Champagne Challenge #156 Overtime - G
Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 6:36 pm
Pairing: Josef and Sarah
Rating: G
Spoilers: I wish it had a spoiler
Beta Thank You: Flying solo on this one so all errors are my own,
Summary: Nothing happens by chance, beware of coincidences
CBS & Paramount owns Moonlight, No copyright infringement is intended.
Champagne Challenge #156 Overtime
by Moonshadow
For most people, time is a precious commodity. Moments are fleeting. Opportunities are easily lost. The clock keeps ticking. Still, it only takes five minutes to change everything.
She glanced at her wristwatch, huffed a little heavier and tried to press through the crowd to prevent the inevitable. She was late there was no changing that fact. The trains were running on time so that excuse was mote, and being the daughter of a very wealthy man made any excuse sound pathetic. As the crowd thickened at the light she felt the snag and pop of a briefcase catching her stocking. “Great. Just wonderful, late and a stocking with a runner in it.” She couldn’t bend over to check the damage because of the crush, but she knew it was there. Stockings were getting harder to come by even in the better shops uptown.
War had made everything harder to come by. She wasn’t blind to the people around her. At home the help often talked about their lives when they thought no one was listening. Listening to their stories made her very aware. War had made life much harder for people without the protective cushion of money. She was grateful and she knew she was lucky.
The traffic light changed and the surge of humanity swept her along with it.. Bumping and jostling before it broke apart flowing around the granite corners of officious buildings, inky newsstands, and creosote soaked power poles. The sunlight was muted and wan as it pushed through the dense grey clouds just giving up the last of their rain. Steamy wisps curled from the asphalt between the shadows and cars.
As she reached for the handle on the heavy glass doors, already closed in their own admonishment at her tardiness, a flicker of dismay crossed her face. The door man had settled into his morning cup of coffee and ignored her struggle. The combination of heels and slick cotton summer gloves made the effort tricky. A quirky dimple danced on the corner of her chin, her grandmother would have been appalled if she’d put on leather gloves before Labor Day. A full smile bloomed at the thought; “war changes some things, but others… not a chance.” It felt good to remember Grandmother Louisa with humor. Eight years of grief was a long time to mourn and Daddy was still mourning. He wasn’t the type of man to let go of things easily, not even in the face of death. She knew letting go of a 21year old daughter wasn’t even in the cards.
Striding into the quiet marbled halls she was rounding the corner as the last elevator door closed with a heavy whoosh and almost inaudible thump. Oh! Damn, just… damn…can this day get any worse? Stabbing at the buttons her heart sank and she shook head staring at the numbers above the elevator. Frustrated with herself as much as with fate; she watched the numbers lighting and fading one by one. A deep sigh escaped her, she knew, they’d certainly let her go over this. One time to many she’d been late and no amount of overtime had made up for her faults. She’d have to face Daddy, his wrath at her carelessness, her irresponsibility, her immaturity…. The berating litany rang in her ears causing a tear to blur the descending lights.
As the bell dinged the doors slid open with another whoosh of air and she started forward oblivious to the stranger on her left. She did however, notice as he brusquely knocked her against the door causing her shoulder to catch on the rubber seal. She stumbled. His companion caught her arm, steadying her before she fell. She caught her breath and her hat in the same instant. The most amazing eyes pierced her heart with a stab. Just as quickly as it had caught her, the steadying iron grasp released her, and he turned away. She tugged the smooth wool of her jacket back into place desperate to be calm and to collect herself. “Four please.” Was all she felt capable of saying.
The hushed audience in the elevator jolted to a stop, the doors opened she stepped out knowing that a thin veneer of calm was all she could count on. Both men followed closely behind her to the massive glass office doors and one of them opened it for her. It didn’t really matter which one it was because just as she’d expected, the matron of the typing pool was there in the reception lobby, waiting for her, with papers in hand.
“Miss Whitley, these are for you.” The cold efficient face never blinked as she made her announcement and handing over the crisp sheets of paper. “We will mail your final disbursement to your home address.” Sarah’s shoulders settled back. A smooth grace descended around her, chin notched subtly higher. Sarah extended a gloved hand to receive the verdict, acknowledged them with a regal nod and turned to go. Somewhere in her glacial calm she remembered later hearing a man’s voice demanding to know something; what was lost on her. She glided to the door not surprised to find it opened, knowing only that she could still catch the 10:00 train and that she desperately wanted a cigarette.
finis
Rating: G
Spoilers: I wish it had a spoiler
Beta Thank You: Flying solo on this one so all errors are my own,
Summary: Nothing happens by chance, beware of coincidences
CBS & Paramount owns Moonlight, No copyright infringement is intended.
Champagne Challenge #156 Overtime
by Moonshadow
For most people, time is a precious commodity. Moments are fleeting. Opportunities are easily lost. The clock keeps ticking. Still, it only takes five minutes to change everything.
She glanced at her wristwatch, huffed a little heavier and tried to press through the crowd to prevent the inevitable. She was late there was no changing that fact. The trains were running on time so that excuse was mote, and being the daughter of a very wealthy man made any excuse sound pathetic. As the crowd thickened at the light she felt the snag and pop of a briefcase catching her stocking. “Great. Just wonderful, late and a stocking with a runner in it.” She couldn’t bend over to check the damage because of the crush, but she knew it was there. Stockings were getting harder to come by even in the better shops uptown.
War had made everything harder to come by. She wasn’t blind to the people around her. At home the help often talked about their lives when they thought no one was listening. Listening to their stories made her very aware. War had made life much harder for people without the protective cushion of money. She was grateful and she knew she was lucky.
The traffic light changed and the surge of humanity swept her along with it.. Bumping and jostling before it broke apart flowing around the granite corners of officious buildings, inky newsstands, and creosote soaked power poles. The sunlight was muted and wan as it pushed through the dense grey clouds just giving up the last of their rain. Steamy wisps curled from the asphalt between the shadows and cars.
As she reached for the handle on the heavy glass doors, already closed in their own admonishment at her tardiness, a flicker of dismay crossed her face. The door man had settled into his morning cup of coffee and ignored her struggle. The combination of heels and slick cotton summer gloves made the effort tricky. A quirky dimple danced on the corner of her chin, her grandmother would have been appalled if she’d put on leather gloves before Labor Day. A full smile bloomed at the thought; “war changes some things, but others… not a chance.” It felt good to remember Grandmother Louisa with humor. Eight years of grief was a long time to mourn and Daddy was still mourning. He wasn’t the type of man to let go of things easily, not even in the face of death. She knew letting go of a 21year old daughter wasn’t even in the cards.
Striding into the quiet marbled halls she was rounding the corner as the last elevator door closed with a heavy whoosh and almost inaudible thump. Oh! Damn, just… damn…can this day get any worse? Stabbing at the buttons her heart sank and she shook head staring at the numbers above the elevator. Frustrated with herself as much as with fate; she watched the numbers lighting and fading one by one. A deep sigh escaped her, she knew, they’d certainly let her go over this. One time to many she’d been late and no amount of overtime had made up for her faults. She’d have to face Daddy, his wrath at her carelessness, her irresponsibility, her immaturity…. The berating litany rang in her ears causing a tear to blur the descending lights.
As the bell dinged the doors slid open with another whoosh of air and she started forward oblivious to the stranger on her left. She did however, notice as he brusquely knocked her against the door causing her shoulder to catch on the rubber seal. She stumbled. His companion caught her arm, steadying her before she fell. She caught her breath and her hat in the same instant. The most amazing eyes pierced her heart with a stab. Just as quickly as it had caught her, the steadying iron grasp released her, and he turned away. She tugged the smooth wool of her jacket back into place desperate to be calm and to collect herself. “Four please.” Was all she felt capable of saying.
The hushed audience in the elevator jolted to a stop, the doors opened she stepped out knowing that a thin veneer of calm was all she could count on. Both men followed closely behind her to the massive glass office doors and one of them opened it for her. It didn’t really matter which one it was because just as she’d expected, the matron of the typing pool was there in the reception lobby, waiting for her, with papers in hand.
“Miss Whitley, these are for you.” The cold efficient face never blinked as she made her announcement and handing over the crisp sheets of paper. “We will mail your final disbursement to your home address.” Sarah’s shoulders settled back. A smooth grace descended around her, chin notched subtly higher. Sarah extended a gloved hand to receive the verdict, acknowledged them with a regal nod and turned to go. Somewhere in her glacial calm she remembered later hearing a man’s voice demanding to know something; what was lost on her. She glided to the door not surprised to find it opened, knowing only that she could still catch the 10:00 train and that she desperately wanted a cigarette.
finis
It was Josef, 
I love it when he stops by to chat about the little moments...