MAXIM: A New Type of Human (Oddily Series #2) (19 page)

Oddily descended the stairway as quiet as a mouse, but then Sweeper showed up, and ruined everything. As usual, the robot greeted her with its loud synthetic voice.

After Sweeper scanned her body, Oddily walked into the kitchen where she found Nero gulping down a thick glob of…well, whatever it was, it smelled putrid.

“Good morning. You are up early.”

“I know. I have to be at school by seven forty-five.”

Nero cocked his head. “Must you leave?”

“No, I guess I could stay, but I have a math test today.”

“That is unfortunate because I would like to have you stay home with me.”

“I’m sorry. Maybe we can hang out after school. Will you still be here?”

“Yes, I will be waiting. Would you like the rest of my drink?” Nero held out his half-empty glass.

Oddily wrinkled her nose.

Unaffected by her response, Nero finished it himself and sat the glass down on the counter. “I want to take another look at your fingernails before you go.”

“Sure.” Oddily held out her hands and, upon examination, Nero took note that her nail growth had continued during the night. The same with Oddily’s hair, but not enough to be visibly noticeable.

Oddily gazed up into Nero’s handsome face, her thoughts on what Maxim had told her about him. She had a question on the tip of her tongue and decided to spit it out before she lost her nerve. “Maxim says you are his father.”

“Good, he has finally told you!” Nero nodded his approval as he stared at her curiously. “You seem to be handling the news well.”

“Oh how funny!” Oddily burst out in a laugh.

“Is that so?” Nero released Oddily’s hands. “Did Maxim also inform you that Willa is your mother?”

“Oh my gosh!” Oddily’s hand flew to her mouth in a pretense of surprise. “No, he didn’t!”

“Seeing how you are handling all of this so well, did you know that I am a time traveler from the future?”

“I do now!” Oddily grinned as she played along with him. “That must mean Maxim is a time traveler too!”

“Don’t forget Nexa!”

“That’s right! If Maxim and Nexa are twins, that means they both are!”

Willa had slipped into the kitchen after she overheard Oddily’s high pitched giggles.

“Hello mom!” Oddily’s crooked grin lit up her face.

If there had been a startled robot contest, Willa would have taken first place.

“What’s all the noise going on in here?” Maxim joined them and headed straight over to Oddily for his morning kiss.

“Hello, my time traveling boyfriend.”

Maxim’s eyes widened with caution as he looked to Nero for an explanation.

Nero didn’t even flinch.
I told her the truth.

It was not your place to tell her anything father. Now, either Oddily thinks you’re just kidding around with her, or she has come to the conclusion that you’re completely insane!

“Guess what, Maxim? Willa is my mom; but of course, you probably already know that—right Nero?”

“That’s right!” He grinned directly at his son.

Stop it father! This is not funny!

While Maxim was reprimanding Nero, Oddily’s phone began to vibrate.

Oddily pulled out her phone and answered, “Hello? Paul! No, I’m fine. Okay, bye.”

Maxim’s brows wrinkled together.
“
Paul has your phone number?”

“I guess he does! Paul must have memorized it when he added his cell number to my phone after using it to talk with Nexa.”

“It’s true!” Nexa called from the other room. “Oddily, are you ready to leave?”

“I’m coming. I just need to brush my hair and teeth.”

“Wait!”
Maxim followed Oddily out of the kitchen.
“What did Paul want?”

“He’s bringing Nexa and me breakfast this morning—isn’t that nice of him? He’s going to wait for us in the school parking lot.”

Maxim searched Oddily’s thoughts as he followed her up the stairs; but, he found nothing to warrant his jealous reaction. He waited while she brushed her teeth and fussed with her hair before he wrapped his arms around her shoulders to nibble at her ear. “I’ll see you after school baby. I’ll make sure I’m home.”

Oddily turned in his arms to gaze up at him with adoring eyes. “You’re so sweet to me.”

Her sentiment puzzled him. “What did I do?”

“You gave me a pet name. I tingle all over every time you call me baby.”

“Mmm, I like that!” he grinned. “What are you going to call me…sweetie?”

“I haven’t decided yet.”

“You’re going to make me wait and suffer, aren’t you?!”

“I would never do that to you!” With a playful kiss on his bare chest, Oddily said her goodbyes and joined Nexa. Before they could leave, Nero ordered Nexa to keep a watchful eye out for any changes in Oddily.

* * * * * *

On the way to school, Oddily had fun staring at Nexa with a big cheesy smile on her face.

“Why are you making that face at me? You look silly.”

“Wouldn’t you grin if you were staring at a time traveler?”

Nexa screeched Oddily’s Smart car to a stop. “Who told you?”

Oddily went wide-eyed with wonder. “What…is everyone around here in on the joke?”

Nexa was going to remain tightlipped until she could find out what was going on, but a hypothetical question came to her mind. “What if there is such a thing as time travelers and I am one of them. No! Better yet…what if Maxim is one?”

Oddily made a funny snorting sound through her nose. “I’m not stupid!”

“No, but you are a daydreamer. So, how do you imagine you would react?”

“I don’t know for sure, but I think I would want to run away and hide from him.”

Nexa felt a lump form in her throat. “You would leave Maxim?”

“I think I would have to,” Oddily cringed at the idea. “If I didn’t, I’d probably loose my mind!”

Nexa was disappointed by Oddily’s answer and didn’t want to talk anymore. Instead, she stepped on the accelerator and drove the rest of the way to school with her mind solely on Maxim. She worried over her brother—believing that he could very well end up with a broken heart.

21

After the girls left for school, Maxim headed back to the kitchen and confronted his father.
What do you know about Paul?

Obviously, you already know he is like you and your sister.

Yes, but do you know him?

I know of him.

And?
Maxim urged his father to say more.

There’s nothing more you need to know at this time.

Tell me something about him…anything!

All right…if you insist. I know Paul’s father.

Is Paul’s mother a primitive woman?

Yes. She has raised Paul on her own which is why he interacts well with the outer world. Now, let us be finished with this topic.

Maxim could tell that his father was becoming annoyed with him so he changed the subject.
May I ask you about something else?

Nero cocked his head as usual when he was listening.

I want to know more about Grayson.

Nero raised a hairless brow.
You have been in my laboratory!

Yes, but don’t worry. Tinley showed up and made me leave.

That doesn’t explain how you know about Grayson.
The tone of Nero’s voice had become troubled.

It was an accident. I took a seat on the chair not realizing it was more than just a place to sit. Is it true that he is me but in a parallel universe?

It is true.
Nero had a faraway look in his dark eyes.
That reminds me, I need you to join me in the lab. There’s something I want you to do for me and, by the way, Oddily is charming. I can understand why you fell in love with her.

Maxim followed Nero to the secret lab that showed recent signs of activity.

Ahhh, so this is where you disappeared to last night.
Maxim smirked at his father.
It looks as though you have been busy.

I have, but first things first.
Nero walked over to the chair that had transported Maxim into the mind of Grayson.
Take a seat.

Are you asking me to return to the parallel universe…to enter Grayson’s mind again?

Yes, I am.

There was a mixture of excitement and fear as Maxim sat down in the chair and watched the dome materialize over his body. Moments later, the weird sensation in his head had returned. The same dull fog began to seep in, threatening to take over his mind, but this time he didn’t struggle against it. He trusted that his father had a good reason for initiating his return.

It wasn’t long before Maxim found himself looking through Grayson’s eyes. This time, his other self was walking through the woods reflecting on the success of his recent concert tour. Now that it was over, and he had returned home to Stafford Manor, his goal was to stay with his parents as he considered the next move in his career.

While Maxim listened in on Grayson’s thoughts, the realization that his parents were close by had him excited. Would he really be able to view his mother through Grayson?

Maxim brought his thoughts back to where Grayson was headed, hoping to see his mother soon. However, from his vantage point, Grayson was roaming around the southwest portion of their land—far from Stafford Manor.

Suddenly, Maxim felt Grayson stop short in opened mouth wonder as he stared at a girl picking wild flowers. Her mind had been in a faraway dreamland and she didn’t see him. For a few moments, all Grayson could do was stand there and look at her. In his nineteen years of life, he had met dozens of beautiful girls; but he knew at once, beyond all doubt, that he had never seen or imagined anything as exquisite as this petite female. The unusualness of her appearance was so perfect that his breath almost went from him.

Her skin was pale with a cute pouting mouth, rosy cheeks and wide-set hazel eyes, all looking radiant against the backdrop of her golden-red hair.

Then, the change that swept over the girl when she spotted him was startling. She sprang to her feet, wild flowers slipping form her hand to the ground. Every hint of color fled from her face and she trembled uncontrollably.

“Hello,” Grayson spoke with haste. “I’m sorry that I scared you. I didn’t mean to…!”