Morning
Rachel flexed her left hand unconsciously as she scanned this Monday morning's crop of unread emails.
The office was quiet today. Pete had made the coffee without complaint while Lee sorted the stack of internal mail which seemed to never abate, no matter what their effort. Janet had not arrived yet, which was unusual. Anna Ram had come by Rachel's office door, looked in at her, saw she was busy, and then crept away.
Rachel sighed as she moved the computer arrow to the one marked in red; indicating URGENT. The subject read 'Next Steps.' She pursed her lips when she looked closer and saw it was from DCI Dodson.
"Well," Rachel sighed to herself, as her left hand clenched reflexively, burgundy painted fingernails biting into her palm.
Before she could select the message to open it, Anna was back at her door. Rachel glanced over at her. "Yes?"
"Boss? A word?" Anna came in and closed the door behind her.
Rachel sighed. "Rachel, just… just call me Rachel. Got it?"
Anna sank down slowly into the visitor's chair, and to Rachel she looked nervous or perhaps upset. Rachel was still turned towards the computer screen, but twisted her desk chair to face the young and eager detective, feeling her belly push against the desk drawer, so she shifted backwards a half-inch. "Go on," she said fixing Anna with what she hoped was a steady gaze. Gill had a nasty habit of acknowledging a visitor but would then keep typing on her computer. Rachel swore she'd not do that.
Anna's eyes went wide. "Right. Sorry... Rachel. I..." She stopped.
"Is this an operations question, or..." Rachel waved a hand to indicate an infinity of other things.
Anna cleared her throat. "I… well…"
"It's something else then," Rachel stated.
Anna eyes went wide. "I apologize for bringing this up, but…"
Rachel propped her elbows on the desk to steady herself the linked her fingers together, as much to steady herself as to keep her left hand from clenching and unclenching spasmodically. "Just say it."
"After the… Widnes thing... how are you? I like your blouse. Is that new?""
The Dench and Widnes cases; the murder game they had taken to call it. "Fine; I'm fine." Rachel looked down at her blouse, which she'd found on the bargain rack at the maternity store. "Bought it Saturday." She had browsed other items and was shocked by the price of maternity bras and knickers. Well, it was a select market. She had grudgingly bought some knickers (the stretchy belly panel just seemed so silly) but was relieved when the salesgirl suggested just going to a regular clothing store for larger bras.
"The material looks silky," Anna told her and then shifted gears. "Uhm, how is your hand?"
Rachel clamped her lips together, but before she could answer in any way, her desk phone rang. "Acting DI Bailey," she said into it.
Anna took the call as a hint, so she left.