Disclaimer: I imply no ownership of the characters. They are the property of Shed Productions and the BBC.
I use them only for creative purposes.
Part Four
After lunch, Nikki and Victoria went back upstairs to the big office to start work on the arson story. They
sat at Nikki's desk which was as far as it could be from Fenner's so that he couldn't steal their headline.
They were sat between Alex Adams, the junior finance reporter and an open window so they got plenty of
peace and quiet. The endless hum of computers with the odd ringing of a phone was, in a way, relaxing.
Everyone in there was writing up some story. Mike Barrett passed through the office on his way upstairs
and stopped to speak to Nikki.
"I'm off to see Jim Fenner's latest. I'll let you know how I get on."
"Sure. Good luck. I don't think she'll listen to you, though." Mike leaned over Victoria's shoulder to read
the headline she was forming on the screen.
"Single mum and baby escape from suspected arson attack!"
"Not bad. I'd like to read this before you submit it to Anton, okay?"
"Fine. Nikki said she wanted to see my writing style in progress."
"Good idea. I'll see you later." With that, he left them to it and took the stairs to the news editor's office.
"Karen, do you have a minute?" Mike said as he poked his head round Karen's office door.
"Yes, of course. Come in." Mike had always found Karen attractive. She was blonde, blue-eyed and
usually had a magnificent tan, whether fake or real he didn't care. She also had a delectable figure which
Mike personally thought was wasted on Jim Fenner who would shag anything including his ex-secretary,
Shell Dockley. Mike walked in and closed the door.
"This is somewhat delicate, Karen."
"Oh?" Karen failed to see why Mike would be coming to see her about anything which he described as
delicate.
"I need you to put all personal considerations aside for a moment."
"Is this about Jim?" Oh, great, thought Mike. She's already on the defensive and I haven't even got started
yet.
"Yes. It's about what Jim was saying to Rachel Hicks when Nikki arrived at the hospital to see her this
morning."
"What did Nikki say she heard?"
"Nikki said, and I do believe her, that Jim Fenner was leaning over Rachel's bed threatening her."
"Threatening her how?"
"He was telling Rachel to keep her mouth shut if she didn't want anything else to happen to her baby."
"Bollocks! Why the hell would he say that?"
"Karen, forgive me for saying this, but you're not exactly unbiased where Jim's concerned."
"What's that got to do with anything?"
"Don't get angry, Karen. I'm trying to deal with this in the quietest and most sensitive way possible and
you're not making that very easy for me."
"And why the hell should I make it easy for you when you're accusing Jim of something he wouldn't do?"
"Karen, do you want me to take this further? Because be assured if you don't start listening to me I will be
forced to go official about this."
"Okay. I'll talk to him, find out what all this is about. Will that do?"
"For now. But if I hear of anything like this in the future, it won't rest there. Do I make myself clear?"
"Crystal clear!"
Victoria and Nikki spent most of the afternoon working on the story. They disagreed over some minor
points of grammar and sentence structure but they got it finished and e-mailed it to Mike to criticize. When
Mike had added his comments and the thing had finally been corrected, Mike suggested that they take it up
to Anton just for him to have a look at Victoria's first joint effort with Nikki. When Victoria looked a little
apprehensive at this suggestion Nikki laughed and said,
"Oh, don't worry. Everyone has to go through the mill with Meyer when they first arrive. You'll get used to
it."
They went up to the top floor, passed Kirstie Collins and Personnel to where Anton Meyer, the Lark City
Post's senior editor had his lair. Nikki introduced Victoria to Keri, Anton Meyer's personal assistant and as
he was apparently free, they were shown in. Victoria remembered all the force of Meyer's personality from
her interview. He was a relatively quiet man but only because he didn't need to be anything else. His mere
presence made Victoria feel like she'd been called in front of the headmaster.
"Ms Wade and Ms Merrick, good to see you. I hear you've been working on the story of last night's fire."
"Yes. We went to the house this morning and it appears to be arson but the head fire investigator has
agreed to contact me when he has some more concrete evidence."
"Good. Mr. Barrett sent me a copy of the piece you've written between you. It's very good."
"Victoria wrote most of it," Said Nikki.
"As I see. Well, Victoria Merrick," His tongue seemed to roll itself around her name. "If you keep writing
like this, you'll go a long way in this profession."
"Thank you."
"How have you found your first day here?"
"Great. I think I'm going to enjoy working here."
"Well, I hope you live up to my first impression of you."
When they returned to the main office, Victoria began collecting her things together as it was almost five
thirty. Yvonne came in and stood in the middle of the room and clapped her hands to get everyone's
attention.
"Right," She said. "We've got a new kid on the block today. What say we all go to the pub to welcome her
aboard this rapidly floundering ship?"
A chorus of agreement came from most sides.
"Where are we going?" Asked Cassie.
"Well," Replied Yvonne. "Let's say we meet in the Printer's Press at about eight and take it from there.
That okay with everyone?"
"Where is it?" Asked Victoria.
"Me and Tash will pick you up if you like," offered Nikki. "You don't live that far from it actually. You
definitely chose the right place when you moved here, the Printer's Press is the pub most of us use."
"Okay, see you later then." Victoria was glad she had time to go home and change. She now had the
opportunity to make herself look absolutely stunning. She'd made a good impression on her work
colleagues from a professional point of view so now it was time to get to know them all, including the men, a
little better.
When Tash and Nikki arrived at her door, Victoria was wearing a little black dress with shoulder-straps as
thin as boot laces. Both women looked her up and down very appreciatively. Victoria blushed because she
wasn't used to getting this kind of attention from other women.
"Sorry," She said. "Hands off. I only bat for the one team I'm afraid."
"Bugger!" Said Nikki with feeling. "Walk around in clothes like that and you won't only have us two
scrutinizing your every curve."
"Why? Who else should I look out for?"
"Well, If fenner's there, he's the obvious one. We have a lot more style than him, though, don't we
darling?" Nikki said as she linked her arm through Tash's.
"At least when we're on the pull, we do it with a modicum of finesse." Victoria's response to Tash's
comment was to burst in to laughter.
"This I have to see!" She said.
"Hey," Said Tash. "Don't say that too often or we'll have to take you up on it."
"If you really don't find women the slightest bit sexy," Said Nikki. "You might want to keep out of Cassie's
way till she's got the message."
"Some hope," commented Tash. "Cassie Tyler's worse than you when she's got her mind set on someone."
The conversation continued in a similar manner till they reached the little pub, The Printer's Press.
"I see why you all come here," Said Victoria.
"Yeah," Replied Nikki. "The name kind of forced us to in the beginning."
As they walked in, a cheer arose from the group around the table in the corner. Yvonne, Cassie, Alex, Mike
and Dominic were sat there. Mike stood up.
"right, as I'm your immediate boss, I guess I should buy you the first drink. What are you having?"
"A Malibu and Pineapple please." They sat down at the table and Nikki asked,
"anyone joining us?"
"Yeah," Replied Yvonne. "Denny and Shaz will be along later and Keri said she might look in as well."
"What about Karen and Fenner?" Asked Tash.
"don't think so. Fenner said something about a quiet evening in, which is probably just another euphemism
for a shag."
"Thank god for that," said Nikki. "The last thing I need is you and Karen arguing with each other all
evening."
"It's only healthy competition," Said Yvonne. Mike came back with the first round of drinks and Nikki and
Yvonne lit cigarettes.
"I do wish you'd give that up, Nikki," intoned Mike sounding more like a perpetually nagging mother than a
work colleague.
"You should be glad it's only tobacco I'm smoking," Replied Nikki.
"Okay, don't tell me any more," Mike replied.
"Oh come on, Mike," Said a voice behind them. "don't tell us you've never been even slightly stoned."
The voice came from Zandra who'd just arrived. She sat down next to Victoria and Mike turned a slightly
smug gaze her way.
"Not to my knowledge, no."
"I think we'll have to do something about that. Don't you Yvonne?" Said Nikki as she leaned closer to
relight her cigarette from Yvonne's.
"Yeah," Was the response. "I think that might be quite fun."
Victoria felt extremely relaxed and she began to feel like she'd known some of them for years, not simply a
matter of hours. As Nikki had warned her about Cassie, Victoria kept noticing the other woman staring at
her with what could only be called pure lust in her eyes. Nikki must have seen Cassie looking at Victoria at
some point as well because she leaned over and whispered in Cassie's ear,
"sorry, darling. She prefers the male variety."
"Oh shit! You're joking," Said Cassie with clear dismay. "I was hoping to give her a real welcome later on."
"It's nothing personal Cassie," Said Victoria having heard the Tyler reaction to her sexuality.
"There's time," Cassie replied, clearly not yet giving up hope.
As it was a Monday night, they all left at closing time and decided not to go on to anywhere else.
"Meyer would never forgive us if we got you plastered on your first night here," Said Zandra.
"Yeah, and as I want him to increase my budget," Said Yvonne. "I'm not being held responsible for that."
As they all lived in fairly close proximity to the pub and each other, they all began walking home together
dropping people off on the way. When they arrived at Victoria's flat, Yvonne, Mike, Nikki and Tash said
goodbye to her. Yvonne gave her a hug.
"You'll get on all right here, Darling and you can count on all of us, you know that." Victoria was touched
by this display of motherly affection from Yvonne. It made her think of the story she'd written that
afternoon. If only Rachel Hicks had received some of that, she might not be where she was now.
I use them only for creative purposes.
Part Four
After lunch, Nikki and Victoria went back upstairs to the big office to start work on the arson story. They
sat at Nikki's desk which was as far as it could be from Fenner's so that he couldn't steal their headline.
They were sat between Alex Adams, the junior finance reporter and an open window so they got plenty of
peace and quiet. The endless hum of computers with the odd ringing of a phone was, in a way, relaxing.
Everyone in there was writing up some story. Mike Barrett passed through the office on his way upstairs
and stopped to speak to Nikki.
"I'm off to see Jim Fenner's latest. I'll let you know how I get on."
"Sure. Good luck. I don't think she'll listen to you, though." Mike leaned over Victoria's shoulder to read
the headline she was forming on the screen.
"Single mum and baby escape from suspected arson attack!"
"Not bad. I'd like to read this before you submit it to Anton, okay?"
"Fine. Nikki said she wanted to see my writing style in progress."
"Good idea. I'll see you later." With that, he left them to it and took the stairs to the news editor's office.
"Karen, do you have a minute?" Mike said as he poked his head round Karen's office door.
"Yes, of course. Come in." Mike had always found Karen attractive. She was blonde, blue-eyed and
usually had a magnificent tan, whether fake or real he didn't care. She also had a delectable figure which
Mike personally thought was wasted on Jim Fenner who would shag anything including his ex-secretary,
Shell Dockley. Mike walked in and closed the door.
"This is somewhat delicate, Karen."
"Oh?" Karen failed to see why Mike would be coming to see her about anything which he described as
delicate.
"I need you to put all personal considerations aside for a moment."
"Is this about Jim?" Oh, great, thought Mike. She's already on the defensive and I haven't even got started
yet.
"Yes. It's about what Jim was saying to Rachel Hicks when Nikki arrived at the hospital to see her this
morning."
"What did Nikki say she heard?"
"Nikki said, and I do believe her, that Jim Fenner was leaning over Rachel's bed threatening her."
"Threatening her how?"
"He was telling Rachel to keep her mouth shut if she didn't want anything else to happen to her baby."
"Bollocks! Why the hell would he say that?"
"Karen, forgive me for saying this, but you're not exactly unbiased where Jim's concerned."
"What's that got to do with anything?"
"Don't get angry, Karen. I'm trying to deal with this in the quietest and most sensitive way possible and
you're not making that very easy for me."
"And why the hell should I make it easy for you when you're accusing Jim of something he wouldn't do?"
"Karen, do you want me to take this further? Because be assured if you don't start listening to me I will be
forced to go official about this."
"Okay. I'll talk to him, find out what all this is about. Will that do?"
"For now. But if I hear of anything like this in the future, it won't rest there. Do I make myself clear?"
"Crystal clear!"
Victoria and Nikki spent most of the afternoon working on the story. They disagreed over some minor
points of grammar and sentence structure but they got it finished and e-mailed it to Mike to criticize. When
Mike had added his comments and the thing had finally been corrected, Mike suggested that they take it up
to Anton just for him to have a look at Victoria's first joint effort with Nikki. When Victoria looked a little
apprehensive at this suggestion Nikki laughed and said,
"Oh, don't worry. Everyone has to go through the mill with Meyer when they first arrive. You'll get used to
it."
They went up to the top floor, passed Kirstie Collins and Personnel to where Anton Meyer, the Lark City
Post's senior editor had his lair. Nikki introduced Victoria to Keri, Anton Meyer's personal assistant and as
he was apparently free, they were shown in. Victoria remembered all the force of Meyer's personality from
her interview. He was a relatively quiet man but only because he didn't need to be anything else. His mere
presence made Victoria feel like she'd been called in front of the headmaster.
"Ms Wade and Ms Merrick, good to see you. I hear you've been working on the story of last night's fire."
"Yes. We went to the house this morning and it appears to be arson but the head fire investigator has
agreed to contact me when he has some more concrete evidence."
"Good. Mr. Barrett sent me a copy of the piece you've written between you. It's very good."
"Victoria wrote most of it," Said Nikki.
"As I see. Well, Victoria Merrick," His tongue seemed to roll itself around her name. "If you keep writing
like this, you'll go a long way in this profession."
"Thank you."
"How have you found your first day here?"
"Great. I think I'm going to enjoy working here."
"Well, I hope you live up to my first impression of you."
When they returned to the main office, Victoria began collecting her things together as it was almost five
thirty. Yvonne came in and stood in the middle of the room and clapped her hands to get everyone's
attention.
"Right," She said. "We've got a new kid on the block today. What say we all go to the pub to welcome her
aboard this rapidly floundering ship?"
A chorus of agreement came from most sides.
"Where are we going?" Asked Cassie.
"Well," Replied Yvonne. "Let's say we meet in the Printer's Press at about eight and take it from there.
That okay with everyone?"
"Where is it?" Asked Victoria.
"Me and Tash will pick you up if you like," offered Nikki. "You don't live that far from it actually. You
definitely chose the right place when you moved here, the Printer's Press is the pub most of us use."
"Okay, see you later then." Victoria was glad she had time to go home and change. She now had the
opportunity to make herself look absolutely stunning. She'd made a good impression on her work
colleagues from a professional point of view so now it was time to get to know them all, including the men, a
little better.
When Tash and Nikki arrived at her door, Victoria was wearing a little black dress with shoulder-straps as
thin as boot laces. Both women looked her up and down very appreciatively. Victoria blushed because she
wasn't used to getting this kind of attention from other women.
"Sorry," She said. "Hands off. I only bat for the one team I'm afraid."
"Bugger!" Said Nikki with feeling. "Walk around in clothes like that and you won't only have us two
scrutinizing your every curve."
"Why? Who else should I look out for?"
"Well, If fenner's there, he's the obvious one. We have a lot more style than him, though, don't we
darling?" Nikki said as she linked her arm through Tash's.
"At least when we're on the pull, we do it with a modicum of finesse." Victoria's response to Tash's
comment was to burst in to laughter.
"This I have to see!" She said.
"Hey," Said Tash. "Don't say that too often or we'll have to take you up on it."
"If you really don't find women the slightest bit sexy," Said Nikki. "You might want to keep out of Cassie's
way till she's got the message."
"Some hope," commented Tash. "Cassie Tyler's worse than you when she's got her mind set on someone."
The conversation continued in a similar manner till they reached the little pub, The Printer's Press.
"I see why you all come here," Said Victoria.
"Yeah," Replied Nikki. "The name kind of forced us to in the beginning."
As they walked in, a cheer arose from the group around the table in the corner. Yvonne, Cassie, Alex, Mike
and Dominic were sat there. Mike stood up.
"right, as I'm your immediate boss, I guess I should buy you the first drink. What are you having?"
"A Malibu and Pineapple please." They sat down at the table and Nikki asked,
"anyone joining us?"
"Yeah," Replied Yvonne. "Denny and Shaz will be along later and Keri said she might look in as well."
"What about Karen and Fenner?" Asked Tash.
"don't think so. Fenner said something about a quiet evening in, which is probably just another euphemism
for a shag."
"Thank god for that," said Nikki. "The last thing I need is you and Karen arguing with each other all
evening."
"It's only healthy competition," Said Yvonne. Mike came back with the first round of drinks and Nikki and
Yvonne lit cigarettes.
"I do wish you'd give that up, Nikki," intoned Mike sounding more like a perpetually nagging mother than a
work colleague.
"You should be glad it's only tobacco I'm smoking," Replied Nikki.
"Okay, don't tell me any more," Mike replied.
"Oh come on, Mike," Said a voice behind them. "don't tell us you've never been even slightly stoned."
The voice came from Zandra who'd just arrived. She sat down next to Victoria and Mike turned a slightly
smug gaze her way.
"Not to my knowledge, no."
"I think we'll have to do something about that. Don't you Yvonne?" Said Nikki as she leaned closer to
relight her cigarette from Yvonne's.
"Yeah," Was the response. "I think that might be quite fun."
Victoria felt extremely relaxed and she began to feel like she'd known some of them for years, not simply a
matter of hours. As Nikki had warned her about Cassie, Victoria kept noticing the other woman staring at
her with what could only be called pure lust in her eyes. Nikki must have seen Cassie looking at Victoria at
some point as well because she leaned over and whispered in Cassie's ear,
"sorry, darling. She prefers the male variety."
"Oh shit! You're joking," Said Cassie with clear dismay. "I was hoping to give her a real welcome later on."
"It's nothing personal Cassie," Said Victoria having heard the Tyler reaction to her sexuality.
"There's time," Cassie replied, clearly not yet giving up hope.
As it was a Monday night, they all left at closing time and decided not to go on to anywhere else.
"Meyer would never forgive us if we got you plastered on your first night here," Said Zandra.
"Yeah, and as I want him to increase my budget," Said Yvonne. "I'm not being held responsible for that."
As they all lived in fairly close proximity to the pub and each other, they all began walking home together
dropping people off on the way. When they arrived at Victoria's flat, Yvonne, Mike, Nikki and Tash said
goodbye to her. Yvonne gave her a hug.
"You'll get on all right here, Darling and you can count on all of us, you know that." Victoria was touched
by this display of motherly affection from Yvonne. It made her think of the story she'd written that
afternoon. If only Rachel Hicks had received some of that, she might not be where she was now.