length of the wide and open space. There are several partitions, at least a dozen I think, and unlike the Admissions Department there are no lines but individual seating areas in front of each partition.
Crap, it's the after-life DMV.
“To sign up, you’ll want to wait in the first line, here,” Niles tells me. There aren’t more than four people sitting in each section. Hopefully this means the wait won’t be long.
“Okay. Do you have to go?” I ask him, hoping he will stay with me.
“Yes dear, duty calls.”
He gives me a wink and turns to leave the building. I stare at the blue diamond pattern of his sweater vest as he walks away. I wonder how long Niles has been here and make a mental note to ask him when I’m done in line.
I wait only minutes before my name is called. Fortunately, the man behind the counter is much friendlier than Tight Bun Lady was and better looking too. Though his skin is pale, he has bright green eyes and a soft smile. I'm so grateful he's fully clothed, otherwise I'm pretty sure I'd be staring at the muscles he seems to have beneath his t-shirt. I've been allowing myself small moments to appreciate the male form. With a desk between us, I feel safe enough to stare.
“Name, please?” He actually manages to sound as if he hasn't asked this question a thousand times already.
“Piper Willow,” I say calmly.
“Hello Piper, my name is Drew. Give me just one second here to find your file, okay?” He nods at me pleasantly as he shuffles through some papers behind the counter where I can’t see. His wavy blonde hair shifts around his head and tickles his ears as he moves. He shows a full mouth of perfectly aligned, white teeth when he smiles. I try to blink. I really do.
Stop staring, Piper!
“Ahh. There you are. A relatively New Arrival, is that right, Piper?”
Where did he pull this paperwork from?
I answer, “Yes. I’ve been waiting for the right time to come in, I guess.”
He waves dismissively. “No need to explain, Piper. Volunteering is a very serious job. Not to be taken lightly. We want you to be absolutely ready.”
With that comment my fragile confidence goes catapulting at mach-speed to the floor, shattering into a million pieces. I stare down at my hands, defeated.
Drew senses my change in mood and adds quickly, “Piper, your Training Officer gives you very high marks. And Mr. Abbott speaks very fondly of you.” There's that dazzling smile again.
“Really?” High marks?
“Yes and if you feel you are in fact ready, I can process your activation paperwork now.” He smiles and his teeth sparkle against the white of the room.
I wiggle in my seat and stare at Drew, who is patiently waiting for my decision. “Okay,” I squeak.
“Are you sure?” He raises a light brown eyebrow at me.
“Yes,” I say, with a firmer tone.
I’m ready. I can do this.
“Good.” He stands and grabs at the pile of paperwork between us. “I’ll be right back.”
I watch him walk all the way to the end of the counter, which is enjoyable, to say the least, where an older woman with long brown hair is stamping something. She pauses to look up at him before taking the stack of papers. She riffles through them and then stamps several before handing them back to Drew. I try to act as if I wasn’t staring when he returns to our end of the counter.
“All approved. You're all set to go, Piper.” He smiles at me while dropping my paperwork into something behind the counter.
Drawers, maybe?
“That’s it?” I try not to look too shocked.
“Yep, that’s it. Now check in with the billboard on the back wall to see that your profile is active. That will show when your case is ready, your current status, etc. Don’t worry; it might be a little while before you are given your first case. We take great pains to ensure each Volunteer is matched properly. Take this with you - it will light up in case you aren’t in the building when your new assignment comes in.”
I nod
Crap, it's the after-life DMV.
“To sign up, you’ll want to wait in the first line, here,” Niles tells me. There aren’t more than four people sitting in each section. Hopefully this means the wait won’t be long.
“Okay. Do you have to go?” I ask him, hoping he will stay with me.
“Yes dear, duty calls.”
He gives me a wink and turns to leave the building. I stare at the blue diamond pattern of his sweater vest as he walks away. I wonder how long Niles has been here and make a mental note to ask him when I’m done in line.
I wait only minutes before my name is called. Fortunately, the man behind the counter is much friendlier than Tight Bun Lady was and better looking too. Though his skin is pale, he has bright green eyes and a soft smile. I'm so grateful he's fully clothed, otherwise I'm pretty sure I'd be staring at the muscles he seems to have beneath his t-shirt. I've been allowing myself small moments to appreciate the male form. With a desk between us, I feel safe enough to stare.
“Name, please?” He actually manages to sound as if he hasn't asked this question a thousand times already.
“Piper Willow,” I say calmly.
“Hello Piper, my name is Drew. Give me just one second here to find your file, okay?” He nods at me pleasantly as he shuffles through some papers behind the counter where I can’t see. His wavy blonde hair shifts around his head and tickles his ears as he moves. He shows a full mouth of perfectly aligned, white teeth when he smiles. I try to blink. I really do.
Stop staring, Piper!
“Ahh. There you are. A relatively New Arrival, is that right, Piper?”
Where did he pull this paperwork from?
I answer, “Yes. I’ve been waiting for the right time to come in, I guess.”
He waves dismissively. “No need to explain, Piper. Volunteering is a very serious job. Not to be taken lightly. We want you to be absolutely ready.”
With that comment my fragile confidence goes catapulting at mach-speed to the floor, shattering into a million pieces. I stare down at my hands, defeated.
Drew senses my change in mood and adds quickly, “Piper, your Training Officer gives you very high marks. And Mr. Abbott speaks very fondly of you.” There's that dazzling smile again.
“Really?” High marks?
“Yes and if you feel you are in fact ready, I can process your activation paperwork now.” He smiles and his teeth sparkle against the white of the room.
I wiggle in my seat and stare at Drew, who is patiently waiting for my decision. “Okay,” I squeak.
“Are you sure?” He raises a light brown eyebrow at me.
“Yes,” I say, with a firmer tone.
I’m ready. I can do this.
“Good.” He stands and grabs at the pile of paperwork between us. “I’ll be right back.”
I watch him walk all the way to the end of the counter, which is enjoyable, to say the least, where an older woman with long brown hair is stamping something. She pauses to look up at him before taking the stack of papers. She riffles through them and then stamps several before handing them back to Drew. I try to act as if I wasn’t staring when he returns to our end of the counter.
“All approved. You're all set to go, Piper.” He smiles at me while dropping my paperwork into something behind the counter.
Drawers, maybe?
“That’s it?” I try not to look too shocked.
“Yep, that’s it. Now check in with the billboard on the back wall to see that your profile is active. That will show when your case is ready, your current status, etc. Don’t worry; it might be a little while before you are given your first case. We take great pains to ensure each Volunteer is matched properly. Take this with you - it will light up in case you aren’t in the building when your new assignment comes in.”
I nod
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