Chapter 34

GRACE'S POV

By the end of the day, I understood that Grey worked much more than he ever did. He was so focused on his work that I'd almost forgotten he never was. I'm sure others saw it too, if the occasional glancing and humming were any indication. 

His eyes never strayed from his computer, except to look at his document. His phone never rang once, which was unusual. His phone always rang at least 9 times every day before lunch, and the phone calls never made sense. If he wasn't talking about a party he was attending, he was talking about a party he was planning. If he wasn't talking about a girl who wouldn't leave him alone after a ‘great night', he was talking about a girl he wouldn't leave alone after a ‘great night’. But he never made or received a call, making the office as quiet as a graveyard, except for Craig's abnormal noise. 

“Craig, don't you think you should get that nose checked out?” Victoria said all of a sudden, almost snapping. 

Craig sighed, lazily tapping his keys. “Don't you think I've tried that option?” 

“Nothing can be done?” Julia asked, glancing at him. 

He shook his head. “Nothing at all can be done for this nose of mine?” 

“Then, get a nose job, anything. Just destroy that nose and get a new one.” Lana said, leaning into her chair. 

Craig gasped, horrified. “What? I can't do that. I don't even have any money for that.” 

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. “Would a nose job even help his breathing problem?” 

“We'll all chip in, just for the safety of your noses.” Lana told him, ignoring my question.

Victoria snorted from her seat, amused. 

“Safety? It's a breathing problem, not a ticking time bomb.” Craig cocked an eyebrow.

Julia and I chuckled from our seats, exchanging looks. 

Lana shook her head slowly. “That's where we all die then. First, you breathe like a construction site, then you convince us it's just a breathing problem. Afterwards, you'll start breathing like a siren and because you naturally have a terrible singing voice, you breathe. Like a siren. Luring the rest and eating them alive.” 

Everyone in the office stopped and stared at her. Even Grey who was still seriously working. The entire thing she just said sounded like what Craig would most likely say, not serious minded and straight Lana. It was so absurd that I thought I'd switched universes, not just timeline. 

“What?” She questioned like we were abnormal for staring at her. 

Victoria tried to speak, but stuttered. 

Craig whispered to no one in particular. “Did she take weed when we left for lunch? Or has she been doing that all the while?” 

“I doubt weed can do her much harm. Marijuana, maybe?” Julia suggested, whispering too.

Victoria finally found her voice. “Did she hit her head during lunch, Grey?” 

Grey stayed silent at first, looking like he was carefully picking his words to avoid getting chewed up again. “I think her head is too strong to be easily affected by a small hit. However, you should generally get her checked.” 

“I'll have everyone of you know that I am okay and don't need checking at all.” Lana retorted. 

The silence that followed was not quiet. As a matter of fact, a cricket somewhere kept quiet too. 

Because Lana had just said something completely ridiculous. And worse of all, she looked completely serious about the rubbish she just said. 

Craig blinked once. Twice. Then slowly leaned back in his chair, like he needed distance to process what had just happened. “I don’t feel safe,” he announced.

Victoria finally burst into laughter. It wasn't polite or restrained, a full blown laughter. She bent forward, clutching her stomach as the sound of her rich laughter filled the office. “Oh my God, Lana, what was that?”

Lana frowned slightly. “What was what?”

“That whole siren conspiracy theory, and not needing to get checked. Are you sure?!” Victoria wheezed.

“It’s not a conspiracy, it’s a possibility.” Lana replied calmly.

That one did it for all of us. How was she even saying that without breaking character?

Julia covered her mouth, trying, and failing, to suppress her laughter.

Craig pointed at Lana with shaky fingers. “You, you accused me of being a mythical creature that kills people with breathing!”

“You started it,” Lana said simply, you'd almost believe he actually did. 

“I said I have a breathing problem!” Craig retorted, almost yelling.

“And I helped expand on it.”

I couldn’t help it anymore, I laughed without a care in the world. Not the quiet, controlled kind I usually laughed, but the kind that escaped before I could stop it.

“Okay, okay,” Victoria said, trying to regain her composure. “Let’s all just start again. Lana, you’re banished from whatever dimension you must've visited during lunch break.”

“I didn’t go anywhere,” Lana replied.

Craig shook his head. “No, you definitely did. And you brought back everything nonsensical."

Julia wiped a tear from her eye. “That was actually scary, I'm not going to lie.”

“Good,” Lana said. “Fear keeps you alert and safe.”

Craig groaned. “We’re doomed, guys.”

The laughter died down, but Lana was far from being hilarious. I don't know if she did it intentionally or she just didn't know it.

“Seriously though, I know a great nose job doctor who can help you with your siren problem. If it's too out of your pocket, I'm sure the rest of us can chip in and help you out. After all, it's for our own good.” She added, sounding like she was giving an extremely important lecture.

“But what if it's something with your lungs?” I asked, concerned. 

Craig sighed, running his hand through his bald head. “I forgot I had no hair. I don't know if it's something with my lungs.” 

Victoria choked back a laugh. “Hunny, we could chip in to get you a wig too if you want. Fix your nose, fix your head.”