Officer Alexa DuMont, MD, wasn't a light bulb in the dungeon of his mind or a universe-birthing shock or anything as massive as that. She reminded him of an oscillating fan - a quiet hum you could tune out after a while and a gentle breeze once in a while, just enough to freshen the space, just often enough that you couldn't forget completely that it was there.
Officer Matthew Hall remembered when he first heard her squeaky Bates bulletproof boots down the hall of the Madison Police station last Monday. When he first saw her, he briefly wondered if there was a height requirement for officers--she was a tiny thing, but her presence was ten feet tall. Dishwater blond hair that was pulled back. Closer inspection revealed it to be natural. Blue eyes that washed out under the overhead lighting. A light dusting of freckles on her nose and cheeks. Her chest bounced underneath her Kevlar.
He remembered they way she shook his hand: firm, precise, all business. The skin of her palm was soft but firm in his. When he lifted his head to return her gaze, he felt the air in the room chill.
Her eyes were startlingly blue when up close, and they were completely unreadable. They contained expression, like cold fire, but her expression remained neutral.
Then she spoke. Her voice contained the husky quality of a smoker (or possibly ex-smoker; she didn't smell like one) but was crisp and clear.
"Hi, my name is Alexa DuMont, and I've been sent to work with you."
Classy, very classy. She gave him a tight smile usually reserved for doctors about to perform a colonoscopy.
Shit, she is a doctor. Not that he wouldn't mind Dr. Ice performing a little cursory exam . . .
Whoa, down boy. Save those thoughts for a woman who can reach the top of a filing cabinet.
Officer DuMont seemed completely unaware of the effect she had on Officer Hall, as she took a step back and stood with her arms comfortably crossed. Hall noted her straight posture and ruled it out as a rookie thing, but it seemed to come naturally to her. Expectant father? Or used to kissing ass?
DuMont said to call her Alex or DuMont, but Alex sounded butch and calling her by her surname seemed dehumanizing. He was thankful she wasn't pretentious enough to want to be referred with her Doctor title. Not that she seemed pretentious, really. Just pulled tight as Lycra shorts.
"Matthew Hall," he returned, then added quickly, "it's a pleasure." He led Alexa into the room on his right, slightly irritated that his was still the only desk in the room.
If she was angry at the lack of her own space, she didn't show it, just scanned the interior of the office. It wasn't much, but a private space is a treasure to have in a small town. The only personal touches were an overgrown fern on a table in the corner. There was a manila file on the desk, which Alexa bent over to inspect. "Looks like I have my work cut out for me," she murmured, half to herself.
Yes, Matthew thought. You and me both.
(Improv items are:
Characters: "Doctor/cop"
Scenario: "First Day on the Job"
Keyword: "Professionalism")
Topic: A Day at the Office (Read 1142 times)