Room 512, Saturday Morning
Tseng
Tseng had a problem.
Or, rather, Tseng had a mild concern that had the potential to turn into a problem, depending on how this particular phone call went. Normally, Elena had her weekly reports turned in by Friday evening. When Saturday morning rolled around without word, he had taken it upon himself to be perhaps slightly concerned.
And that was why Elena's phone was ringing, this morning.
Elena Linda
... loud.
Linda reached one hand from within the covers to swipe at the phone. Phone?
Even half-asleep, she still rattled off the proper phone response. When you answered a phone the same way for months, it was complete reflex.
"Linda, Karen and Jeannie's Cohabitative Collective."
Fuck, did Michelle move in, or was she just hanging around a lot?
Tseng
Well. So far as phone greetings went. Tseng had certainly heard Elena come up with less... creative ones, in the past.
"And which one might I be talking to, at the moment?"
He couldn't help but notice that 'Elena' hadn't been in that list.
Linda
"This is Linda," she said, pulling the covers back enough that she could sit up.
And blink, in confusion.
"This ... isn't my room."
Tseng
"Isn't it?"
Tseng's voice was dry. Edge dry. Cosmo Canyon dry.
... Tseng dry. Which was possibly more impressive than those two places and Earth's Sahara desert combined.
Either he wasn't speaking to Elena, she'd managed to lose her mind, or else she'd just devised a very unique way of wiggling her way out of her paperwork, this week.
Linda
"No," Linda said. She glanced around the room, frowning. Dorm room. Must have been an on-campus girl. Why didn't she bring her back to the house? Maybe this had been closer.
Ugh, she had had way too much to drink last night. She didn't remember any of it.
"I ... think I answered her phone," she said, apologetically. "Disregard that whole collective statement. This is ... uh ..."
It didn't speak well of her that she couldn't remember the mystery girl's name. Shit.
Tseng
"Elena's room," Tseng prompted. "And more than likely, her phone as well."
Considering that he'd just called it, and all.
Linda
Elena. Pretty name. Linda couldn't remember any Elenas from the womyn's group. Which, considering the current state of the group, might be a good thing.
"Right," Linda said, nodding as she tried to catch up. "Elena. She stepped out for ... coffee."
Or she was locked in the bathroom, freaking out about her sexuality and waiting for Linda to go away. Those girls were worse than the 'science experiment' ones.
"Can I take a message?"
Tseng
Tseng hated that island. He hated it with a passion. And then some.
"Please do," he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose with one hand. "Tell her that her employer called. Her report was due yesterday, and I was calling to make certain that she didn't forget."
Considering the voice on the other end of the phone, Tseng was almost certain that forgetfulness was the least of Elena's worries, at present.
Linda
Did she just out her one-night-stand to her boss? Maybe that was why the guy sounded cranky. Maybe he was always cranky. She hadn't said anything too obvious, on the phone. For all he knew, she was some girl that had passed out there from drinking too much.
Not the best of impressions, but since this guy sounded like a suit, it was probably better he think his employee was a drunk than a lesbian.
Linda picked up a pen and started scribbling. "Boss-man ... says ... report due. She'll know what that means, right? I'm sure she didn't forget about it."
Tseng
Elena's voice, saying, 'Boss-man.' It was nearly absurd enough to make Tseng bark out a laugh.
Nearly.
"That ought to be sufficient," he allowed. "Though I have a feeling that, by the time she manages to get it to me, she'll have more to add."
Linda
"Probably," Linda agreed. "I'm sure she's gonna ... send it to you as soon as she gets back. With coffee."
Please, let Elena be getting coffee?
"You'd think she would have left me a note."
It was only polite.
Tseng
"Mm," Tseng acknowledged, mildly. "One might think that, yes."
Poor... Linda.
"It's possible that she realized that she had other, important places to be, and had to leave... quickly."
Leave it to him to take pity on the poor girl.
"I wouldn't be terribly upset if she didn't return directly. Saturdays are typically Elena's busy days."
No, he wasn't sure that they were.
Linda
"Maybe she panicked and bolted," Linda grumbled, pulling a shirt on over her head. "Forget it. I'll make sure she gets your note."
Nothing like the morning-after cold shoulder to start your day.
Tseng
Panicked and bolted?
Tseng was going to be a very thoughtful individual and refrain from giving Reno so much as a moment's peace if he happened to return from his vacation this weekend. That way, he could have less of an opportunity to call Elena.
The last thing she needed was Reno realizing that she was currently a perky lesbian named Linda.
"I appreciate it, Linda," he replied, pulling out his memo pad. "Perhaps the rest of your day will improve, from here."
Memo to self: Ask Elena about Linda. Possibly Monday. These things seem to like weekends.
Linda
The mysterious figure known as Elena was going to be very grateful for that, come Monday.
"Thanks," Linda said, realizing she didn't know the man's name. Ah, well. He sounded like he was wearing a suit. On a Saturday morning. Probably not the type to get chummy. "Hope you get that report soon."
She hung up the phone and glanced around the room. Time to get lost before Elena came back. At least she still had her smokes.
(OOC: Elena is now Linda from If These Walls Could Talk 2. And thinks that she took this mysterious Elena-person home last night from a bar. I am massively AFK for the next several hours, but open if you are up for slowplay!)