Sister Dearest

Chapter 5 - A Business of Ferrets

The week that followed was as close to standard as it could get for Elody. They were both learning how to navigate the new family dynamic, and Lisa thought her new names for their respective parents and grandparents were funny.

As Lisa had promised, she was taking Elody to her important meeting with The Jigsaw Initiative.

The woman from The Jigsaw Initiative was named Isabel Westing, and she had an office with the organization just outside of the city. Based on Elody's work in the official submission (she assumed), Isabel had requested an in-person meetup. To say that Elody was nervous would be an understatement.

The meeting was set to take place in a penthouse. When Lisa pulled up to the tall building, Elody got a little queasy, reminding herself that they would be inside and heights were not a problem.

Taking the elevator up to the penthouse, Lisa noticed Elody fidgeting and repeatedly adjusting her hair in the elevator mirror.

"Nervous?" Lisa asked.

Elody nodded. "Yeah," she said.

Lisa reached over and tucked a stray strand of hair behind Elody's ear.

"You look fine. Don't worry," She said.

"Thanks," Elody said, feeling only marginally more confident.

The elevator dinged and they stepped out into a lounge area. It was modern looking, with white walls, off-white accents, and seats that looked less than comfortable to sit in. A sign adorned the wall that read, "The Jigsaw Initiative: Changing Lives, One Day at a Time."

They walked up to the desk. The receptionist was typing away on her computer and took longer than what was considered polite to look up and address the two. At this point, Elody had started stimming by rocking back and forth on her heels and flapping her hands.

The receptionist took note of Elody. "Are you here for services or a consultation?" The lady asked Lisa, ignoring Elody altogether.

"Um, no," Lisa said.

Why does she seem so dismissive? Elody thought. It's like I'm not even here.

"I'm here to talk with Isabel Westing," Elody said. "It's about the essay competition."

The receptionist raised an eyebrow. "Alright. She's finishing up with someone now and will be out in a minute." She gestured to the waiting area and they walked over to take a seat.

While they were waiting, Lisa looked to her left at a small table, and a stack of pamphlets advertising the organization caught her eye. Specifically, a subtitle about "a cure for autism." Lisa internally rolled her eyes.

Isabel appeared shortly after. She was a short woman with blonde hair in a blunt bob cut with bangs. Her outfit consisted of regular jeans with a blue shirt, sporting the image of a puzzle piece and the company's logo.

Isabel ushered Lisa and Elody into her office. It was sizable and modern-looking like the rest of the company's space, with trendy furniture, a light blue theme, and puzzle pieces all around.

"It's so nice to meet with you, Melody!" Isabel said, sitting down at her desk. "I had heard about your writing from an associate of mine who represented us at last year's local Autism Opportunities fair. I'm so excited to get to know your voice better."

"Thanks. It's nice to meet you too," Elody said, hiding her eagerness. "It's Elody, like Melody but without the M."

Isabel looked at her and tilted her head, like she was studying her. "Elody Ferris! Yes, sorry. I knew I'd heard your name before."