See part 1 for disclaimers.
Archive only with permission of author.
MISchief Part 11
(story 3 in the MIScommunication Series aka It Sucks To Be You Series)
By cnrocks/CaseyROCKS
Pookie's Piercings & Body Art
Greenwich Village
Sunday 7:05pm
"Okay Casey, you're all done." Dite finished taping the cover in place. "Leave this on for an hour or so and then keep it unwrapped as it heals." She peeled off her gloves and tossed them. She reached into a box on her work table. "Here's a care brochure. Follow the instructions and you should be completely healed up in about two weeks with minimal pain and peeling." She handed her the booklet. "I guess we should go see how the rest are doing."
Casey followed Dite out and down the hallway. They skipped over one closed door and made their way to the third booth. The door was open.
Dite gestured into the room and turned to return to her booth. She whispered, "I gotta clean up. Go on in."
Abbie was sitting, leaned back in a chair. Her eyes were closed and she looked extremely comfortable considering someone was still working on her tattoo.
Casey cleared her throat.
One brown eye opened. "Hiya Casey Case Case."
Casey rolled her eyes. "Hiya Abbie Ab Ab," she answered in a sing song voice.
"How ya doing?"
"Good, you?"
She crooked her finger at Casey. Casey moved closer. Abbie then leaned in conspiratorially, "I can'ts drinks no more."
Casey waved a hand in front of her face to dispel the alcohol breath. "Why?" she asked.
"Gots holes in me." She waved her thumb at Polly, "She poked me a bunch. It'll run right oudda me when I stands up." Abbie started laughing.
"I see." Casey leaned toward Abbie's ear. "Well then it's a good thing you did all your drinking today, huh?"
Abbie turned, her eyes crossed since Casey was less than six inches away. "Hey yer kinda cute. Ya wanna go oud sometime?"
"Um... no; I'm umm... not your type." Casey blinked. "You go for blondes."
"Oh yeah. Well, ya're kinda... sorta..." She leaned back a bit and tilted her head and looked seriously at Casey. "Bud nod reeeally. Know any?"
"Well, Alex is in the next room, y'know?"
"She don' like me." Abbie pouted.
"Wanna know a secret?" She waited for Abbie to nod. Oh way to be bad, Novak. Casey smirked. "I heard she does like you. A lot."
Abbie brightened. "Reeeeally?"
"I think you just need to work on her some, wear her out... I mean down."
Polly finished wrapping up Abbie new tattoo and patted her leg. "All done. Here's a care booklet. Follow it and you shouldn't have any problems." She handed over the brochure.
Abbie pulled herself to her feet and wobbled a bit. She folded the paper and tried putting in her back pocket. She missed a couple of times. Casey took it away from her.
"I'll make sure she understands." Casey pushed it into Abbie's front pocket.
"OOOH, ya DO like me." Abbie winked.
Casey blew out a breath. "Yeah, you're growing on me." Then she muttered to herself, "Like a fungus." She grabbed Abbie's arm and they headed out of the booth. Abbie was walking a bit off kilter.
Polly called out, "You forgot something." She held up the missing item.
"Thanks," Casey said as she took the item from Polly.
They stepped over to the next booth and tried to open the door. It was locked.
"Hey, Aless – ya'n there?" Abbie yelled.
"G'way - I'n busy."
"Oooh, d'ja jump bag ober th'fence?" Abbie snickered. "Was Jakie's and Liz's li'l bunny diz-blay 'spirin', Allie?"
"Don' call me thad!" Alex yelled back through the door.
"Ooookaaaay, sugar libs."
"Aarrgghhh. Don' call me thad either."
"Then whad, may I as', is yer pref... pref... whadcha wanna be called?" Abbie leaned on the closed door.
"By you? Loooooong dis-tance," was the reply.
Casey, who was leaning on the opposite wall, bit her lip to stop from laughing. "Oooh... one for Alex," she whispered to herself.
"Bud I'n righd here in th'flesh. C'mon... ya done yed? I'll show ya mine f'ya show me yers." Abbie jiggled the doorknob.
"G'way."
"What's the problem, y'all?" Dite had returned from her booth.
"Allie won' led us in," Abbie whined.
"Don' call me tha," was the immediate retort.
"Sweedie pie won' led us in."
"AARRGGHHHH." Alex groaned.
"Is locked." Abbie showed Dite the knob wouldn't move.
Dite laughed. "Good thing I have a key." She stuck her hand in her pocket and pulled out a key ring.
Abbie moved over and then stepped up behind her to follow her in.
"Oh no... y'all go back and sit in the waiting room. I'll go see about your friend. She is entitled to privacy, y'know?"
"Bud... bud... bud..."
Dite pointed down the hall.
Abbie turned, then turned back to say something but Casey grabbed her arm and led her down the hallway.
Artie looked up just as the door opened. "I just finished up. You're all done, Alex. Do you want to see?"
Alex, who was lying on the work table contorted a bit. Artie used the hand mirror to reflect the image back to the wall mirror. Alex turned, looked and gasped. "Is soooo red." Her hand went to the spot.
Dite caught it. "No, don't touch it yet." She let Alex's hand go. "We need to put a bandage on it for a little while. You can take it off when you get home." She paused and looked at the image. "The redness will fade as it heals. I'm kinda fond of the blue and green myself." Dite grinned. "It's cute. I like the..." She pointed to her own eyes. The artist stifled a chuckle. "I'll just go tell your friends you'll be out in a few."
A look of panic crossed Alex's face. She gripped Dite's arm.
"Don't worry. I wont tell them what you have or where. That's up to you, okay?"
"Than' you."
"Okay Artie, do your thing." She thought for a second. "'Uhhhh... better use a couple of bandages."
Artie shook his head in understanding and agreement. "Gotcha, boss."
Dite made her way back to the main room. Casey was sitting and flipping through an art book and Abbie was leaning back on the wall next to her chair. She was desperately trying not to fall over as she weaved back and forth. She had one boot on and the other was sitting on an otherwise empty chair. Dite shook her head and wisely decided not to comment.
"Okay y'all... Alex is getting wrapped up. She'll be out in a minute. I'm going to call y'all a cab, okay?"
"Bud m'name's Abbie."
Dite did a double take and then looked over at Casey. "You got your hands full for the ride home. Alex isn't in any better shape."
"Oh goodie." Casey threw the magazine aside and stood. "I guess I better go collect Liz."
"Uhhhhhh," Dite bit her lip in contemplation. Oh what the hell, she thought. "The office is the last door on the right."
Casey turned to Abbie and took her by the shoulders and pulled her away from the wall. She stumbled forward. "Sit." She pushed her into the chair she had vacated. "Stay."
Abbie sat and held out her hand. Casey looked puzzled, but shook it. Abbie then barked and panted. Casey dropped the hand.
"Smartass." Casey walked off to the office.
"Arrroooooooooooooo."
She turned to glare at a yodeling Abbie.
"Knock it off, missy, or no cookies for you." She shook her finger.
Casey wandered down the hallway to the office door. She had just passed Artie's booth when the door opened. She ducked into the open bathroom door when she heard his voice.
"I'll be right back, Alex. I need to get some more adhesive tape. I just ran out. Sit tight... ummm... don't move." Artie came out the door and headed in the opposite direction from Casey.
She peeked out in both directions. She then crept over to open booth door and took a step inside. Alex was sprawled out on the table. Her head was on a pillow and her eyes were closed. Casey looked down Alex's body and her hand flew up to her mouth to stifle the laugh that was about to bubble out. Can't be. She blinked a few times. Nope, it really is. And the glasses. Casey bit her lip and slowly backed out of the doorway. She ducked back into the bathroom as Artie returned.
"I'll have you up and ready in a couple of minutes, Alex," Artie said as he closed the door.
Casey stood in the dark and took a couple of deep breaths. Her body was convulsing from silent laughter. Liv is gonna freak when I tell her. Finally after a few more false starts, Casey got herself back under control. The ADA headed to Jake' Office.
She knocked once and opened the door. "Hey Liz, you read..." She slammed the door closed and leaned up against it. She closed her eyes. Ohmigod. OH.MY.GOD. I did not just see that. She slapped herself in the forehead. Casey looked up and down the hallway in a panic. I need to wash out my brain. How am I ever going to look her in the eyes now? Good Lord. She then silently but quickly stepped back toward the main room. She turned back once, looked at the closed door and shuddered. When she turned back around she just about collided with Dite. Her sneakers squeaked when she pulled up short.
Dite had her arms crossed and was leaning on the doorway jamb. She smirked. "Problem?"
"You are a sick puppy." Casey admonished.
"Woof."
Casey looked around Dite at Abbie who was grinning ear to ear.
"Not you... well, yeah, you are too but I didn't mean you this time."
Casey whacked Dite on the shoulder. "That was mean."
Dite pointed to her own chest. "Mean ol' mama... that's me." She threw an arm around Casey shoulder, careful of the tattoo and directed her back into the main room. "Liz is in good hands." She held up her own hands in concession to Casey grimace. "Sorry - poor word choice there. Jake will make sure she gets home all right. Promise. The cab should be here in a few minutes. Y'all going to be okay?"
"We should be," Casey answered and looked to Abbie for confirmation. Abbie just smiled, then her eyes suddenly lit up. Casey knew why when she heard the voice.
Alex, who had just walked out behind Casey, added, "S'long's we don' hid any podholes." She paused. "My head hurts, bud for some reason I'n hungry. Hey, d'ya thin' we c'n stob for some food on th'way home?"
DOINK DOINK