Tuesday Tales - Trot

 

Welcome to Tuesday Tales! This week's word prompt is “trot”. We are back with Dani in my new Sci-Fi story. 

Be sure to check out the other Tuesday Tales by clicking here!

“No, no,” Dani assured. “Everything is okay at home.”

Nancy’s scowl deepened. “Then why do you need the time off?”

Dani could feel her heart hammering against her ribs. Her hands were getting clammy. She felt lightheaded. Maybe she would pass out and not have to ask? If only she could be so lucky. “I have the opportunity to go on an archeological dig in Egypt. It would be a couple of weeks, I think. I’m not exactly sure when I will be back.”

Nancy pressed her lips into a thin line as she crossed her arms over her chest. It felt like her stare was burning through Dani. Finally she spoke. “I didn’t know you were into archeology.”

Dani gave her a half shrug. She couldn’t tell her boss the truth. “It’s a hidden passion of mine. I never mentioned it because I never thought an experience like this could happen.”

Nancy glared at her for a moment longer then threw her hands up like she gave up. “I should have known. That’s fine. Just keep in touch, okay?

Dani gaped at Nancy as her skin stopped feeling like it was trying to crawl away as much as it had before. “Are you sure?”

“Do you think you’re the first new hire who trotted into my office to ask me if they can go on an exhibition?” Nancy countered.

“I’m not?”

“It happens more often than you would think. I’m going to make the same demand of you as I did of them.”

“And that is?”

Nancy’s scowl turned to a smile. A devious smile. There was the anxiety again. She leaned on the desk towards Dani. “When you get back, we will schedule a presentation for our patrons. You can tell everyone about what you saw while you were gone.”

Tuesday Tales - Scarlet

 

Welcome to Tuesday Tales! This week's word prompt is “scarlet”. We are back with Dani in my new Sci-Fi story. 

Be sure to check out the other Tuesday Tales by clicking here!

“Thank you but that will not be necessary. Just let me talk to them. I promise I will get back to you today.”

She thought she could hear Julian snarl through the speaker of her phone. “You better. I will talk to you this afternoon.” With no warning, the call went dead. Dani stared at her home screen of her cell with a sigh. Maybe Ezra was right. Maybe this was a bad idea. Nevertheless, it was time to go find Nancy and have an awkward conversation about her employment.

She scurried from between the shelving units and hurried towards the offices of the library. It was a distinct difference from the rest of the building. While the rest of the facility was filled with neatly lined bookshelves full of tomes, this space was crowded with cubicles. She never knew it took so many office folks to keep this place running. 

She skimmed the perimeter of the office in the direction of the back corner. That was were Nancy sat. Before Dani got there, she spotted a scarlet suitcoat worn by a woman with more gray than blond hair. Other than that, Nancy could have been mistaken for someone Dani’s age. 

“Nancy,” Dani called out. 

Nancy spun on her toe to search the area for the voice that summoned her. When she saw Dani, she smiled. She pointed back to her office then redirected her steps to it. 

You may not be grinning for long, Dani thought to herself. She quickened her pace so she could meet Nancy at the door. 

Nancy motioned her inside then followed her. “What can I help you with, Dani?”

Dani sucked in a deep breath. “I know I haven’t been here long but I need to take some time off. I can do it unpaid.”

Like Dani guessed, Nancy’s countenance darkened at the request. “Has something happened? Do you need to go home?”

Tuesday Tales - Feather

 

Welcome to Tuesday Tales! This week's word prompt is “feather”. We are back with Dani in my new Sci-Fi story. 

Be sure to check out the other Tuesday Tales by clicking here!

Dani stared at the empty space for a long moment, oblivious to the ringing phone in her hand. It stopped shaking against her palm. She felt like someone could have knocked her over with a feather. Why did Ezra walking away from her hurt so much?

Her aching heart was snapped back to reality as her cell shimmied again against her fingers. The tone echoed off the shelves and tomes that rested there. She swiped against the glass to answer it. “Hello?”

“What took you so long to answer?” Julian demanded. “I had to call you twice.”

“I’m sorry. I missed the first one,” Dani fibbed.

“Well, I expect you to respond promptly when I call. What I have to tell you may be urgent. Have you spoken to your manager yet?”

“I was just about to talk to her.”

“Do it soon. We leave a week from tomorrow. I was able to get in contact with a colleague of mine. They are deep in the tomb of one of the pharaohs. Plenty of hieroglyphics for you to study.”

“Next week?” Dani’s mouth gaped open. She struggled to get control of it. “That is so soon. I am not sure if they will let me go with such little notice.”

“So you are telling me you don’t want to go now?”

“I didn’t say that?”

“If they protest, quit your job. I am sure I can find you a suitable position at the university. It will probably pay better and provide more opportunities for advancement.”

Dani shook her head emphatically even though she knew the professor couldn’t see her. It was crucial for her to go on this journey. She knew that. However, she wasn’t giving up her dream job for it. Being a librarian certainly wasn’t an important job to him. It definitely was to her.