~A Friday In The Life~

It was now Friday. Rachael's party was that evening following dueling. But that was being handled by people she had hired and Collie and Vex had taken small pieces of to look after.

Aja headed to Parker’s office, she had things to talk to the man about. Things that needed to be carefully gone over before she made any other plans. Entering via the yards door, she did hear him in the immediate vicinity, but heard some shuffling in the front room, but thought it might be patients.

“Parker!” Aja called out while making her way towards the front, she went beyond the curtain and saw some curiously dressed people she knew were not from Arcadia. “And none of ya are Parker.” she said with a grin to the men in the waiting room.

“No, Miss. He’s up in his quarters interviewing someone.” one of the men answered politely. “Are you injured"”

“Nah.” Aja grinned. “Jist lookin fer Parker.” she paused then as the mans’ words sunk into her head that Parker was interviewing someone...“Wait. He’s hiring what? Help"”

“Yes, Miss.” the same guy answered again.

“‘Bout freakin time!” Aja grinned and turned to go, then stopped, over looking the group of men. “So yer all healers"”  there were nods now coming from all the men. “Jist so ya know, I’m da owner of the ship yard. Aja Bird. If yer gonna work here, yer gonna have ta know that.”

At that time, the bell on the front door rang, little Sally Conway was stopped in the doorway now, looking around at the strange men.

“Sally' Ya need something, hon"”  Aja asked gently and turned back towards the main waiting room.

“I skinned my knee.” Sally whimpered and lifted her doll up then. “Dolly too.”

“Well, come on...let’s see what we can do about that.” Aja went around the desk to take Sally’s hand. Sally was eyeing up the men in the room, when Aja got close enough she clung to Aja’s arm and Aja laughed as she picked her up. “Hey now. None of these guys here will hurt ya. I’m here.” she gave the girl a kiss to the forehead. “Now then, how did we scrape up this knee of yers"”


“I tripped on a branch and hit a tree root.” Sally sniffled and Aja nodded.

“Very neenja like of da branch.” Aja grinned and set Sally up on the counter. “Can I see it"” Sally lifted the edge of her dress enough to show Aja the knee and Aja nodded. “Ah yes...that’s a branch inflicted injury if I ever saw one.” She gave Sally a grin and leaned over the desk grabbing a small first aid kit. “Now then..do we want a pink band aid or a green one"” Aja looked through the kit all the while being aware she was being watched intently by the mages in the room. “There might be some other colors in here.”

“Pink!” Sally said happily still watching the men warily.

“Pink it is then.” Aja took out two pink band aids and some antibiotic cream, that Anya had supplied Parker’s clinic with. She cleaned up Sally’s knee while talking to her. “So. Dolly tried taking on the branch and suffered the same fate, did she"” Aja nodded to the doll that Sally carried in her arms.

“Yeah.” Sally said quietly watching Aja clean up her knee.

“Very brave of Dolly.” Aja smiled at the child. She put the cream on the scrape carefully then applied the bandaid. “Let’s patch up Dolly and ya two can go plot yer revenge on dat branch, alright"” Sally nodded and put Dolly in her lap for Aja to put a pink bandaid on the same spot that she had put on Sally. She then smiled at Sally. “Der we be. All fixed up and ready ta do battle against da branch.” she gave Sally a kiss to the forehead while she got a lollypop out of the candy dish. When she pulled back the lollypop was given to Sally. “Fer da brave warrior.”

“Thank you.” Sally said respectfully to Aja as she took the lollypop and smiled. Aja gave her a wink as she lifted her down from the countertop.

“Alright. Ya run along now. Go have fun.” Aja watched as Sally ran to the door and out to the street. She chuckled a little and looked at the men in the room. “Not all medicine has ta be da hocus pocus, ya know.” she grinned and went about cleaning up the band aid wrappers. Tossing them in the garbage, she put away the med kit.

“Do you often help out with the children"” the man who had spoken before asked.

“Only when I happen ta be in here.” Aja grinned at him. “This is a close community. We all play our parts in lookin after da little ones.” she then took a lean against the reception desk. “Any of ya got any problems with bein nice ta small children, might want ta consider leavin now. Cause it’s part of da job.” she glanced around the room, noticing that the other mages were doing the same. Aja looked behind her and then towards the ceiling before calling out. “PARKER! I ain’t used ta havin ta wait fer yer happy butt when I call fer ya!”

“It’s because I usually will drop what I am doing for you.” Parker smiled at her as he came out of the back room. “Did I see Sally Conway just a moment ago"”

“Ya did. Branch vs. knee.” Aja grinned. “I took care of da light work.” she gave Parker a smile and hugged him. Then motioned to the room of astounded looking mages. “Yer finally hirin some help"”

“I am.”

“Make sure dey all know about lookin after da wee ones. Eh"” she reminded Parker.

“Also that you and your men take priority"”

“Eh, dat’s up ta ya.” she winked. “But it would be nice.” Aja laughed. “Anyway, I had something ta discuss with ya, but I see yer busy in here. Jist make sure ya are down here so if any other wee people come in they ain’t scared by da strangers.” she patted Parker’s shoulder fondly and gave him a smile before moving for the door.

“Aja"”

“Yeah"” she stopped and spun around to look at Parker.

“I can take a few moments.”

“Nah. Ya need ta get someone ta help out.” she made a motion towards the clinic. “Da health and safety of Arcadia comes first and it’d be nice if ya had someone to pick up the slack when it gets busy.” she looked around the room then. “Question....do any of ya have problems using non magical abilities to heal"”  she looked to each man  in turn. None seemed ready to speak. “Do any of ya other than dat one over dere,” she pointed to the man who had spoken before. “Have da power of speech"”

“Aja, you’ve probably frightened them all into silence.” Parker gently suggested.

“Well, get over yerselves.” Aja said with a grin to the men. “Ain’t no place ta be sheepish. Lots of people come through here, some bigger and a hell of a lot scarier dan me.” she looked more serious then. “Some will be seriously injured, in pain making them even more scary. Ya have ta be ready da deal with dat. Offer comfort not jist with da medicine. But with yer very person. They will be freaked out...ya can’t be.”  All the men nodded then and she looked at Parker confused.

“Mages tend to remain silent.”

“Well, dat can’t happen here, Parker.”  Aja then looked around the room. “Which ever one of ya’s have a problem with speaking. Go now. Dis is not the place for dat.” all but two got up and Aja nodded watching them shuffle out quietly exchanging looks with Parker who was smiling at them as they left. She figured it was mage conversation and shrugged.

When the door closed, three remained. Aja looked them over. Two were younger, not than her, but younger than Parker. The third was near Parker’s age. Aja looked them over quietly, taking in their very being and nodded as she decided that all of them were good men.

“Hire all three, Parker.” she said finally. “I’ll make some cabins available fer dem.”

“Aja"” Parker seemed confused by her suggestion.

“I’m not kiddin. Hire all three.” she said again. “That one there at least I know speaks. I have a feeling the other two do as well.” she walked to the door with a grin. “You’ll teach them everything else they need ta know.” she paused and looked at the office. “I’ll have a crew come add on some rooms here, fer dere offices.” she was about to move again then stopped. “Oh, and I’ll speak with Mami and Anya about sending a few nurses over to help out with the minor stuff.” she opened the door and looked back at Parker. “Ya looked after me, now I’m lookin after you.” she said seriously.

“Is something else about to happen"” Parker asked concerned.

“Maybe, Parker. Maybe.” Aja said solemnly not about to speak about other things in front of strangers, no matter what sort of good vibe she got off them. “But, dat’s not why I’m sayin this. Ya have yer research. I’d like ya ta have time fer yer own stuff. But lookin after me and my crew is a big enough job, then ya add da towns people" It’s too much ta ask of one man, no matter how good he is.” she smiled then. “Ya need the help.”  she motioned again to the three remaining mages. “Hire them. I have a good feelin about ‘em all.”

“Aja"”  Parker tried to stop her, her cryptic answer about other things going on had him concerned, but he knew that she likely wouldn’t tell him anything right now. She waved over her shoulder at him.

“Later, Parker. I’ll come back later.” she said as the door started to close behind her, and then yelled back. “I got cabins ta see ta!” she disappeared from sight and Parker looked at the mages then.

“Well then.” he smiled easily. “Welcome to Arcadia.” Parker noticed the shocked expressions on the faces of the three.

“Is she always like that"” Roberrie, the one that had been brave enough to speak to Aja so far asked.

“Impetuous"” Parker asked with a smile, the three mages nodded. “Yes. She appears to be most of the time. You’ll learn in time that she has gifts. One of them is a seemingly magical ability to pick out good people from a crowd.”

“She also seems to have a way with small children.”  Roberrie said with a smile.

“She does.” Parker smiled fondly. “One of the many things about her that make her special.” he took a moment to be proud then he chuckled. “She has another side. One you do not want to see.”  his look grew solemn then. “If it comes around, find me. You don’t want to handle her in that mood by yourself. Trust me on that.” Parker paused glancing towards the door before address the mages again. “Well, let me show you around. I suspect that in a half hour or so, a crew member will be coming to show you each to a cabin. Aja wastes little time in getting things done.”

Parker motioned to the men to follow him into the back to show them around, glancing at the front door concerned. He knew that girl far too well. She was indeed up to something. And knowing her, it was not going to be a small thing.

Aja left Parker’s office, catching a passing crew member as he headed back to the yards.

“Bill. Are ya comin from lunch?” she called out making him stop.

“Aye, Captain.”

“Excellent. Go ready three of the cabins. We have new mages working for Parker. They shall require a place to stay.” she motioned off towards the street running along the guard wall.

“Aye Aye Captain.” Bill saluted her before moving again, hurrying his steps but changing direction from the yards towards one of the warehouses.

“Grab whoever ya need to help. I’ll tell Rico what I have ya doin.” she gave the man a smile.

“Thank you, Captain.”  he said and got to moving double time. Aja grinned and then paused a moment as if she was trying to recall what she had planned to do before getting sidetracked.
Before she could forget, she sent a message to Rico about Bill then set off in the direction of the Lair to check on her son.