Chapter 6 - Emma
“Good morning Doctor Yates! How are you this morning?” I call out to the practice’s owner as he walks in. He glances up at me from underneath his full head of grey hair.
“Morning Emma,” he croons. His eyes flick over my desk, over the piles of paperwork I’m in the midst of organising. “What have you got there?”
“I noticed the files were all out of order, so I’m just trying to organise them. I’m doing it alphabetically and chronologically,” I say to him, pointing at my piles of papers. “It’ll make it a lot easier for recordkeeping.”
Is it just me or did his eyes just narrow a little bit? They look colder, harder than they did a second ago. Then just as quickly the moment passes and the darkness dissipates from his eyes. His face relaxes ever so slightly and he speaks to me in a smooth, deep voice.
“That’s great, Emma. I always like to see a bit of initiative.”
He shuffles past me and down the hallway, the same hallway Doctor Davis walked down an hour ago. I glance down and see his door is still closed. Maybe I should bring him a coffee as a peace offering?
The thought of walking up to his door makes my heart beat a little bit faster. I look at the stacks of files in front of me, knowing I’ll be doing this for days. Screw it, I think. I might as well try to get along with him. All going well I’ll be in this job for a long time.
I spin around and head towards the kitchen. I walk through the doorway and there it is: my nemesis. The coffee machine.
Well, Emma Thompson doesn’t get beat down easily, especially not by something like a tricky little coffee maker. In two steps I’m standing in front of it. I grab a mug from the cupboard and throw my shoulders back. I feel my lips set themselves in a thin, hard line. I will make a coffee without spraying steam or coffee grounds or milk all over the kitchen, and that’s a fact. Just watch me.
The mug goes under the spout. I take my hand and bring it up over the machine, bringing it down with a hard smack.
Like magic, the little door at the front pops open.
“Ha! Yes,” I exclaim to myself, triumphant. In goes the pod, and I close up the door. One more button and the black liquid is pouring into the mug underneath. I put my hands on my hips and look at my handiwork feeling a deep sense of satisfaction. Redemption always feels good.
The coffee cup is just about full, and the machine is sputtering the last few drops when I hear him behind me.
“You’re a quick learner.”
I spin around and it feels like the whole room turns sideways. There he is, standing in the doorway again. His eyes are burning a hole into me, raking over my body as I stand there. I throw my shoulders back and raise an eyebrow.
“This is just the start of it,” I say, letting my lips curl up into a grin. “First step: the coffee machine, second step: the printer, then I’m going straight to the top. Nothing can stop me now. I’m telling you now, you’d better watch your job.”
I turn around and grab the mug, holding it up victoriously. Is that a smile in his eyes? Dr. Davis’ face is still as stone but I swear I can see a hint of amusement.
“Well, colour me impressed,” he growls.
I extend the mug to him. “I actually made it for you. I feel like we got off on the wrong foot and this is my way of extending an olive branch, so to speak. This time without steam spraying all over you.”
The mug hangs in the air between us, and Dr. Davis looks at it quizzically. Two, three, four, five seconds go by without either of us moving. I’m starting to wonder if this was a good idea. His eyes glance up from the mug and search my face. I can feel the heat rising to my cheeks, and then spreading through my entire body. Why does he have to look at me like that! Finally I crack and speak first.
“How do you take it? Milk? Sugar?”
The spell is broken and he moves towards me. His hand reaches up and grabs the mug.
“Black.”
“Me too!” Why did I sound so excited?!
He nods clears his throat. “Thanks.”
I can feel myself blushing again. “It’s nothing. We have to work together, after all.” My heart is beating so fast and I feel like my whole body is shaking like a leaf. I’m like a jittery schoolgirl, not able to control herself in front of a boy! Get it together, Emma.
Without saying anything else, Dr. Davis turns around and stalks out of the room.
“That went well,” I whisper under my breath. “I think.”