Hanssen soon returned with two mugs, one filled with steaming coffee for him and the other with the rich white chocolate that made Tabby's heart melt into a sleepy relaxation.
The room was silent apart from the gentle sips of hot liquid and the pattering of computer keys. Finally Henrik stood, picking up his coffee he wandered to the window, "Ah, Miss Rees, it appears your precious Sammy has returned." He side glanced her with a smirk.
She placed her mug down, "Well, I'll be back in a minute." She stood.
"Uh, I think not, sit down, you've just had blood taken. I'm not letting you risk another fall down the staircase."
"I'll take the lift." She stated simply.
Henrik pondered for a moment, "No, I'll go, I did tell the man on the phone that I'd be there for you." He placed down his mug and headed for the door, "I'll be back in few minutes."
The room went silent again. Tabby sat back down with huff. She always got bored easily and with nothing to do, and no hot chocolate left, she headed for the window. Looking down she smiled as she watched Henrik chat with the AA man and receive the key and papers. Henrik gave a small stroke to the bonnet before checking that the key worked and the car was locked.
"These are for you." He handed the belongings to Tabby then sat at his desk.
She read through the invoice, "Hang on, why did they do that?"
Hanssen looked up, "Do what?"
"They changed my oil and replaced the starter motor."
Henrik stared at her blankly.
Tabby fumbled with the papers in confusion, "But, I changed my oil just last month and the starter motor didn't need replacing."
Henrik still stared.
"And they charged me 100 quid for it, those pricks." She shook her head, "It's all in the job, Miss." She imitated the man from earlier, "Oh yeah, totally, particularly when you create work for yourselves to rip more money off customers."
"Don't get yourself worked up." Henrik watched as Tabby began scrunching the sheet.
"Alright, fine, I'll pay it, but I'm going with them next time to oversee the whole shebang." She got up and headed for the door, "Right, if you need me I'll be in my office."
Henrik didn't look up from his papers, "Alright."
She paused by the door, "Oh, and Henrik?"
"Yes?" He looked up.
"Thank you." She then slinked out, gently shutting the door.
Tabby ran errands for Hanssen all day, not once being able to stop for a single cup of tea. Admittedly all the errands she was given were run from her desk, even to keep the hospital running lubricated he wasn't letting Tabitha go alone around the hospital, especially when it came to staircases.
Then she took another glance at her clock, "Finally." She huffed. She grabbed her coat, bag and keys, locked her door and headed off.
"Oh, Hello, Mr Hanssen." She smiled sweetly as she passed his office.
"Good evening, Miss Rees. Good work today considering you were desk bound." He said locking his door.
"Yes well, it wasn't my decision to be there now was it?"
They walked together down to the car park and Tabitha seemed pleased to see her baby back.
Henrik placed his things in his boot and was about to close it when…
*BEEEEEP*
"Fucking arseholes!" Came the window muted cussing of Tabitha's rage.
*BEEP BEEP BEEEEEP*
Henrik watched in despair as Tabby got out and slammed the door, "How am I supposed to get home now you incompetent, lazy, money snatching bastards!" She shouted at her car. Tabby rested her head on the car roof and attempted to calm herself.
Henrik shut his boot and strolled over, "Tabitha?"
She stood and shook her head, "Do one job make another bloody one. Who do they think they are? Fuck it I'll do it myself next time." She leaned her back against the small car and blew out, trying to control her breathing.
"What's the matter?" Henrik started.
"The starter motor's a dud." She sniffed and wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
"Ah, I see." He pondered for a moment as he watched his upset PA, "Right, where do you live?" He suddenly asked.
"What?" She paused looking up at him.
"I'll take you home, where do you live?" He repeated.
"Um, outside of town, I'll guide you, really? You're going to drive me home?" She asked still puzzled by his offer.
"Yes, now get your things, quickly; I'd like to get home as well." He turned and headed back to his car.
She hopped in enthusiastically, "Thank you so much, Mr Hanssen."
The ride was awkward. They didn't say a single word to each other, other than the directions. It was a strong tension between them and when they reached Tabitha's house, she was glad to be leaving.
Tabby lived with her old med school friend and work partner Erin Williams in a small bungalow on the outskirts of the city. She had a double garage and small drive and a very minimalist garden of a few flowers and plants but mainly paving stones.
"Looks like I will be picking you up tomorrow morning as well then so is 7am suitable for you?"
"Yep, thanks again, Henrik."
"You're welcome, have a good night."
She waved him off then found her key to get in.
The next morning Tabitha was already awake. She hadn't slept much the previous night and instead decided to read. She got up, showered and dressed and made her way to the kitchen.
*Knock knock*
She paused as she flicked the kettle on, 'That can't be Hanssen, surely. It's only 6:30.' But as she opened the door her doubts were put to rest, "Oh, Mr Hanssen, I wasn't expecting you until 7." She motioned for him to enter.
"Yes well, I always find it's better to be early." He wiped his feet on the mat and shut the door.
"Do you want a coffee or something?" She called from the kitchen.
Henrik admired the pictures on the wall of her and Erin together and the girls' other university friends, "Um, yes please, I might as well." He entered the kitchen.
Shortly she returned to him with a mug, "I hope it's to your taste."
He took a sip, "Lovely, thank you."
They both sat at the kitchen table in… you guessed it: silence.
'Oh for Christ sake why is it so hard to find a topic for conversation with him? He's so anal I can't find anything to say-'
"So I take it you're planning to fix your car yourself?" He took Tabby aback with this convo starter.
"I was actually going to ask if we stop at the garage on the way in, I'll get my old starter motor back. Would that be ok?" She took a sip of her coffee.
"Yes, as long as you don't take too long."
"I won't." She downed the last of her drink and set to get her bag ready.
"So do you live here alone?" He asked as she came back in to grab her coat.
"No, my friend Erin lives with me but she's away at university at the moment." She explained putting her shoes on.
"I see, so where is she studying?" He finished the last of his drink.
"Keele. She's studying General Surgery. I'm finding it quite lonely here without her." She tried to joke but it was clear to Hanssen she was finding it hard on her own.
"Just by here, please." She pointed to the garage entrance.
"5 minutes, Tabitha." He called to her as she shut the door.
He watched as Tabby walked up to one of the men in the overalls. As she spoke she leaned against the wall flirtatiously and began to fiddle with the buttons on the young man's overalls. Henrik furrowed his brow whilst he watched, Tabby's hand began to wander slowly down the man's torso, she brought her hand down below his hip then steadily up his thigh, pausing near his crotch. She tilted her head and the man nodded and left. She turned to Henrik and gave a wink and soon the man came back with a small bag which she took, smiled sweetly then returned to the car.
"What was that all about?" Henrik asked as soon as Tabby got in.
"I was getting my starter motor back." She replied, puzzled.
"Was there any need to seduce the poor boy to do so?" He sounded a tad jealous.
"Well, Henrik, I know it's hard for a man of your standing to believe but in some situations, us girls have to flash a bit of cleavage to get what we want in this world." She smiled.
Though Henrik shot her a look of distaste and soon they entered the hospital car park.
"Thanks, Mr Hanssen. Would it be alright if I just took 30 minutes out to swap these over?" She held up the bag with the starter motor.
"Yes of course but be straight in when you're done." He closed his boot, locked his car and headed for the entrance.
Tabby opened her boot and reached for a tool bag at the back of it. It was full to bursting with tools to help fix her car and immediately she set to work.
"Wow, I didn't know you were a dab hand with cars as well as paper." The unmistakable vexing voice of the ginger cardiologist poked.
"Well, I do have a PhD in Vehicle Mechanics, Naylor, so yes it would make sense that I was dextrous under the bonnet." Tabitha retorted.
"So what happened?"
"Garage Geese that's what happened. Replaced my perfectly working starter motor with a dud and have left me to swap it back."
"Well as soon as you're done with that, I want you up on my ward to work some of your dextrous suturing fingers on my patient's head wound."
"Of course. I see news of my skill has spread fast." Tabby had her head right into the engine compartment, "Why are you down here anyway?"
"Oh yeah, I'm looking for O.V. have you seen him?" She folded her arms.
"Nope I'm afraid not. Ah ha!" Tabby raced around to the drivers' seat, "Give me one second." She started the engine which worked first time, "At last! I've missed that purr." She grinned and Jac just rolled her eyes. She packed up quickly and locked the car, "Right then, where d'ya want me?"
"This is Mr Williams, just stitch him up then leave the rest to me." Jac shoved the tray of equipment into Tabitha's hands hand left with huff.
"Jeez, what's her problem." Williams' strong Northern Irish accent asked.
"Best to ignore it and be thankful she's a good doctor. Right then hold still." She placed some numbing cream to his forehead before she started the intricate work. Finally she was done.
"That's some neat work, Paper Girl." Jac complimented.
"Thanks." Tabby smiled.
Jac looked her over, "Right, now bugger off unless you can repair a leaking heart valve."
Tabby expected the blow and when Jac turned her back, she mockingly bowed to her 'superior', much to Mr Williams' amusement.
As she returned to her office she found another brown envelope on her desk. Opening it, it was a repeat of the one she received yesterday. She sighed and drummed her fingernails, pondering over what she should do.
"Hanssen… Ah Mr Cunningham, to what do I owe the pleasure?... When would this be?... Where sorry?... I'll see what I can do."
It seemed to be working out as a busy day already for Henrik as there was knock at the door seconds after he put the phone down, "Come in."
Tabby slinked silently through the barely open door, tip toed across to the desk and lowered herself gently onto the front edge of the chair before sliding the opened envelope towards Henrik.
He silently picked it up and pulled out the contents, "Ah, I see. And when will you book one?"
"I don't know." She whispered.
"Is there something you're unsure about? Is that why you're showing this to me?"
"I'm not sure whether I should go through with it." She hung her head.
"It's important you do. You do realise that?"
"I know." She sighed.
"We can talk about this later if you feel more comfortable with that? I am a bit busy this morning."
She nodded silently.
Hanssen placed the sheet back into the envelop and placed it in his drawer, "Now, Mr Cunningham has phoned, he wants me to travel to Sainsbury's café in an hour for small meeting, can you swap around my surgical lists to fit that in please?"
Tabby took out her mini notepad, "How long will you be?"
"I'm not sure but if I run over two hours can you hand some of my patients to Ms Campbell or Mr Griffin?"
"Do you need me with you?" She asked still writing.
"No thank you, you'd be better off here I think." He stood and grabbed his coat from the stand, "We don't want a repeat of last time now do we?" He gave her a stern look.
She pondered for a moment, "What happened to Sir Fraser?"
Henrik shot her another one of his stern looks, this time it had a hint of anger too.
She swiftly changed the subject, "Hang on, isn't Sainsbury's café upstairs next to the Sushi Soba Café?"
He put on his coat, "The one with the traditional Japanese seating? Yes I think it is."
"I've been meaning to go there for a while now." She placed her notepad back in her pocket. She was wearing grey trousers with a pastel blue shirt and a navy blue jumper tied around her shoulders.
"Yes same here. Now I'd better be taking my leave." He opened the door and stood waiting for Tabby to leave.