If Tomorrow Never Comes – Chapter 5
"Well don't just stand there." Gina flicked her eyes around the briefing room. "You have jobs to be getting on with,"
"Ma'am." The relief chorused, getting to their feet, filing out the room.
"Gina." Smithy pushed his way through the middle of the officers, ignoring their muttering. "How are you?"
Gina raised an eyebrow, glancing out past Smithy, before looking back to him. "Say it a little louder." She reprimanded. "I don't quite think anyone else heard you."
Smithy sighed and held his hands up in defeat. "I'm just trying to help." He hissed softly, moving closer and lowering his voice.
"I don't need your help!" Gina insisted. "And I don't need your girlfriend spying on me every hour on the hour, fetching endless cups of coffee."
"She's just concerned." Smithy turned, resting against the table beside Gina. "We both are."
"I don't need concern." Gina continued gathering the papers in front of her. "What I need is people to get on with their jobs and keep this station running as it should do."
"Of course." Smithy paused for a few seconds, weighing up what he should say. "You don't have to cope on your own."
"There's nothing to cope with." Gina said sharply, before softening her tone, putting the papers she was holding down. "Look," she said quietly. "All I need for you to do is cover for me."
"I can do that." Smithy nodded. "But before long, people will ask questions."
"Then let them ask!" Gina shrugged. "It's not my problem."
"Of course it's your problem. If they put two-"
"Sergeant!" Gina pressed one finger against her lips. "Let. Me. Deal."
"Ma'am." Smithy gave a resigned sigh. "Have you told the Super yet?"
"Not yet." Gina admitted, shaking her head.
"Don't you think-" Smithy folded his arms and set his jaw as Gina held a hand up to stop him again.
"Don't you think you should let me contend with this?" Gina asked, looking up at him. "This is my decision, Smithy."
"And I respect it." Smithy nodded. "But I care about you."
Gina looked momentarily surprised, before smiling slightly, shaking her head. "There's nothing to worry about." She said, "There's life in the old cow yet."
Smithy gave her a tight smile, looking down at her hand on his arm. "Just…if anything happens," He licked his lips nervously. "If you feel tired, or ill or anything…you'll tell me, won't you." He looked almost desperately at Gina. "Let me help you."
Gina shifted her gaze slightly, looking at the floor. "OK…" She nodded, unsure herself if she was saying it to comfort herself, or just to get him to shut up.
Smithy smiled slightly, squeezing her hand, looking to the door as Charlie appeared and softly cleared her throat. "Ma'am." She smiled warmly, walking further inside, holding a cup of coffee.
Gina looked to Charlie and shook her head as she chuckled. "Another one?"
Smithy smiled, taking the cup from Charlie's hand, raising it to his lips. "If you're gonna be like that." He grinned, taking a sip.
"I never said I didn't want it." Gina mock scolded. "Charlie – coffee."
Charlie grinned, nodding, "Ma'am." She said, hurrying out the door, returning a few moments later holding two cups of coffee and the remains of a packet of biscuits in her mouth.
Smithy turned to the door, immediately scowling as he saw Charlie. "Hobnobs." He said seriously, holding his hand out.
Charlie shook her head, passing a cup to Gina, before dangling the biscuits just out of reach. "You took Gina's drink." She pulled the packet away as he made a grab for it. "She can have your biscuits."
"That's not fair!" Smithy sulked, sitting down, watching as Gina took the packet, purposely opening them slowly.
"Stop whining." Charlie gently pushed him into the seat on the other side of Gina's desk, perching on his lap as she took a sip.
Gina glanced over, raising an eyebrow as Smithy continued to pout, passing the biscuits back to Charlie, smiling absently as she watched Charlie tease Smithy, holding a biscuit under his nose, before pulling it away, taking a bite herself.
'This is how it should be.' Gina thought to herself. 'Like it was before…' she sighed, ignoring the feeling of foreboding at the back of her head.
