Chapter 398: We need to talk
Kellen fully expected that Casper was going to run away as everything was winding down. He didn’t expect him to linger. He didn’t want him to. Kellen was done for the night and wanted to head home to his apartment, get out of the Field Guide outfit, and maybe drink some tea and go to bed. He’d had a long day, and he wasn’t sure if his parents weren’t going to stop by after they caught up on sleep.
So, when Casper lingered after the last of the stragglers left, Kellen was quite surprised. He looked awkward, unsure. Kellen wasn’t sure how to approach this.
"Casper? Is something the matter? Did you have another matter to discuss with me?" Kellen asked and Casper sighed.
"Yeah. I do. Can we...talk somewhere private?" He asked and that really had Kellen worried. What was it that he wanted to speak in private? Was it something terrible? It had Kellen worried, and he nodded.
"How about the apartment? Is that okay?" Casper relaxed, nodding at Kellen’s suggestion. He was holding onto his tablet in front of his body like a shield, his shoulders tense. He was wearing his long white coat like normal, but he seemed...tired. Kellen knew what that was like. Casper had always had a lot on his plate, and when Kellen had benched him and had taken over his duties, he understood why.
Maybe...they should hire him an assistant? Someone who could take on the workload that wasn’t as crucial for Casper to handle? Would that be a bad idea, and if it wasn’t, how would Casper handle the idea?
Kellen didn’t think he would take it well. There was just something inside of him that Casper would think they were replacing him, when that wasn’t the case at all. Kellen just wanted to make sure the man wasn’t working himself to the bone. Like he was trying to do with Rhys, but he had a feeling he was failing miserably.
Granted, this wasn’t a normal situation, but also, as a Guild they should have policies and plans in place to make sure that in unusual circumstances, no one burnt out. That nothing like what had been happening to Gunther, Rhys, Casper, Hill, Pamela and Taylor didn’t happen. God, they were all control freaks. Kellen knew he was making a tall ask of them trying to delegate their workload.
He should consult his Dad about this once he was more rested. His Dad had managed to do that with his Mom, and they had both been active in helping with the Guild. They might know where to pull and poke.