Reggie Northrup waited for a break in traffic, then darted across the street. She felt her phone buzz in her pocket as she jogged. She checked it when she got to the sidewalk. It was her best friend and coworker, Ava, texting her to enjoy her “vacation” day.
Trade places with you. All you have to do is ask.
The reply came so quickly it didn’t seem possible Ava could have typed it so quickly. Not on your life, hotshot. Have fun. Stay out of trouble.
“Asshole.” Reggie looked at her phone as she mumbled, but she couldn’t help but grin.
It was nice of Ava to reach out. While it was true she wasn’t looking forward to today, maybe it would be a welcome break from her usual nine-to-five as a corrections officer. This morning she hadn’t felt the weight in her bones that usually descended upon waking on workdays.
She looked at her watch. Still thirty minutes to kill. She cast around for a way to burn off some of the extra time and landed on a coffee shop two doors up the street. Downtown, in the shadow of the statehouse, wasn’t part of her usual stomping grounds, and when she opened the coffee shop door she remembered why. Everywhere she looked were bland, nondescript, cookie-cutter people in business suits. Since they were so close to the statehouse, most of them were probably politicians. She hated politicians.
Looking at them gave her the same feeling she got when she walked down an empty, institutional, dimly lit hallway. The wall color and the feeling should both be called “business casual beige.”
If she weren’t so early for her meeting and the coffee didn’t smell so damn good, she would have turned around and walked out. Instead, a non-business-suited interloper like herself ran smack into her since she’d stopped in the doorway. He flipped her off as he walked past.
Someone to her right laughed. Reggie spun around ready to growl at whoever was laughing at her, but was struck speechless by the woman grinning at her six feet away. Before she could get her head back on straight, another customer ran into her as he tried to get in the door.
“Do you like being a piñata or are you going to get out of the doorway?”
Reggie remembered how to move her feet and took a step toward the woman. She was wearing a suit, but it didn’t look like it had come from the clothing warehouse for political action figures. The light pink shirt layered under the jacket beautifully complemented her dark brown skin.
“I wasn’t sure if I’d be allowed to stay since there seems to be a dress code for this place.” Reggie pulled open the sides of her nylon jacket and indicated her jeans and button-down shirt.
“You look all right to me. I don’t think there will be complaints if you stay.”
Reggie wasn’t sure, but it seemed like the woman was flirting. Could that be true?
“If you’re not meeting anyone, you’re welcome to join me after you get your coffee. There aren’t any free tables in here.”
Reggie looked from the woman, to the open seat opposite her, to the counter. There wasn’t much of a line despite how busy it was. She indicated she’d be right back and hustled to order. Had she lost her mind agreeing to share a table with a stranger? She’d have to talk to her. Generally, people reacted poorly to “none of your business” in response to questions.
She retrieved her coffee and looked across the shop at the gorgeous woman. They locked eyes, and seemingly of their own volition, Reggie’s feet moved back toward her and her offer of company. Talking to a stranger couldn’t be that dangerous. She’d never see her again. So what if she knew something about her? She wasn’t one of the inmates she worked with, and hopefully she wasn’t a politician.
She slipped into the seat across from her unexpected coffee date and introduced herself. “If we’re going to share a table, obtained under what I can only assume was highly questionable means, I should at least know your name. I’m Reggie.”
“Either a vicious rock, paper, scissors battle, an arm wrestling competition, or a dad-joke-off won me the right to this table, but I’m not disclosing which one. I’m Sophia. Nice to meet you, Reggie.”
Reggie noticed Sophia hesitated a moment when she repeated her name back. It struck her as odd, but sometimes people got tripped up on the masculine name. More people would probably get tripped up if she introduced herself as Regina, the name on her birth certificate, looking like she did. She always thought Reggie fit the woman looking back at her in the mirror every morning, but she supposed her parents had no way of knowing what the naked, screaming, poop machine that entered their lives would be like as an adult.
“Did you really win the rights to this table with a dad joke?” Reggie used her coffee cup as cover to take a longer look at Sophia.
How did she manage an invite to sit at the table of a woman like her? Smoking hot felt too crass, but beautiful didn’t come close to truly capturing all of her. Elegant, gorgeous, graceful? Nothing felt quite right. She’d have to ponder more later.
“I told you, I’m not giving away my secrets. What if I need to outfox you for a table sometime?”
Reggie tapped her chin. “My dad joke game is strong. However, I strongly suspect all you’d have to do is ask.”
Sophia was taking a sip of coffee, but Reggie could see her smile behind the cup.
“So what do you do for work? You’re wearing a suit like the rest in here, but like you, your clothes stand out from the crowd. Either you’re like the rest with better taste, or you have a much more interesting job.”
Sophia waved her finger as she set her cup back on the table. “Oh no, I’m not talking about work. That’s too mundane. We can’t go from dad jokes and flirting to work, but I will tell you about my clothes. My best friend, Lily Medeiros, is a fashion designer. She’s selling her clothes online right now, but she’s working on opening a shop. Maybe the next time you’re in here, everyone will be dressed in a Lily Medeiros.”
“For your friend, I hope that’s true. She’s clearly very talented.”
“She would love to get her hands on you.” Sophia put her hand over her mouth, then laughed. “For fashion purposes. Tall, built, hot butch face. A designer’s dream.”
Reggie nearly spit out her coffee. She swallowed and burned her throat on the too-large gulp. “Jesus. I see subtlety is your game. So if we can’t talk about work, what did you have in mind?”
Sophia tapped her chin. After a moment’s thought, her eyes lit up. “If you had to pick one animal that best described you, what would it be? Then I’ll pick one for you. It will be completely superficial of course since I’m only going on what I can see and ten minutes of conversation.”
Reggie smiled. “Okay. Yours is easy, in a room full of drab moths, it’s easy to spot the beautiful butterfly.”
“It’s the suit, isn’t it?” Sophia dramatically showed off her suit jacket and threw one leg out from under the table to show off the pants.
“Obviously.” Reggie was distracted by Sophia’s leg. She pulled herself back to Sophia’s original question. “As for myself, I’m rather boring I think. I’d classify myself as a run-of-the mill dog. Not a small yappy one, but standard issue, big, protective, loyal.”
“A bit slobbery, lots of tail wags, and kisses everything in sight?” Sophia took another sip of coffee but kept eye contact over the cup.
Reggie could feel her face heating but didn’t break eye contact. “I suppose it depends on what’s in sight.”
“Something to file away for later. I like to think of myself as a giraffe. I tell myself I’m unique, reaching for the highest branch, and not afraid to kick the king of beasts in the balls when warranted.”
Lucky for Reggie she hadn’t taken another sip of coffee. She would have spit it across the table. “You shouldn’t have encouraged me to get coffee, you nearly made me ruin that beautiful suit. I don’t think I would have ever considered giraffe, but I like your description. And think what Lily could do dressing that long neck. It would be impossible to look you up and down, your neck alone would take fifteen minutes, but my, what a view.”
“See, I knew it was worth taking a chance on you. A big handsome woman like you stuck in traffic, needing a rescue, and my lucky day, you’re charming too.” Sophia moved her cup back and forth from one hand to the other across the table.
“Well, I would be blind and dumb if I didn’t attempt to charm a woman as beautiful as you.” Reggie leaned forward and put her elbows on the table.
Where was all this forwardness coming from?
“And to think I was dreading this day.” Sophia laughed.
Reggie was captivated by the sound of her laughter and the sight of her exposed neck as she tossed her head back.
“Thank you for making the morning something so much greater than what I was expecting.”
“I wasn’t looking forward to my morning either.” Reggie looked at her watch. “Dammit.”
Sophia tapped her phone, glanced at the home screen, and began packing her things. “I need to get going too.” She hesitated, then held out her hand. “Give me your phone.”
Reggie started to ask why, but Sophia put her hand on her hip and pushed her hand forward a little more insistently. Reggie unlocked her phone and handed it over. Sophia scrolled and typed quickly.
“Now you have my number. Just in case you ever feel like doing this again.”
She looked shy when she handed the phone back to Reggie.
“What happens if we walk out that door and I turn into a gorgon? Or you find out I rob banks for a living? Or I don’t return my library books on time?” Reggie stood up and grabbed her coat.
“You said you would describe yourself as a loyal, protective, big dog. Man’s best friend is punctual with borrowed literature.”
“Maybe I’m a hellhound then. How do you know?” Reggie followed Sophia out the door.
Once outside, Sophia turned and kissed her cheek. “I don’t, Reggie. I don’t really know anything about you. But what I do know, I like and I’d like to know more. That’s why my number is in your phone. If you feel the same way, give me a call. Don’t overthink it, Hellhound. I’ve gotta run, I’m going to be late.”
Reggie looked at her watch again. “Dammit, me too. Thank you for coffee, Sophia Giraffe. I will call you. I’d like to know more too.” She set off down the street toward the address she’d been given.
“I guess we’re not rid of each other yet.” Sophia caught up to her.
They walked in silence another block. When they arrived at the address Reggie was looking for, she and Sophia both pointed awkwardly toward the building.
“This is me.”
“I’m headed in here.”
Reggie looked back and forth between the building and Sophia. What were the odds? It was a weird coincidence, but it was a large building. Surely there were plenty of meetings starting inside.
She held the door and followed Sophia inside. They both made their way to the elevator and joined a large group heading up. The fifth floor button was already pushed so Reggie didn’t have to request it. Sophia didn’t ask for a floor either.
When the elevator doors opened on the fifth floor, Sophia exited ahead of Reggie.
“At the risk of stating the obvious, it’s starting to appear we’re headed to the same meeting.” Reggie moved alongside Sophia again.
“Unless you’re a hellhound after all and are only here to rob us all.” Sophia gently elbowed her.
“Busted.”
They were laughing as they pushed through the double doors into a small auditorium filled with about fifty people. To their right was a folding table manned by a no-nonsense looking Latinx man in a crisp suit and fantastic neon green glasses and a White woman in a Wonder Woman T-shirt and jeans who looked like she wished she had a different job.
“Check in over here, please.” He waved them forward.
Reggie approached green glasses who meticulously straightened his pile of papers before acknowledging her. She heard Wonder Woman ask for Sophia’s name, and Reggie nearly bolted for the door when she heard her reply, “Sophia Lamont.”
It was not possible that she’d spent one of the most enjoyable thirty minutes with the most talked about, up-and-coming politician in the state. One who was no doubt looking to make a name for herself. Reggie knew all too well where that kind of ambition led. What the fuck was wrong with the universe?
“Name, please?” Green glasses was done shuffling papers.
“Reggie Northrup.” The words felt dry coming out of her mouth.
Green glasses shuffled more papers and furrowed his brow. “Regina Northrup?”
“That’s me.” Reggie choked on the words.
Sophia snapped around and stared at her. The look on her face mirrored Reggie’s internal turmoil.
Maybe I turned into a gorgon after all. Despite her own horror at actually enjoying the company of a politician, the thought that she caused Sophia such revulsion made Reggie sad. They admitted they didn’t know each other. How could she have such a strong opinion? Reggie figured she knew the answer, he was serving time on cell block D, but she didn’t want to believe it. How long would she have to continue paying for the sins of her father?
Sophia disappeared into the auditorium without another word. Reggie took the name tag green glasses handed her, borrowed a pen to scribble out “Regina” and replace it with “Reggie,” and looked for a seat. She tried, unsuccessfully, to ignore the looks she was getting. Sophia didn’t seem to be the only one less than overjoyed at her scoring an invite. What had the brass been thinking sending her here? What had the governor been thinking when she’d accepted?
She took a seat far away from anyone else. She’d developed a top-notch “keep away” posture honed from years of work at the state prison, and she turned it up to eleven. She was confident she’d be left alone, until someone took the seat next to her.
“Reggie, long time. I didn’t expect to see a friend in this collection of strange bedfellows. You’re a welcome sight.”
Reggie closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She willed the woman to be gone when she opened them. She was not.
“Tammy Potts. I don’t think our relationship can be described as friendly. What’re you doing here?”
“Jesus, no one but my mother and the court calls me that. I’m on the outside now, Reggie. I always treated you with the respect you deserved while I was in your custody. Please, I ask that you return the favor when you’re in my domain.”
Reggie barely refrained from rolling her eyes. Tammy Potts was known to nearly everyone as the Zookeeper, one half of the most notorious drug-dealing duo in the city. She’d recently been Reggie’s guest at the prison, but she was out now and had, if the rumors were true, rejoined her partner, Parrot Master, at the helm of their criminal enterprises. Although if other rumors were to be believed, while incarcerated she’d simply turned her attention to other branches of their business, namely the kind that ran drugs through the prison.
“Fine. Zoo, why are you here?”
“Special invitation from the governor. Who in this state has a better understanding of the impact of drugs on our community than me? And since everyone in this room hates me and I’m not overly fond of most of them either, you and I are going to have to stick close. The enemy of my enemy, and all that. Remember that tidbit of wisdom and consider me a friend.”
Reggie shook her head. She’d be better off with no friends. She saw Sophia across the room. They locked eyes for a moment before Sophia quickly looked away. Reggie thought back to the meeting with the prison brass when they offered her this opportunity and she’d tried to turn it down. She’d only been in this damn conference room ten minutes and her worst fears had materialized. There was the trifecta of politics, gamesmanship, and too much riding on reputations alone. She had to find a way to salvage things or it was going to be a long few months. She wasn’t sure how things could get worse.