Angel glanced up as someone buzzed into reception. She'd been expecting an obnoxious boyband all morning, but what she saw surprised her. A goth looking woman snapping gum wandered in with a kid.
"Hey, her dad works here, and I'm supposed to be somewhere,"
"And her dad is..."
"Here somewhere," the girl replied, dropping the girl's hand and turning away.
"Hey kiddo," Angel began hunting for the sort of thing that might keep her nephews and nieces busy. "Do you think you could tell me your dad's name?"
*
The little girl watched the woman leave before turning large brown eyes to Angel. She seemed to shrink in herself as she spoke to her and glanced back at the door, biting her lower lip.
*
"Nothing to worry about," Angel held out some paper. "Do you mind a bit of drawing while we find your dad?"
*
She perked up slightly and gave a short nod.
*
What's your name sweetie?" Angel asked. "If you don't want to say it can you write it for me?"
*
"Jessie," came the quiet, shy reply.
*
"Hi, I'm Angel," she offered her hand
*
"Hi." Jessie bit her lip again.
*
"Hey Jessie, so do you wanna tell me who to look for?"
*
Jessie shook her head. "My dad... He's busy," she said quietly.
*
"I doubt he's too busy for you," Angel replied
*
She lowered her gaze. "He'll worry."
*
"He'll worry more if he can't find you," Angel murmured
*
Jessie shrugged.
*
"I'm sure he's not that busy, but we can wait," Angel replied
*
Jessie shrugged again. She stood not far from the desk, biting her thumb nail.
*
Angel tilted her head at the familiarity of the gesture. "Come on safe behind the desk?"
*
"You're busy."
*
"I'm reception, I'm never busy," Angel grinned
*
"Kay." Jessie slowly moved behind the desk.
*
"So, here's the thing, I don't even know who the lady who dropped you in was, and I think when we find you dad he'll want to know," Angel asked
*
"S'Kelly," came the quiet response.
*
"And is Kelly normally like that?" Angel fired off a rapid text to Sam
*
Jessie shrugged.
*
"Yes then," Angel sighed, watching Jessie draw. She turned her computer screen, where the wallpaper was a Russian Blue cat. "Can you draw her?"
*
Jessie glanced up and her face lit up a bit at the sight of the cat. She nodded and changed to a fresh page to do so.
*
"She's mine, called Treacle," Angel replied
*
Jessie quirked a small smile. "She's pretty."
*
"She's a dog," Angel chuckled
*
Jessie's face scrunched up into a frown.
*
"She acts like a dog, I mean."
*
"Oh." Jessie gave a small nod before returning to drawing quietly.
*
Angel's phone buzzed, not Sam's, not known. Damn.
*
Jessie continued to draw, glancing up occasionally to look at the monitor with a concentrated frown,
*
Not Lucy's. Not Jane's. Not Andy's, so who? The station was small. 'Is your dad Daniel?"