Raised By Wolf- Chapter Eight
#9 of Raised By Wolf
Chapter Eight
By
Furry Sith Lord
"Friend?" Shinto asked as we waited for Baron the next day. We waited an hour or two then I decided that Baron was not coming so we had to head home. I held Shinto though he was being a bit fussy as we walked back but I had been around him enough to know how sad he was.
I figured Baron might have been punished because of us but I doubted that Shinto could understand. He must be feeling abandoned and wondering if Baron no longer wanted to be his friend. It was something we all felt at one time or another so there was little I could do to help him work through it.
Fen Ju was waiting for us when we returned and he rushed up when she saw Shinto's face and pulled him away from me. Shinto looked up at me and saw my displeasure but I just walked away and sat on the front steps as she fussed over him.
"What happened?" She finally asked me and I explained the situation with Baron and his father.
"So you're saying this is MY fault?" She asked me indignantly after I finished.
"I said nothing of the sort. I'm merely pointing out he was late because we kept him out too long. Now both Shinto and him are being punished for it! Next time instead of demanding things and throwing your weight around you might try listening! Alright, NOW I'm saying that it's your fault. You want to push people and this is the result." I said as my voice was very close to shouting. It was something that has been building up for a while and I found it harder to control my temper.
"Come on Shinto, he was not a decent friend anyway." She said as she firmly gripped Shinto's hand.
"That's right, place the blame elsewhere instead of doing the responsible thing. You know you are at fault but now you want to punish Shinto for your own behavior. Uh huh, typical of you." I retorted. She sniffed loudly and brought Shinto inside. I waited a moment or two then walked away.
On my way home my cell phone rang with an unknown number and I answered it.
"Good evening, is this Shion?" The stranger asked.
"Yes,"
"A spot opened up in my company today and I need someone to start immediately. Can you begin tomorrow morning?" He asked. I was struck by the abruptness of his request but I knew Fen Ju was behind it.
"Sure," I replied and he filled me in on the details. I made a careful note because if Jennifer was home then she was going to want to know everything.
I was in the office of my new boss the next morning as I waited for him to arrive. I was dressed in my best suit and I waited nervously but my thoughts were not on my new job. I was wondering what was happening to Shinto.
I was sure he must be confused that Baron had not shown up to see him and now I had vanished also. It seemed odd that I suddenly started caring about him even though originally I wanted nothing to do with Fen Ju and her new project. I guessed after spending so much time with him he was starting to grow on me.
Plus he still seemed so helpless not being able to communicate or even fully understand everything that was happening to him. I was hoping he would not feel abandoned and maybe one day he could understand what was really going on. I figured he would learn the truth about Fen Ju and he'd understand why I don't like her. Hopefully he would not end up like me.
"Ah, you must be Shion," Mr. Lee said as he entered his office. I immediately rose and we shook hands. He sat behind his desk and I sat back in my chair. "I've heard nothing but good things about you and I think you'll be a perfect fit for our company. How much about our company do you know?"
"I only know that The Reiki Corporation is involved in pharmaceuticals." I smiled trying to seem confident but had no idea the full scope of the company.
"Yes, that's partially true but we do a bit more than that. We provide hip and joint replacements and other surgical tools that must be cleaned and sterilized in what we call a Clean Room. This room is sealed so that no bacteria can enter and contaminate the items sterilized.
Everyone working there must wear special caps and gowns we specially provide that are sanitized. The thing is the parts that we manufacture and clean are sealed and are shipped immediately to hospitals where the doctors will implant them into their patients. If any microbe or germ is found it can fester in the patient and bring about huge lawsuits. The clean room is our defense against that.
I'm going to have you begin working there because I need people I can reply upon. Follow me and let's get you situated." Mr. Lee said and we both rose as he walked me around the building and explained how my day to day tasks should run.
I met the new faces I was going to work with and met the person that was going to be my partner. They pair us off as a means of accountability so that we were keeping an eye on each other.
My partner was a black man named Jean. His girlfriend just gave birth to twins so he needed a well paying job for the child support. I later learned he had a side hustle to give him some extra cash. Nothing too dangerous but he was selling dope to a few friends he knew but he was trying to keep it low key.
"Just don't do what I did. Don't get married right out of high school and have kids." Jean was telling me as we waited to be shown the job we were working on today. The Lead for the Clean Room was showing a job to another team while we waited for our turn.
I wanted to roll my eyes because Jean was trying to give me life lessons when he could not even get his own life together. What made him think that his advice was worth it?! 'Don't get married out of High School or have kids?' Well I've been out of school for a while now, so not much chance of that happening.
The lead finally came over and showed us what to do. At least it helped move time faster actually working than just standing there listening to nonsense.
"Jean, you'll be working the sealer. You pick up the part from the tray on your right then place it inside this bag. Pull off the adhesive strip here and close the bag then you place it in the sealer. The machine will suck out all the air and any possibilities of germs getting inside. Then it will super heat the adhesive and press the bag, sealing it.
You place the sealed bag in the tray to your left where Shion will take it. Shion you will take the package and make sure there are no openings in the bag. You want to make sure it was completely sealed. Then you place a label from this specially printed roll and place it on the bag. The bag then goes into one of these plastic totes. Then I will wrap the totes, once they are full, and prepare them for shipment. Any questions?" Neither of us said anything and we were left to begin sealing the parts.
I went home that night and felt a little invigorated about having a real job again. Jennifer asked me a thousand questions and I agreed to answer them all if I got a reward after. What was the reward you ask?! Sex!
She agreed and nearly wore me out answering them all. It suddenly felt like I was working a doubled before I was able to get to the good stuff. At least for a while it kept me distracted enough so I was not thinking about Shinto.
I was actually surprised that he had not tried calling me and a mixture of worried and meloncollie filled my emotions. I guess I was more attached to him than I had realized. Jennifer seemed to sense my emotions but she was quiet about it. I thought she knew something but was unable to tell me for some reason.
Finally I could not take it anymore and I broached the subject with Jennifer. She seemed calm but I knew she was hiding something. I feared that she was a l,ittle too friendly with Fen Ju sometimes.
"I wonder how Shinto did today." I said and she calmly looked at me with indifference. We were both still in bed with only a thin sheet covering our bodies.
"I'm sure he's fine." She said and this made me more suspicious. She kept pushing me to be with him and now she regarded him with a cold shoulder? Something was definitely up!
"Hmmm." I replied.
"Hmmm? What's that for?" she asked.
"Oh nothing, just strange to hear you say that. Like it doesn't matter or something."
"Well you're the one that has been pushing him aside and now all of a sudden you care?" She countered.
"Isn't that what you've wanted?" I said.
"Whatever."
"Whatever?! Alright so what's going on? You KNOW something." I accused.
"Nothing. Fen Ju hired a professional tutor and she claims he will be ready to go to school in 6 months."
"Is that all?" I asked, relaxing a bit because it did not seem like much of anything.
"She's sending him to a private school. Plans to keep him away from Baron and his bad behaviors." Jennifer said and at last I understood.
"Those rich kids will eat him alive." I commented.
"That's my feelings. I thought she should at least send him to public school and he could get used to meeting new children. If he went to the one Baron went to he'd have at least one friend to help him fit in then after that he could transfer." She explained.
"That sounds reasonable." I replied. .
"She's against it." Jennifer replied.
"Of course she is, she always is until you convince her."
"How can we do that?" she asked. I turned and wrapped my arms around her.
"We can't but maybe our friend Baron can arrange something." I said smiling as she looked at me confused.
To Be Continued...