L'Atrice had sent me down to the mailroom to get some package she was expecting. The elevator was broken so I descended the stairs and by the time I reached the basement, my head was spinning and I had to sit on the bottom step.
I heard footsteps echoing behind me and when I looked up Thea was towering over me.
"Are you all right?" She sounded truly concerned.
"Yeah, I'm just sick. A cold." I pulled a tissue from my jacket pocket and blew. You know when you have to blow your nose so bad you don't care who you do it in front of? It could be in front of Hilary Clinton and you wouldn't care, you'd just blow away. Well, that was me and I blew and blew, maybe two full minutes of full blowing.
Thea was patient and sat down beside me. Her hand brushed my hair to comfort me. She was so gentle.
"Oh sweetie," she said "how about I bring over some chicken soup and orange juice tonight and we cuddle in front of the TV?"
"I don't want to get you sick." My voice was gritty and two octaves lower.
"I want to take care of you. I'll be over at seven."
"All right," I grinned. She could make me happy.
"Listen," she said. "I wanted to ask you-- does L'Atrice lock all the designs away?"
"What?" I heard what she said-- I just didn't want to really have to answer that.
"Are there any designs not under lock and key?"
"What are you asking me, Thea?"
"Fran, I don't know what else to do. You know where they all are. You could just maybe borrow one-- a good one."
I couldn't tell if Thea knew what she was saying. "Thea, I can't do that. I want to work here. Maybe I didn't say anything but I sure as hell am not going to help you." If this was anyone else, I would have walked away, but...
"Fran, we're in this together. I am trying to help you and I have helped you. Haven't I?"
"Yeah, Thea, you have. But I didn't ask you to steal. I didn't even ask for your help."
"Oh, that's really nice Fran. Really gracious."
"I am grateful, but I thought you helped me because you wanted to, not because you were going to need some favor down the road." I sneezed three times and Thea waited.
"Fran, I don't mean for it to seem that way and I'm sorry. I don't want to drag you into this and I promise this is the only and last thing I'll ever ask. It would be so easy. When they're out on her desk, and she's out of the office for a minute, you could just put one aside. I know you could do it."
"Thea, I could do it, but the thing is I'm not going to do it." I said with finality.
"I need you Fran, please."
"You need me Thea, but not the way you think." I proudly stood and ascended the stairs, sneezing and blowing my nose-- forgetting to pick up L'Atrice's package.
