E-mails and Emotions - A Valentine Tale
Chapter One
On February 11th, Molly Hooper sat in front of the computer in her office and picked up her coffee as she perused the line up of new e-mails in her inbox. She took a deep sip, enjoying the slight bite of the bitter brew. She had recently stopped using cream in a effort to be more like Sherlock. She couldn't handle the sugar though, nasty stuff, made the coffee taste like syrup.
Scrolling down through the notices of upcoming meetings and hospital events, Molly paused her mouse over an unusual entry. "Intensive Cardiology Seminar for Pathology, Attd. req." read the blurb. Molly's brow creased in puzzlement. This was new. She had not heard of this particular seminar before. She clicked on the link and read the notice. It was scheduled for the fourteenth. Hmm, she was usually given more time to adjust her schedule for any required meetings. Odd, it was an evening seminar and it was being held at a nearby hotel instead of the meeting room on the fourth floor. That was unusual, most such programs were held during working hours. At the bottom of the message was a small square button with the words, "Click here for more information." She quickly clicked on the description and a pale pink and white striped screen opened. Molly's eyes widened in surprise. What was this? The pink screen was edged with slightly darker pink roses. In the center was a large filigree heart with the words "Beam Me Up, Hottie!" written on it. Underneath the heart was a head and shoulders portrait of William Shattner as Captain James T. Kirk looking up at her with a very sexy look on his face.
Molly sat back and stared at the screen in amazement. What in the world? Who had sent her a Valentine? Who knew of her penchant for the original Captain Kirk? Well, everybody really she admitted to herself. Her love for Captain Kirk was known to all her friends. They constantly ribbed her about her crush on an actor in his eighties.
"It's not about William Shatner," she had tried to explain. "It's his persona as Captain Kirk that is so sexy. That never goes out of style."
No one seemed to understand her and she had been the brunt of several geriatric themed practical jokes.
Molly sighed. Evidently one of her friends was behind this. She was about to close the screen when Mary Morstan walked into her office. Molly looked at her friend and smiled.
"You are the one who sent the email, aren't you?!" Molly accused.
Mary looked puzzled. "Email? I didn't send you an email. What are you talking about?"
Molly, narrowed her eyes and stared at her friend. Mary didn't act guilty, she looked genuinely confused.
"Here," Molly said, and angled the screen so Mary could see it more clearly. "If you didn't send this, then who did?"
Mary looked at the e-valentine and giggled. "Well who ever sent it certainly knows you very well! Oooh! A secret admirer. This is so exciting! Wait until the girls in pediatrics hear about this!" Mary crowed.
"Don't you dare breathe a word of this," Molly threatened, "I have been the subject of too many jokes around here already." Molly looked at her friend with a pleading face. "Mary, don't say anything to anyone. Please promise me you won't."
Mary looked Molly's anguished face, "Oh sweetie, I won't say a word. Who do you think sent it?"
"Well," said Molly, "If it wasn't you, I don't know. It could be anyone I guess. Lots of people know I like Captain Kirk."
Mary frowned and stared at the screen. "Maybe someone up in IT?" She froze at the look on Molly's face. "Oh honey, forget I said that. Whoever it was, he knows how to get around the firewalls and filters in our system though."
Molly nodded in agreement. Bart's had programs designed to discourage inter-office shenanigans such as this. Whoever was responsible was taking a risk. HR did not treat such violations of the rules lightly.
Mary pointed to the bottom of the screen under the picture of Kirk. "What's that?" she said touching the grey line under the actor's picture.
"What do you mean?" Molly frowned, what she had dismissed as a simple grey line appeared to be a line of extremely small type.
She highlighted the line, copied it and pasted it on a blank screen in her word processor program. She then proceeded to enlarge the type until it could be easily read. The sentence read: "I boldly go where I have not gone before."
The two women stared at the words.
"That's a quote from the show isn't it?" Mary observed.
"No," Molly said, "It's similar though. "It should say 'To boldly go where no man has gone before,' it's a shame he messed it up. I'm disappointed."
"Oh I don't know," Mary said, " Maybe he changed it on purpose to fit the situation! Not that I'm saying you are not virtuous dear, but you aren't a virgin now, are you?"
Molly scowled at her friend. "Maybe he's the virgin."
They both looked at each other and giggled.
"I'll wager that it's that good looking doctor in Oncology, the one I saw chatting you up in the canteen," Mary said.
"Ernie Phyffer?" Molly giggled. "I don't think so. He just wanted to know what brand of mascara I use. I really don't think he is too interested in girls, if you catch my drift."
"Oh," Mary said with a disappointed sigh. "Well it's clear, somebody out there likes you. All you have to do is show up at the hotel at the appointed time to find out who he is!"
Molly shook her head. "I don't think it's going to be that easy."