The squeak of his wheelchair’s tires on the concrete gave away his approach before she even saw him. She kept on walking, hoping it wasn’t her he was looking for. “Emily. Got a second?” She gave a deep sigh, put on the best smile she could muster, and turned to greet him. With the pathways between buildings cleared he now had more or less full access to all ground-level areas. In all fairness, the freedom seemed to have done him a world of good, his mood and attitude seemed to have returned, his usual sullenness replaced by an almost permanent smile. He was even starting to get a bit of a farmer’s tan, thanks to the California climate. Still, she really wasn’t in the mood to talk to him right now. But the Jacob she faced when she turned around looked as unhappy as he always had. A frown creased his forehead, pulling the skin around his eyes up until he looked like he was squinting at her.
