cannonball

help me lose my mind

"What you've become, you help me lose my mind, And you bring me something i can't define, Help me lose my mind, make me wonder" -Disclosure

The room holds four desks in two sets facing each other. Each desk mirrors its partner, with a computer screen and mismatched file and report trays. Three desks have accommodated permanent occupants for the last few years but the fourth still sits practically empty. Gisselle gives it another week before Lauren's desk is full like the rest of theirs. It's where Gisselle used to perch herself rather than her own desk.

"Morning, Gisselle ," Alicia calls as she slides into her chair. Alicia's work tends to be meticulous. Anything not labeled and in separate little trays is stacked perfectly along the top of her desk. Gisselle's pretty certain she's some sort of genius. She's Gisselle's go to person when anything goes wrong around this place.

Not far behind is Robyn who mumbles a 'good mornin' as she glances at them both. Her model frame looks immaculate, like she's been legit dressed by a victoria secret stylist but Gisselle doesn't ever plan on telling her that. Immediately her jacket lands on the back of her chair. Gisselle sees her look at her desk and then Alicia's, looking for coffee mugs. When she sees that they're already sorted for drinks, Robyn fills her own out. Her desk organisation isn't a system that anyone understands but Gisselle has yet to request a report or statement that isn't in her hand within a few seconds.

"How's the rookie doin'?" Robyn asks as she moves into her own seat that sits diagonally across from Gisselle's own.

"Alright, can't complain. We're still getting used to each other. She thought me an' you were dating." That had made Gisselle laugh at the time.

"Must be the looks, we're fuckin hot," Robyn answers with a laugh of her own.

Before Gisselle can say anything else Lauren rounds the corner with the usual happy smile on her face. Gisselle has a bet on with Alicia that the smile will be gone within a month but she has to admit that so far Lauren is proving her wrong.

Lauren takes little time at sorting herself out and sitting at her desk, she looks like an eager puppy ready to learn.

"Wouldn't get too comfy, rookie," Robyn says, "we have a meeting with Shawn."

"About what?" Lauren asks, looking between them all.

"I dread to think," Gisselle eventually answers before lifting herself off her desk and heading out the door. "C'mon."

-

They head into Shawn's office in single file with Gisselle at the end of the line feeling like she's back at school again and about to be told off for talking too much. Knowing Shawn that is actually a possible scenario.

"Come in, sit down please."

There are three plush black chairs in front of a large executive desk that suits Shawn down to the ground. Robyn and Alicia take the first two and Gisselle waves off Lauren's offer at the third, she's happy to stand and sip at her coffee while half pretending to listen to whatever Shawn is about to say to them. If she's been in one of these meetings she's been in them all.

"Tell me how things are going?" Shawn asks.

"Pretty quiet," Robyn admits. "Probably won't last long but we'll take it."

Shawn's face brightens a little at that. "Perfect, so I can get straight down to business. We know that Ciara leaving has left us in the lurch with a media 'go to person' and it's a problem that needs fixed sooner rather than later because as soon as the next big case comes in you know what will happen. Bullshit headlines that we can't control which will make our lives harder."

Gisselle is going to miss Ciara. She was fair, gave them time to sort their shit out before she went public with anything and she never ever painted them in a bad light. It was a mutual agreement. She'd control the information flowing out and in return they'd give her little pieces of information about their investigation that no one else had. It was a win win. She'd been offered a new job in a different state with double the pay and Gisselle couldn't blame her for taking it. Hell, she'd consider another job in another state for double her salary.

"Freaking Ciara," Gisselle mutters darkly.

"The good news is she recommended someone to take her place," Shawn goes on. "I don't know much about her but she's good apparently, bit of a hot shot at what she does."

Gisselle rolls her eyes then because now she's going to have to get used to working alongside another rookie. This should be good. "I suppose if Ciara trusts her then we can, I would have trusted that girl with any investigation info we had."

"Exactly," Shawn agrees.

"So, who is she?" Alicia asks. "Do we know her?"

Gisselle takes a drink of her coffee and she feels her throat loosen when she hears the name Shawn says. The resulting mouthful of coffee ends up going down the wrong way and before she knows it she's coughing like a maniac and the coffee is burning its way down her throat and up towards her nose all at the same time. She turns her back on them to continue her coughing fit and then there's a hand slapping at her back.

"You alright girl?" Robyn asks and there's a hint of concern in her voice as she gives her the once over.

"I'm good," Gisselle croaks, "coffee just went down funny."

Robyn gives her a strange look but returns to her seat and fixes her focus back onto Shawn. "So, Kelly Rowland then?"

Shawn simply nods. "Kelly Rowland."

Shit.