-did you b-buy this from W-woolworths?" He said scornfully and before she could protest started opening the straps and catches.
"Army surplus, I believe. They threw a can of sewing machine oil in the deal."
The new leg slid into place with the elastic synthaskin forming a tight firm seal with her real leg. The knee was not knobby and the color of the skin and the shape almost matched her other real leg perfectly.
"Not a b-bad match, if I d-do say so." Brains said smugly.
"How did you get it to look so right?" Marie twisted the leg experimentally.
"I might be l-logical, b-but I'm not dead to f-female aesthetics. Virgil wasn't the only looking and enjoying on that island."Brains said and then blushed furiously.
"You strong silent types..."Marie found herself laughing and it felt good.
"Uh..l-let me j-just adjust..." Brains took out a small screwdriver and began tinker around the ankle.
"I w-was w-wondering..."The scientist began as he worked his way up the shin towards the knee.
"Eeep. That tickles."Marie looked down at him.
"Hmm. Interesting reaction."Brains looked up at her. "I have a pr- proposition for you."
Marie looked down at the man who had one hand on her calf and the other on her bare thigh.
"Just what do you have in mind?" She queried.