Episode 192: Babies with Ben (Nell)

Nell knew what it looked like to go into the same specialty store twice in one day.

He knew from experience.

He also knew because the second Konrad had opened the door, and the little bell had jingled, the mind of Ben the Salesman was blazing in curiosity.

“Good day, sir,” Nell stated. “How are you?”

It was a good day. It was the day they had resolved to save babies and Aadya was still in labor somewhere and he was married to the two loves of his life.

It was an amazing day. Ben was just adding to it with his mind wondering what two men needed now, two incubators later.

“I’m good,” Ben replied. “How are you?”

Konrad slid his hand around Nell’s waist, which stopped him from stealing one of the little business card stands Ben had. He wanted one. He would have to procure one elsewhere.

Speaking of procurements, Nell was quite proud they had paid for the first machines, seeing as they needed more and there would be police there at the moment if they hadn’t paid.

Konrad, arm wrapped around Nell’s waist, answered the question. “We are in need of five more incubators.”

Ben stood there for a second, then seemed to unpause his existence from his mind’s shock. “Would you be interested in adding a dust removal package to your order?”

The mind of the man before them screamed  I need to see this.

“Dust?” Konrad asked.

“Yes, the machines can get clogged with dust. It was in the manual,” Ben said.

“Is that what that was? We thought it was complementary burn materials to celebrate the birth.”

Konrad laughed, just enough for Nell to notice, but Ben’s mind flared with more intrigue.

It was almost nauseating, the amount of curious excitement.

“I’d be happy to keep your machines in working order, control the dust,” Ben offered.

Beneath the excitement, Nell got the idea that Ben was running low on machines and needed a new job soon, if they were going to come in here and ask for more machines.

Konrad talked money with him while Nell went and snatched up the business card tray. If the guy needed a new job, he didn’t need the old tray. Nell circled around the room again, and dropped the extra cards into an empty paper cup. He filled it with water, from the little water machine, and pretended to drink it.

He was almost annoyed that he had filled it because now he had to throw away the cup, full of soggy business cards. There was no way he was going to drink it. The number of hands that had touched the cards….

Nell wasn’t a germaphobe but even that crossed some lines.

“Alright,” Konrad agreed.

Nell stepped back against his side, his other side now. Sometimes he forgot he was taller than Konrad. Today was one of those days, and it surprised him to have to look just subtly down to see Konrad.

“You’ll need to talk to the man managing them,” Konrad added, as a false stipulation.

“And those five machines… do you sell them in twin sized?” Nell asked for fun.

“It may need some modifications,” Ben puzzled. His mind actually dimmed because he was thinking through the question, and for a moment Kornad and Nell shared a thought about his other uses to the palace.

Elevators, they needed more of those in the expansion. Other technology issues too, like making sure the however many babies were all safe in the incubators.

“If we pay you six per machine, we expect discretion,” Konrad added.

Nell tried not to laugh at the wording. Konrad was going to get away with buying the machines for nothing.

“I can be discreet,” Ben agreed.

Konrad let a flinching smile out and the two shared amusement in their accomplishment.

At the rate things were going, Ben may forget to collect on the machines. They just had to pay him for the labor once he was working on them.

It was an amazing day.

“When can you have them ready?” Konrad asked.

“Two hours.”

“Delivery or pickup?”

“Delivery. Where to?”

Nell touched Ben’s arm and the three transported to the conference room. “Here.” He handed Ben a few travel packs to get back there and then took a step away.

Ben nodded and transported.

And that, in all its glory, was how Konrad stole without stealing.

Nell kissed him. “I love you.”

And he did, not because of the fancy stealing techniques, but because Konrad was in every way his perfect partner.

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