Frank
Atherton works as the assistant director at a large retirement
complex. He's staying in one of the guest rooms at the facility, to
keep an eye on the son of one of the residents, who is causing
trouble. Frank has just seen a short interview on the in-house TV
station, with the new staff psychologist, Marka Ventimiglia and is
somewhat surprised when she shows up at his door.
Someone
knocked at his door. Thinking it might be someone about Mr.
Penwarren, he groaned quietly as he stood up.
"Be
right there!" he called. He dropped his plate in the kitchen
sink and went to the door. "What's he done now?" he asked
automatically as he opened it.
It
wasn't Sue or one of the other staff members. An attractive brunette
stood there.
"I'm
sorry? Who did what?"
"Oh,
no one you'd know. Frank Atherton, Assistant Director. I just saw you
on TV." He held out his hand after wiping it on his T-shirt.
She
smiled. "Marka Ventimiglia. Nice to meet you. I feel really
stupid asking, but yours is the only room with a light on. I took a
chance that someone was up."
He
invited her in. She hesitated a moment, then followed him inside.
"What
can I do for you?"
"I'm
embarrassed to ask. I'm staying in a guest room and I'm out of toilet
paper."
"Really?
No spare?" he was puzzled by that. "The girls usually put
it under the sink."
He
walked to his restroom. It was quite spacious, with a tub and a
separate, walk-in shower. He opened the sink and didn't find a spare
paper under there. Checking all the cupboards, he came up empty.
"That's
weird. Gimme a second." He dialed housekeeping but got no
answer, so he dialed the front desk. "Sue, it's Frank."
"Hi,
Frank. All's quiet at the moment. Whatcha need?"
"Dr.
Ventimiglia is with me and she hasn't got a spare roll of toilet
paper. Neither do I."
"Oh,
gosh. You want me to run some up there?"
"No,
you don't need to. Is Kathy around?"
"She
should be. Shall I call her?"
"I
just tried. I'll call her again. Thanks." He dialed the
housekeeping office a second time. No one answered. Puzzled, he hung
up.
"I'll
try later," he told his guest. "Do you need some
immediately?"
She
looked slightly uncomfortable. "As a matter of fact...."
"Please,
make yourself at home. There's a nearly full roll." He gestured
to his restroom. "Want some coffee?"
"Love
some. I'm a caffeine addict. I also drink a lot of water. Hence the
urgency." Marka closed the door behind her.
Frank
set up a pot of coffee, pulled out the half and half and sugar
packets. She came out just as the coffee finished.
Smiling,
he served Marka, inviting her to sit on the love seat. His laptop
occupied the chair. He set it carefully on the floor and clicked off
the TV.
"I'll
give Kathy a call again a minute," he explained. "She might
be on break."
"Thanks.
I'm still learning my way around. I got here yesterday."
"I
caught your show tonight. Interesting. You should get a good turn
out. I'll talk it up for you."
"You
wouldn't believe the success I had when I was doing my clinical,"
she responded excitedly. "It was amazing, the results!" she
sobered slightly, catching herself before she got too crazy. "I
won't bore you with details. You'll have to excuse me, Mr. Atherton.
I get very excited about my work."
He
smiled, eyes twinkling. "I'm glad one of us can. I'm either
playing nursemaid, mother or cop. I never thought I'd have a job like
this. None of my duties were in the job description."
"The
director, Mr. Norton, speaks very highly of you."
Frank
laughed abruptly and rather rudely as he finished his coffee. "Yeah?
Boy, that was lie. He thinks I want his job."
"Do
you?"
He
couldn't tell if she was serious or not. Looking surprised, he set
his mug down. "Not really. Too much schmoozing."
"Isn't
that in your job description?"
Frank
laughed, shaking his head. "I'm not a schmoozer. I'm more of an
in your face kind of guy."
©
2017 Dellani Oakes
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