Another day. Tired. Annoying data calls. There wasn’t anything she could think of that would make the day go by faster. She sat organizing documents and patient intel until there was nothing left to do. Maybe if you slow down, Toni, you could finally enjoy your job.
The thought crossed the humans mind. But no. Slowing down was complacency. Arrogance, even. Especially since there was so much to do. Too much to do.
The desk comm rang, prompting her to answer. She offered a usual greeting followed by, “… yes, you’re more than welcome to pick-up your prescription at the clinic at the in-house pharmacy.”
It was a question she was asked over. And over. Despite the answer always being the same. Despite the answer being on the signs in and around the building.
It was baffling how so many people could be so daft.
Just as she was hanging up the phone, her eyes caught the sight of a patient.
“Welcome!” She greeted automatically, a fake smile plastered on her face. “How can I help you?”
While her voice was professional, her eyes traced the figure of the person before her. Hair was unlike anything she had ever seen— like a blazing fire behind her head and back. The muscles the stranger possessed were defined, even through clothes, to the point where she had to resist making a comment or reaching over the counter to touch.
The walk to the clinic had been uneventful. Everything in life had become uneventful since she came back. Her mother and Aunt had refused to leave her be after he disappearance and all she wanted to do was go out and blow off at least a little steam. Ellisyn sighed. At least she had managed to get prescribed some painkillers. Her body hurt. Her new scar hurt. Her improperly healed bones hurt. Every day had become one of pain, and as much as she felt she deserved it, even she could recognize she deserved a break.
She pushed through the doorway into the clinic and set her eyes on the receptionist. The Firrerreo smirked, enjoying the woman’s features for a short moment before focusing on the task at hand.
“I’m here for a prescription,” said the lawyer. “Ellisyn Kendis.”
Antonia’s eyes caught the brief smirk, her own lips curling to mirror Ellisyn’s.
“Hello. Straight to the point, are we?” A brow quirked while she maintained her professional poise. Eyes darting to the monitor before her, she began typing in the name.
Unbeknownst to the impatient patient, Antonia could see the name almost right away. But how else was she going to keep the woman in her under her gaze?
“Would you mind spelling your name for me…? It seems our systems are having some trouble, today.”
“Usually my receptionist appreciates it when people don’t make unnecessary small talk. Thought I’d start giving it a shot.” Elly’s tone was tired, it was obvious she was putting on a bit of a charming face for the woman. Not something cheesy, just trying to be warm and open.
“E-l-l-i-s-y-n k-e-n-d-i-s,” the lawyer spelled her name out for Antonia, coming off as patient as she could. There wasn’t anywhere else she needed to be today.
“Well, Miss Kendis— beautiful spelling, by the way,” she began, pausing to make eye contact with a warm smile. “Not all of us are the same. I happen to enjoy a chat every once in a while.”
Her gaze shifting back to the monitor, she fudged the system for a moment longer, keys clicking until she was satisfied with the duration.
“Ah, I see we have you here.” The glow on her face changed as she clicked out of the program. “You’ll just head down the hall to my right, follow the signs and you should be set. The line shouldn’t be long.”
She folded her hands together as she looked over the muscled woman once more. For all Antonia knew, she had a husband twice her size.
“Oh— don’t forget to stop by here on your way out.”
“Thanks?” She said, looking back into the woman’s eyes. “And I’ll keep that in mind for next time.” Elly became a little confused. It hadn’t been that hard to pick up prescriptions for her daughters elsewhere. Maybe it was a busier clinic?
Ellisyn looked to the door in question and then back to the woman. “Thanks. Do I need to check out or something?” She asked, wondering why she would need to stop back
Antonia blinked. The reply was so regular. Of course it was.
“Well, not exactly.” The woman crossed one leg over the other, black slacks wrinkling and shifting from the movement. “I just like to ensure it was a pleasant experience. Call it quality assurance.”
A smile pulled the corners of her mouth while she linked her fingers together over the apex of her knee.
The Firrerreo kept herself from raising her brow, not wanting to read into what was going on. Maybe she was just shifting her position.
“I’ll make sure to stop by after I’m done, then,” Elly said before begining to walk off. She went through the suggested door and found the pharmacy easily enough. She waited in line, grabbed her medication, and made her way back out to the lobby to see Antonia once again
By the time Ellisyn finished her trip to the pharmacy, Antonia had only dealt with one phone call and busied herself with files that needed organizing. They didn’t really need it. She just needed something to do.
Datapad in hand, she set it down softly, her eyes darting to the hallway where the tall woman had disappeared down.
There was a warm smile waiting for Ellisyn as the light of the reception area lit the firrerreo’s face.
“Miss Kendis.” Antonia crossed her fingers together, hands resting on the seat ad she leaned forward. “I imagine it was a successful trip?”
She nodded her head in the direction of the bag in the hand of fiery haired woman.
“I’d hate to promise quality assurance and not deliver.”
Elly had slid the prescription into her shoulder bag where her datapad and knuckle dusters lived. It made it so that the taller woman could easily lean against Antonia’s desk. Now that her task was done, and in record time, she had a moment or two to waste.
“It went very smoothly, miss…” Ellisyn’s eyes looked around for a name tag or anything similar.
“Vale. Antonia Vale,” she replied, smile remaining warm. “But please, call me Toni.”
Her gaze darted to Elly’s body, then back to her face. “I’m happy to hear everything went smoothly.”
“Well, Toni…” She said, trying to figure out how she felt about the name on her tongue. “I’m assuming there’s a reason you had me stop back? Because I’m sure quality assurance isn’t in your job description.”
Antonia lifted her chin, an amused expression on her lips. Ellisyn was perceptive. She liked it.
“What?” Her voice lowered slightly, taking on a slight sultry tone. “A girl can’t go above and beyond at her job?”
Elly looked around at the woman’s desk. There weren’t any trinkets or keepsakes. It was all very bare bones. “Sure, a girl could. But you wouldn’t, not for this job.”
The Firrerreo found her own smirk as she played Antonia’s game, allowing her to continue putting on an act.
Antonia’s brow quirked, head tilting to the side. Her smile faltered slightly.
“You don’t know what I would do.” The words left firm but still maintained an air of politeness. “Far be it for me to judge my performance, but I think I do very good work here.”
“Well if checking girls out is part of the job description, you’re definitely employee of the month.” Elly didn’t leave room for argument in what she said, simply calling Toni out.
“What I do know is that your desk is free of personality. That you’re bored here. Bored enough to keep around anything even remotely interesting. Like me.”
Antonia stayed quiet for a few beats, observing Elly, curious. She lifted a hand to her chin, thumb brushing the space beneath her lip and chin.
“You’re quite observant,” she said, smirk pulling one side of her lips. “I must note, you were bored enough to come back. And to stay.”
“Or…” She reached back and ran a hand through her hair, her smirk unmoving, her sharpened canines on display. “Maybe you caught my eye.”
Elly would be lying if she said she’d grown out of casual fun. If anything her time away had her acting even more irresponsible than before. She didn’t have to share that she was a single mother, or that her family life was falling apart. Because all she wanted was the distraction.
The reply Ellisyn gave was no surprise to Antonia. The woman’s body language gave her away before she spoke.
An arched brow lifted.
“Is that right?”
Satisfied, Antonia leaned back in her chair, folding her arms loosely over her torso.
“Would you like to tell me what about me caught your eye?”
“I feel like I’m making obvious enough,” she said, her eyes roaming over Antonia once more now that more of her was visible. “Now that would spoil the magic, wouldn’t it?”
A quiet chuckle left Antonia as Elly’s eyes lingered on her body unapologetically.
“Mystery suits you.”
It wasn’t a concession— she would never. But, it was nice feeling seen. Especially since most of her days were spent running from someone who she was convinced she would ruin. As heartbreaking as it was, he deserved someone better.
“What is it that you do for a living, Miss Kendis?”
No one had a build like that being a desk jockey. Or a lawyer.
“I suppose I can spoil that secret. I’m a lawyer. I’ve got my own practice. It’s not the biggest of places obviously since it’s just me for now, but I’m trying my best to do good,” Elly looked away for a moment, thinking about all the coworkers she lost from her disappearance.
“What is it that you want to do?” She asked. Surely she didn’t want to be a receptionist forever.
Antonia blinked. That was certainly the last thing on her docket.
“You’re sure you’re not in any powerlifting competitions? Or a professional wrestler?”
When it came time to answer about her goals she simply shrugged with a coy smile.
“Isn’t it obvious?” She said, rhetorical, moving a hand from her torso to gesture at her surroundings and desk. “A receptionist.”
A giggle escaped the towering woman’s lips. She loved people’s reactions when she explained she was simply a lawyer. “Just a lawyer who spends too much time in the gym,” she said, her smirk growing in size, becoming almost predatory.
Antonia’s response, though, was rather disappointing. “Surely a pretty girl like you has higher aspirations. I’d hate to see you go to waste behind a desk.”
Antonia laughed along with Ellisyn. It seemed the woman was comfortable enough to show her hand.
“I do,” she admitted. “I just don’t like to talk about my goals until they’re accomplished.”
“Then how will you ever get help reaching them?” She asked. Doing things alone was something Ellisyn knew well. As much as she preferred it, she recognized that it would be best if she didn’t. That if she simply accepted help her life would’ve been so much better. But to this day, she refuses.
Antonia’s smile fell.
“I don’t really want help. That feels like leaving too much room for someone to take credit for what was supposed to be mine.”
The idea of team effort wasn’t foreign but it definitely wasn’t ideal to her. Largely since her past was marred by betrayal after betrayal.
“What kind of law are you trained in?”
“A fair stance to take, albeit egotistical,” Elly remarked, allowing the topic to die. She lost her smile as she began to regret her words. She didn’t mean to offend Toni, but it seemed it was something she was quite proficient in doing, no matter where she went. Hopefully it was salvageable.
“I practice mostly criminal defense law, but I dabble in other fields. Mostly just whatever is needed to keep the innocent safe and out of legal trouble.” The door behind Ellisyn dinged as a patient entered the building. Suddenly, Antonia had work to do. But Elly didn’t want this to be the end. With a sight, she reached into her bag and pulled out her card, a shadow absorbing light with red text indicating her name, number, and profession. “Give me a call when you get off, I’d love to continue this.”
Egotistical? The word made her burn internally. Out of all the words… Despite this she kept her composure, locking her fingers together as she listened to Elly speak about her job.
Her lips parted to say something clever about the legal field but the dreaded ding of the door pulled the thought away.
“Welcome! I will be right with you,” she greeted calmly before shifting her gaze back to the firrerreo. She lifted her hand, fingers trailing along Elly’s fingers, lingering before she skillfully retrieved the card. In a blink, the card was out of sight.
“I’ll be happy to give you a call, Miss Kendis. You do noble work, keep it up.”
One of Elly’s eyebrows raised. It took a lot to get something past her, but Antonia managed it. Maybe there was more to the woman than met the eye. It made her all the more excited to talk to her later, to maybe take her for coffee or something more. Preferably some sort of discussion. Antonia seemed witty enough to keep her entertained in all the right ways.
“I’m counting on it.” The woman pushed herself off of Toni’s desk and began to walk through the door, her hair flowing behind her.