Chapter 9

Sith went to work and had a hell of a time with her boss, he didn't seem to bother about her being late, she offered him coffee as scheduled and he sat back on his chair.

Ethan Hawke was the leading scientist in the US and a renowned one with a Pulitzer prize in pure science and technology and she had had the privilege of serving him all these years. Charismatic and knowledgeable, he had influence and wealth and he invested it towards his projects and ended up with phenomenal inventions that benefitted the world, he saw it was his little way of making life easier but it shook nations.

Sith couldn't wrap her mind around the stranger who helped her with her car problems, he seemed like a simple man. Her smiled widened

"Singh_Singh!"

"Yes sir, I'm sorry, I wasn't listening" she apologized. He looked troubled and dropped his papers.

"Sir..."

"Singh, I have something to tell you"

He had the concern of every other successful owner of a multi-million dollar company. The future.

"My son doesn't want to be a scientist, he wants to play bass guitars, Sith" He scoffed "What do you think?"

Sith felt nervous, she didn't like to intrude into his personal affairs and tried as much as possible to keep it professional and he just called her Sith. A knowledgeable man was asking her for advice, it was like Pythagoras asking a three-year-old to solve an equation.

"Uhhh..."

"Be honest with me, I need the truth" He was always open-minded even if that meant swallowing the truth.

"I think you should let him do what he loves. It wouldn't be fair to impose your will on him, not giving him much of a choice"

He nodded "What am I going to do ?" Rubbing his forehead, she had never seen him so uncertain, he always was assertive. She looked up to him so much.

"The future of Hawk labs, what do I do now?, he's my only son and I do admit he can be a little... turbulent at times"

"I understand sir"

He dismissed her and she was done for the day.

Sith's phone rang and she picked it smiling broadly at the sound of his voice.

Holding his hand, his at the small of her back and her on his broad shoulder, her eyes lowered while they danced in the diner. She had slipped a card with her phone number into Kujo's collar while his eyes were fixated on her in the car.

"You surprise me" He said with a deep throaty voice that made her insides turn.

"My friends think I'm predictable" She scoffed

His grey eyes glistened, the second week they had met and he still couldn't fathom how she still felt like a stranger to him but in a good way, he wanted to know who this lady was.

"Sith..." He called her name.

She blushed.

"My dad was a fan of Star Wars__the dark side apparently"

"I like it"

Her eyebrows rose in surprise "Really?"

"Yes" he seemed sincere

"I thought of doing a name change one too many times"

He laughed, surprised again. She didn't have a great sense of humor, Kujo grew fond of her and maybe even liked her more than he like Wade.

"Funny, I would do the same but...it suits you"

She quirked her eyebrow giving him a serious look.

"I meant in a good way" he added

Her eyes lowered, his words affected her, she was good at containing herself and not letting words sway her but with him, it felt like she couldn't muster up some form of control.

Female passersby and girls who lingered at the bar gave Wade looks and some even sought his attention. Sith felt tension when a shapely beautiful lady wiggled her fingers at him. He only gave a polite nod, she started to walk towards them.

Batting her eyelashes at him "Do you mind if I dance with you?"

"Not at all" He flashed a grin at her.

Sith sat back at the bar and other ladies cast envious looks at the lady who danced with him, she was good and they moved in sync with the music.

She watched their mouths move, they seemed to be having a good time. He laughed and she did too. Sith didn't want her insecurities to get in the way. He was nice to everyone and enjoyed small talk, unlike her. She hated that but he didn't mind carrying the conversation on his own and she answered easily.

But they were talking as though they had met since forever.

Wade had been talking to the lady but his eyes were on Sith this whole time, hers were on the lady. She turned on her stool and bent over, then left. The lady's face blocked her while she went out.

Was she having second thoughts about their date?. He left the lady who was taken by surprise and declined the next who asked for a dance.

Running out into the cold, he looked around, her car was gone. He dialed her number, the line went dead the next second. He raked his hair, she high-tailed it out of here.

Sith met with Mr. Hawke who was musing and tapping on a laptop, his eyebrows looked heavy. What would make him call her by this time of night?.

He looked at her "Singh, you're here. I've been running through your profile and I've been thinking..."

"About what?" She swallowed hard, nervous.

...

"You've been working for me for two years"

"Three to be exact" she nodded chuckling nervously.

"I'm going to retire at some point this year"

"Oh" her eyebrows came together, she would be having a new boss

"And I want you to run hawk labs while I'm gone"

Her throat clogged, in shock

"What?"

"I'm serious, you've been watching me and we've been together for a long time, I think you should know how we do things around here"

He held her hand

"I_I don't know what to say" she gasped, his eyes glistened and then he looked up and began to sit up, she turned and her smile faltered a little when she saw who was at the doorway.

"I think you should know how we do things around here?" He seemed utterly confused. Sith's eyes narrowed into slits, she seemed angry with him, why was she angry?, he wondered, they broke into a fight.

"If you're still so into your sugar daddy, maybe there's no room for... whatever this is developing into any more"

She growled, Kujo whined nudging his hand

"Not now Kujo!"

"If you're so curious then Mister Hawke offered me an opportunity to run Hawk Labs and you were the first person I thought about to share it with and ask for a little advice"

He looked guilty after she lashed out at him

"I'm sorry,y," He said coming closer to her, she hugged herself and couldn't contain her tears. His face rested on her cheek, angry with himself.

"I was jealous, I thought you were upset and left me"

"What?" Her voice quivered

He explained everything and her cheeks were flushed, she pushed him away

"It was an emergency!"

"I know, you told me."

"Wait...hear what I have to say."

"Okay"

"I was jealous as well" she confessed about the lady at the pub.

"I saw" He said and looked warily at her when she passed him a grim look.

"I had a great time with you. I'm a total derp, you're brilliant and sometimes I get lost in whatever science you talk about"

She laughed once more

"I don't blame you if you leave, you deserve better than me"

He made self-deprecating jokes and she covered his mouth.

"I like you"

His eyes rounded "Seriously?" his voice muffled by her hands.

Sith nodded, his eyes lowered to her lips. Her eyes rounded as she had never kissed anyone before, startled when his tongue went into her mouth. She pulled away covering her mouth at that.

He realized it was her first time, her cheeks were red and he couldn't bear how long she was trying to absorb the shock of being kissed but he was patient, she was confident enough to kiss him back then on his jaw and his eyelid.

He didn't ask if this was her first time but was half relieved, half surprised that somehow he was her first, that was a sign.

"He wants me to take over"

"Is this what you want?" He murmured. She cuddled up to him and smiled, deep down she wanted to be a scientist but this had come by surprise, greater than she had expected.

"That's why I came to you, should I take it, I mean it's a big opportunity...."

His finger stroked her side, her voice faded, she was talking science again and about something revolutionary. She paused in-between

"Could you please stop doing that for a second? I need to focus on what I'm trying to say" She closed her eyes. He grinned knowing he had that effect on her. He stopped

Ethan Hawke was a pioneer and a great man, she didn't think she was worthy enough to carry that mantle.

"I don't think I can__"

"When an opportunity presents itself, you take it, you don't complain, just take it. You are smart, calculated, sometimes clever. I couldn't think of anyone better"

She let out a giggle "Right, you don't know anyone else" she scoffed

"I believe in you"

He did more than she believed in herself.

"I appreciate that"

"Take your time"

Just like Ethan said. He leaned forward and kissed her, they smiled at each other, Kujo wriggled in between them, Sith rubbed his ears.

The board wasn't too happy about an intern running the lab, she had little experience. They refused to acknowledge but the paper was there to prove them wrong. Ethan tutored and mentored her at every step while he was closer to his family.

They were driving to a church for a small wedding they planned, just him, her and Kujo. He wore a small bow tie, excited.

Wade laughed "I haven't been this nervous in my entire life"

"I have...a lot of times actually" They chattered on happily until an explosion. The car rolled out of the road into a ditch.