Cammie and Adrienne

[x-adrienne.livejournal.com]

Adrienne hauls Cammie into her office to discuss a matter that has been put off for far too long.

Doing her best to look imposing, Adrienne assumed a ramrod straight posture in her desk chair, hands folded in her lap instead of leaning back with her feet on the desk as was her usual when she met with a mansion resident. She hoped that asking Cammie to come to her office downtown rather than her classroom at the mansion would be another indicator to the younger woman of the graveness of their upcoming meeting. Adrienne had sent Amara away even, so that there would be no familiar face to lighten the mood when Cammie arrived. She stared at the clock on her computer, counting down the minutes, waiting for her prey to arrive.

Cammie walked in, like nothing was bothering her. The clothes she wore for work seemed out of place on her and her hair had a bit of frizz to it, "So, am I fired?" she asked. Her concern was there, just buried deep enough to really not be pulling at her face. She hoped. It was the type of concern that really just settled at the pit of the stomach.




Adrienne gave the younger woman a stony stare. "You haven't struck out yet, but the count's full and there are two outs stacked up against you."


Cammie didn't sit down, "Two outs? What are the two outs?" she asked, raising an eyebrow as she tried to remember what could possibly have led to two outs.


"They're metaphoric outs," Adrienne explained, still stony. "You have metaphoric balls, too. Sit. I was just trying to illustrate how you're on your last pitch here, Ms. Black. And since you walked in here assuming you were fired, I think you know why."

"I always assume the worst. That way when it happens it doesn't take you by surprise," Cammie said taking a seat, "Ten bucks though says this is about my shiny and multi-colored past."


"It's only about one colour. Whatever colour you call vandalism,shoplifting, and other minor disturbance charges in Chicago that I was told you would have taken care of by now. Is that blue, maybe? Possibly tangerine? You've been working for me a while now, Ms. Black. It was a condition of your hiring that you resolve your record in Chicago. I even offered to pay the fines for you. And I find out today that you still haven't cleared your record?"

"I have to drive out there to do it," Cammie said, "At least that's what I was told. It sort of got buried under the wastebasket of life. But look if you want me to go out there and do it, I can go tonight. Tomorrow even. It's just a bit of a drive." Understatement of the year. And the fact she didn't have a real license was also a factor but that shouldn't keep stopping her.


"Remember that part about how I hired you personally and did the background check on you myself and thus know everything about your life which means I know you don't have a driver's license?"

"Bus ticket then?" Cammie offered, "I drive better than most people WITH licenses," she said, "Though I know that isn't the point."


"No, that isn't the point." And she wasn't going to mention that she often drove her motorcycle without a license. "I'm putting you on a plane," Adrienne answered, though she was trying hard not to crack a smile now. "You are going to pay the fines and you are going to get your community service work transferred to New York, and you are going to do this using my money if you don't have enough of your own and my name or FBI Special Agent Garrison Kane's name if mine doesn't work and then this mess is going to be out of your wastebasket and if I ever hear about it again, I'm going to chuck baseballs at your head. How does that work for you?"

"I guess it works better than my idea," Cammie said, which really just involved going to sleep until the whole thing blew over.


"Because your idea involved putting it off until doomsday?"



"Well, I can't say until doomsday," Cammie said, "That would imply some sort of belief in religion. Which I don't have."


Biting her lip to keep from smiling, Adrienne shook her head at Cammie. "I'll get Amara to book you a flight. Do you want anyone to go with you?"

"Nah, we don't have to torment anyone. Unless we want to torment Kevin."


Narrowing an eyebrow, Adrienne kicked off her shoes and put her stockinged feet up on the desk. "I was thinking less 'torment anyone' and more 'Send a second person with her who can make sure she actually gets this mess cleared up', actually. So I think tormenting Kevin or anyone really would be a good idea. Unless you want me to go with you."

"Well, if you really want to," Cammie said, "Otherwise I could name maybe two people who'd go on a trip with me. Willingly."



"Talk to Amara about that, then, and she can book flights," Adrienne said with a nod. "I'd be willing to accompany you if you wanted me there, but it's a little difficult to get away these days so if you have two other people in mind to go instead, they should be your first choices. Unless you really can't get this taken care of without me holding your hand," she added, with just a hint of challenge in her voice.



“Hey, I can handle this just fine on my own,” Cammie said, a hand going to her hip, “In fact I can get it done tomorrow if you can get me plane tickets by then.”



"I'll get Amara to put you on my sister's jet if I have to," Adrienne answered, finally smiling as she responded to the challenge she now sensed was being answered.



“Ooooh, traveling in style,” Cammie said, quirking an eyebrow, “Nah, just shove me in baggage. I’ll be fine.”