Haseena goes back to work the next day. She and her pink cast make their way to the office in Flatiron district. She takes the subway and gets off at 23 Street Subway as usual. Her new accessory doesn't bother her that much. Sure, she can't really do some of the things comfortably. She can't even use her phone and have her coffee at the same time anymore; a little interruption of her usual habit.
Haseena gets off the elevator and immediately greets people with a smile as she puts the office's ID card holder over her head. Hellos and how are yous are exchanged before she could make a turn into the open space office area. She is normally stopped by the loveliest receptionist, Karen, that always has some sort of snacks for everyone. Conversations are made about her fractured wrist when her eyes catch something from her desk. A couple of balloons are floating from her office desk. One says 'Get well soon'. One says 'it's a girl'. One says 'congratulations'. At her desk, there is a card placing in front of the computer monitor. It is a singing card with a picture of a broken arm person on the cover.
"Heeeeeey." Someone greets her. The lady with shoulder-length hair is approaching with a cup of warm drink in her hand. Lauren is Haseena's workstation neighbor and she is definitely the one who has done all of these. It cannot be someone else. "How are you doing?"
Haseena opens the card and it sings to her.
"I was definitely broken on the ground." Haseena makes a remark and throws herself on the chair with the balloon decorations. She refuses to take any of them out; looking at them makes her heart happy in such a strange way. She likes something like this and Lauren knows that.
"Let me sign your cast real quick." Lauren manages to sit down and grabs a marker from her workstation while Haseena extends her arm out for her. "Who is Karishma?"
Haseena pulls her arm back to see what Lauren is talking about. She isn't aware that Karishma would sign her first name in. It is hidden way up on the edge of the cast where it is not really noticeable and probably won't be ruined when the cast is cut off. "Karishma is a doctor."
"Your doctor?" Lauren says while drawing her name on top of Haseena's cast; somewhere right in the middle with a doodle of herself.
"Technically no. I don't think so. No." Haseena tries to open her bottle of water with only her left hand; something she has perfected overnight.
"Can you use the mouse?" Lauren smooths her dark hair back casually and gestures some concerns towards her coworker.
"Yeah." Haseena answers while getting a couple of necessaries out of her backpack. "I'm just using two fingers. Clicking. On the mouse."
Lauren leans back in her chair and tries to analyze what Haseena has just said.
"Hey," Greg, the boss joins them. "How are you doing, Haseena? What is the crazy story behind that?"
"I fell." Haseena answers simply and prepares for her morning meeting with the production team. With just yesterday off, she feels like she has been missing out a lot and she needs to keep up with all the work that has been put off because of her emergency absence. "And landed on my wrist."
"That was just boring." Greg sits on the edge of Lauren's table trying to look laid back and chill but Lauren is definitely intimidated by him; not by his huge built but by his position as a boss. She suddenly feels the need to sit up straight and be as still as possible as if she is in a principal office.
"Okay." Haseena stands up with her laptop, a notebook and a pen. She is ready to go and take a pitstop at the breakroom for some coffee. "Oh, thank you for all these."
Lauren smiles as Haseena walks past her with Greg. "Okay."
Greg follows Haseena and before they would be gone from Lauren's sight, she opens the singing card again so the song blasts across the hall. Haseena turns and gives her weird eyes with a tiny smile at the corner of her lips.
