~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This whole damn world
Can fall apart
You'll be okay
Follow your heart
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Half an hour later, Tanya came into Prue's office, just minutes after the latter woman had gotten there herself.
"Morning, Prue," the assistant greeted casually.
"Hi, Tanya," Prue returned. She paused, biting her lip nervously, and then asked, "Um, can you please tell Claire that I'd like to speak with her?"
"Sure..." Tanya replied uncertainly. Claire was extremely strict in running the auction house, and often came off as a bit harsh. Very few employees voluntarily went to her, for fear of being repremanded for something they're doing less than perfectly. Tanya didn't say so out loud, but gave Prue a look that clearly asked why.
Prue smiled nervously. "I'm going to tell her I'm pregnant. I can't exactly hide it any more, so I might as well get it over with."
Tanya smiled back reassuringly, then went to do as Prue had asked. "Good luck," she called as she was leaving.
Prue sighed. She had the sinking feeling that she'd need all the luck she could get.
-x-
A quarter of an hour later, Prue knocked on her boss' door. "Claire? You said now would be a good time?"
"Yes, Prue, come in." the elder woman called.
Prue slipped into the office apprehensively, closing the door quickly behind her.
Claire motioned for her to sit down in one of the chairs opposite her desk. "What did you want to talk to me about?"
"Oh, it's more of just a question I have, really..." Prue stalled. 'Just get it over with,' she told herself. "I've been wondering, with all the changes that have gone on within Buckland's the last few months... What's the current policy on maternity leave?"
Biting her lip, she waited for Claire's reaction.
Claire looked Prue over, noticing for the first time her loose, oversized shirt that covered halfway down to the knees of her black pants. She hadn't seen it before, but Prue's stomach was noticably rounder than it had been just a few weeks ago. Claire sat back for a minute, wondering why she hadn't detected it until now. Then, she gave Prue a warm, albeit extremely uncharacteristic smile and said simply, "Congratulations."
Prue, expecting anything but this kind, friendly tone, took a second to reply, "Thanks."
There was another short pause, in which Claire examined her distant relationship with her employees, and Prue pondered whether Claire really was as bad as everyone seemed to think. Then, as though they were discussing any ordinary business matter, they talked about how much time off Prue would have.
-x-
"It was so weird," Prue said, taking a bite of her salad. She was sitting on a park bench next to Phoebe, on her lunch break. "She was almost... nice to me."
Prue was telling her sister about Claire's reaction to her request that morning.
"And it's a crime now for bosses to be nice to their employees?" Phoebe asked. She sipped her soda quickly, then added, "Prue, you've been working there longer than she has. You've probably done more and better work than anyone in that place, and she knows it."
Prue shrugged. "It was still weird. But whatever. How'd your test go?"
Phoebe crossed her fingers. "I think I did okay. Maybe. I'm not really sure."
"Oh, honey, don't worry about it." Prue assured her. "You've been studying nonstop the past week. You know that material. I'm sure you did fine."
"Thanks," Phoebe said, "I needed that."
Prue smiled at her. "So what else have you been up to lately? We've been so wrapped up in work and school, I hardly get a chance to talk to you anymore."
"Well hopefully that'll end soon," Phoebe said. "My last final is two days from now, and then I'm done with my first year back at college."
Prue reached over and hugged her. "Have I told you lately how proud I am of you?"
"All the time," Phoebe replied, returning the embrace.
"Well I am," Prue said, stroking Phoebe's hair.
Phoebe sighed happily, and gave her sister a kiss. "I know."
****************
A/N: Next chapter is what you've all been waiting for... :)
~from the song "Get What You Give" by the New Radicals~
This whole damn world
Can fall apart
You'll be okay
Follow your heart
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Half an hour later, Tanya came into Prue's office, just minutes after the latter woman had gotten there herself.
"Morning, Prue," the assistant greeted casually.
"Hi, Tanya," Prue returned. She paused, biting her lip nervously, and then asked, "Um, can you please tell Claire that I'd like to speak with her?"
"Sure..." Tanya replied uncertainly. Claire was extremely strict in running the auction house, and often came off as a bit harsh. Very few employees voluntarily went to her, for fear of being repremanded for something they're doing less than perfectly. Tanya didn't say so out loud, but gave Prue a look that clearly asked why.
Prue smiled nervously. "I'm going to tell her I'm pregnant. I can't exactly hide it any more, so I might as well get it over with."
Tanya smiled back reassuringly, then went to do as Prue had asked. "Good luck," she called as she was leaving.
Prue sighed. She had the sinking feeling that she'd need all the luck she could get.
-x-
A quarter of an hour later, Prue knocked on her boss' door. "Claire? You said now would be a good time?"
"Yes, Prue, come in." the elder woman called.
Prue slipped into the office apprehensively, closing the door quickly behind her.
Claire motioned for her to sit down in one of the chairs opposite her desk. "What did you want to talk to me about?"
"Oh, it's more of just a question I have, really..." Prue stalled. 'Just get it over with,' she told herself. "I've been wondering, with all the changes that have gone on within Buckland's the last few months... What's the current policy on maternity leave?"
Biting her lip, she waited for Claire's reaction.
Claire looked Prue over, noticing for the first time her loose, oversized shirt that covered halfway down to the knees of her black pants. She hadn't seen it before, but Prue's stomach was noticably rounder than it had been just a few weeks ago. Claire sat back for a minute, wondering why she hadn't detected it until now. Then, she gave Prue a warm, albeit extremely uncharacteristic smile and said simply, "Congratulations."
Prue, expecting anything but this kind, friendly tone, took a second to reply, "Thanks."
There was another short pause, in which Claire examined her distant relationship with her employees, and Prue pondered whether Claire really was as bad as everyone seemed to think. Then, as though they were discussing any ordinary business matter, they talked about how much time off Prue would have.
-x-
"It was so weird," Prue said, taking a bite of her salad. She was sitting on a park bench next to Phoebe, on her lunch break. "She was almost... nice to me."
Prue was telling her sister about Claire's reaction to her request that morning.
"And it's a crime now for bosses to be nice to their employees?" Phoebe asked. She sipped her soda quickly, then added, "Prue, you've been working there longer than she has. You've probably done more and better work than anyone in that place, and she knows it."
Prue shrugged. "It was still weird. But whatever. How'd your test go?"
Phoebe crossed her fingers. "I think I did okay. Maybe. I'm not really sure."
"Oh, honey, don't worry about it." Prue assured her. "You've been studying nonstop the past week. You know that material. I'm sure you did fine."
"Thanks," Phoebe said, "I needed that."
Prue smiled at her. "So what else have you been up to lately? We've been so wrapped up in work and school, I hardly get a chance to talk to you anymore."
"Well hopefully that'll end soon," Phoebe said. "My last final is two days from now, and then I'm done with my first year back at college."
Prue reached over and hugged her. "Have I told you lately how proud I am of you?"
"All the time," Phoebe replied, returning the embrace.
"Well I am," Prue said, stroking Phoebe's hair.
Phoebe sighed happily, and gave her sister a kiss. "I know."
****************
A/N: Next chapter is what you've all been waiting for... :)
~from the song "Get What You Give" by the New Radicals~