Run Away Baby

“Like, if I worked nine or so hours instead? Would that mess up Randall’s insurance thing?”

“No. That’s fine. I’ll let him know. Just don’t work less than eight hours.”

“Okay.”

“Is this happening today?”

“Yeah.”

“Will this be a permanent change in your schedule?” asked Krissa.

“I don’t think so.”

“Why the change? Randall will want to know.”

“I have to cover the front desk while our receptionist has an appointment.”

“Fine. Thanks for letting me know. Anything else to report?”

“Nope.”

“Okay. Have a nice day.”

“You too,” Abby said, hanging up.

Danielle stayed planted in the chair.

“As you heard, I’ll cover for your appointment. It’s fine.”

“Super,” said Danielle flatly, her head cocked to the side.

“What? Why are you looking at me like that?” Abby asked.

“What’s your deal?”

“Nothing.”

“Why do you need to get permission to work one extra hour?”

“I really think you should get back up there. What if one of the partners walks in and you’re not sitting up there?”

“People like you make me want to start smoking again,” Danielle said, getting up and leaving.

Abby got up and closed her office door after her. She sat back down at her desk, and then rummaged through her purse until she found a bottle of aspirin. She swallowed three tablets along with a couple of swigs of coffee. If she could follow her own natural instincts, instead of having to run everything through the Randall-filter, life wouldn’t be this complicated.

Danielle was back a few minutes later, knocking loudly. She opened the door and stuck her head in before Abby had a chance to get up. “I’ll be leaving soon,” she told Abby. “Debbie or Sharlene in accounting will answer the phones if they ring. No clients are scheduled to show up until two o’clock, so you shouldn’t have to worry about that. If someone comes in unexpectedly, give them a bottle of water or a cup of coffee and have them sit in one of the chairs by the table with the magazines on it. Okay?”

“I guess,” said Abby.

“The only thing I need you to do is be here when the mail comes because there’s a pile of stuff that has to go out today, and I don’t want the mailman to miss it.”

“So I’ll sit at your desk up front then?”

“Obviously. Sit there, you don’t even have to fold stuff, just sit there. So come up front now.”

“Fine,” said Abby. She took her time straightening up her already-neat office. When she finally made her way out to the reception area, Danielle was on her feet, waiting for her.

“I have to go now. In fact, I’m probably going to be late. When the mailman shows up please make sure he takes these with him,” she said, patting a stack of letters on her desk.