Chapter 2

"Look, this really isn't about you, it's abou-"

"Oh, don't you dare use that line on me, Alex, I don't want to hear it!"

"But it really is..." I found myself whining. At this point my protestations were even annoying me but somehow there I was, following Gemma around the flat as she put this book, that scarf, this nik-nak into the cardboard box she'd perched on her hip.

"You don't think I know that?" she demanded, whirling around to face me. "Maybe if you me any attention you'd realize it, but you can't be bothered, can you? Well, good riddance. I'm glad we're through. I deserve better."

I opened my mouth, closed it again, reopened it. While I was standing there like a fish she was still moving, in the bedroom now, pulling her drawer out of my chest and emptying the whole thing into her box. "Yeah," I said eventually. You do. I'm sorry."

This didn't seem to placate her but then we were past that point now. "Sorry doesn't cut it, Alex. You need to take a look at yourself and the way you treat people." she kept up a running commentary while she packed, mostly of my faults, and then with a final "Don't call me!" stalked out of my flat, and my life, altogether.

I found my way back the lounge and flopped down on the couch with what I'm sure would be classified as an 'expansive' sigh. A lot of people might be bawling their eyes out after a row like that, or at least searching for a stiff drink, but not me. Despite the cluelessness that Gemma accused me of I had seen this coming for a while - the only thing that had kept us going for as long as it did was the fact that up until recently I had been buried in work for my PhD.

Now that was done, and my head was a little clearer - clear enough to realise just how... bored I was. It wasn't just that I had finished my PhD; thinking back I realized I had been bored by that as well, going through the motions well enough to graduate but without any enjoyment to it.

No, I was bored with everything - this life - girlfriend, the doctorate, this city... I just wanted to leave all of it. I knew friends who had given up their flats and backpacked around the world for months, but somehow I couldn't see myself in those shoes. Still, I direly needed a change.

So that's why I broke up with Gemma, and it's why I'd given notice on my flat. And it's why I'd taken a job as a research assistant and junior professor at [some] university, half the country away. Not because I was that interested in furthering my career - though it was a prime position, and frankly I was astounded that I was considered, let alone hired - but because it was a change. Which was also why I was late on my first day, because I was trying to find something to wear that wasn't my usual jeans and layered tee look.

I had at least scoped the department out a couple of days previously so I knew where I was going when I raced headlong down the corridor toward my new boss's office. I passed several surprised-looking men and women to whom I'm sure I would be introducing myself later, but right now my priority was getting to Dr Kathryn Sinclair's office as soon as possible.

She looked up as I entered a little breathlessly, tapping her pen against the notebook on her desk. "Ah, Ms. Webb. I was wondering when you were going to show up."

"I am so, so sorry," I found myself wheezing. "I was... well, there were the buses, and I just moved here, and-"

"Enough explanations," she said, waving a hand dismissively. "Sit down, have a breather."

I did so, collapsing into one of the chairs in front of her desk, bag hitting the floor beside me with a heavy thunk. Seated, I had my first real look at Dr Sinclair. She was nothing like I expected. For one, I thought she would've had to be at least ten years older, what with her credentials and the number of papers she had written. Secondly, I hadn't thought she would be attractive, but she had a face and figure that would have looked good on the inside back cover of any of her books - even, pleasing features with shapely lips that seemed unshrunken by age and pink without makeup, high cheekbones and sparkling blue eyes that only looked kinder and more striking for the fine lines that framed them at the outside corners, her dark hair in a short, layered bob that showed off her single tasteful grey streak to its best advantage. She had a natural, healthy looking tan that certainly hadn't come from lying on a beach or under a sunbed and from what I could see of her figure she looked scarily fit - her shoulders and arms looking toned and shapely even beneath the navy cashmere sweater she was currently wearing, sleeves rolled up matter-of-factly to the elbows. In short, she wasn't my type personally but plenty of lesbians I knew would be orgasming on the spot right about now.

"So," she was saying as I had been checking her out (subtly, of course - I'm not about to openly ogle my new boss), "there's quite a backlog of work piled up for you. Someone will be along soon to show you around and introduce you to folk, but the sooner you can get started, the better. I'm not strict on scheduling - I don't care when you come in or when you leave as long as you get your work done. If you do, great. If you don't, then we'll have to talk about things."

"Right," I said, nodding effusively (I pitched for sincere and overshot).

Sinclair raised an eyebrow at my enthusiasm, but continued. "I presume you're familiar with [a list of software/stuff]?" This was kind of a strange question, since that sort of thing was detailed pretty extensively on my CV, but I nodded.

"Sure - I haven't used [one of them] since my Masters but I'm familiar with the rest, and I'll be up to scratch in no time."

"Good. I'm afraid I have to head off to a departmental meeting in a minute, but before I go do you have any questions for me?" She seemed to really look a me for the first time, sizing me up, and I knew that this could be a make-or-break moment for me.

Fervently hoping that I didn't look as bewildered as I felt, I wracked my brain for something - anything to ask that wasn't completely inane. "Er..." Come on, she's brilliant, well respected, busy... what do you ask her? "Where will I find your up-to-date research and course syllabus for this year?" I asked finally.

"On the shared drive - have you been given a login yet?" When I shook my head she frowned and leaned forward to make a note on a pad of paper. "I'll get Matthew to get you one today. They say it takes weeks, but honestly. They're a bunch of lazy bastards sometimes."

I chuckled, but bit back any corroborating evidence of my own - I probably wasn't 'in' enough to start criticising my workplace just yet.

She began to gather up her things, but then stopped, as if she had just remembered something. "Oh, also - very soon I'll be selecting a group of undergraduate students to join the lab as interns for a semester. You'll be in charge of overseeing them - I have a list of potential projects we could put them on, but I'd like you to have a look to help narrow it down. Why don't you take a few days and then get back to me with your feedback?"

"...Absolutely," I said, blinking in my generall shellshock. This was sounding awfully like a proper job in academia. How did this happen to me? "I'll get right on it."

"I'm glad to hear it. Sarah will be by shortly to show you around - if you have any other questions just ask her." This time Sinclair did stand, holding her hand out expectantly toward me. "Welcome to the lab, Doctor Webb."

Her handshake was cool and firm. Why was I not surprised. I hoped that my smile didn't look too relieved. "Glad to be here."

 

Sinclair departed not long after, and I waited idly in her office for Sarah (whoever that was) to arrive. Looking around, I couldn't help but notice the wide variety of exotic decorations and trinkets scattered about - the richly textured woven tapestry on the wall, small carved figuines in wood and stone parading around the desk. Apparently she enjoyed the cultural aspects of her travels as much as the ecological discoveries. There was little else on the wall as most of it was taken up by fitted shelving, all the way to the ceiling (I spotted a small stool in the corner that was presumably for access to the higher shelves). They were packed with textbooks, many of which I was at least familiar with and were largely by contemporaries of Sinclair herself - this was perhaps not surprising, Biodiversity being a comparatively recent field.

I was so caught up in reading the titles that I almsot didn't hear the knock on the door behind me. Turning, I was greeted by a smiling middle-aged woman with thick-rimmed cat's-eye glasses. "Doctor Webb?" she ventured.

"Hello! Sarah? Hi," I said, babbling slightly as I stumbled to my feet and reached out a hand to shake hers.

"It's lovely to meet you," she said, returning the handshake with a gentle squeeze. "I'm the office adminstrator for Doctor Sinclair's team. I'll do what I can to help you settle in."

"Lead the way."

 

Sarah was, like most office administrators I had met, incredibly chatty. She kept up a running commentary throughout the entire tour of the offices, telling me not only who each one belonged to but how long they had been there and any particular quirks that occurred to her to share. For instance, I found that Professor Downs always came in late on Fridays because his rugby league met on Thursdays, and Dr Freeman had to have a vanilla-scented candle burning at all times because she couldn't abide the smell of new carpeting, which they had just put in last month.

To my mild surprise I had an office to myself - well, more of a boxroom, really, but it had a comfortable office chair and a reasonably new PC with a double monitor, which was all I really required.

Sarah hovered in the doorway, obviously keen to suss out the newcomer. "So... is there anything else I can help you with? Tea? Coffee?"

"Oh, I'm fine, thanks," I said. "I mean, maybe later, but I'll come through, scope out the staff room," I added with a grin.

"Of course, of course," she said, bobbing her head. "Everybody's really friendly here, they're all looking forward to meeting you, I'm sure."

"I'm sure."

"I mean, it must be hard from you, having moved to a new city and all - do you have friends here? Family?"

"Um... some family," I said vaguely. Although not exactly the sort of family you mean...

"Well, that's good!" she said brightly. "And I'm sure you'll have lots of friends soon enough."

I nodded. "I'm looking forward to meeting new people. This is a great city."

 

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