Outside Work We... •[TNN One-shots]•

Friendship? •|| MARJORIE + MIA ||•

Prompt: Something happens to Charlotte that brings the two women together.

Marjorie Van Gould didn’t particularly like Amelia Roberts, and the feeling was mutual.

Their interactions were polite at best, strained and prickly at worst. It wasn’t personal, not really—just a matter of clashing personalities. Marjorie’s polished charm grated on Mia’s straightforward, no-frills attitude, and Mia’s bluntness often left Marjorie rolling her eyes. The only reason they tolerated each other was Charlotte Victoria.

But when Char fainted at work, everything changed.

°•°•°--**--°•°•°

“She collapsed at the office,” Marjorie said, her voice tight with worry as she paced her living room, phone pressed to her ear. “They’re taking her to St. Thomas’. I’m heading there now.”

Mia’s voice on the other end was urgent. “What happened? Is she okay?”

“I don’t know yet. Just—meet me there. She’ll want to see you.”

°•°•°--**--°•°•°

Mia didn’t waste a second. She threw on her coat, grabbed her keys, and bolted out the door.

When she arrived at the hospital, Marjorie was already in the waiting room, sitting stiffly with her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Her usually pristine appearance was slightly frazzled—loose strands of hair framed her face, and her shirt was wrinkled from all her pacing.

“You’re here,” Marjorie said, standing up when she saw Mia. Relief flickered in her eyes, though her tone remained calm.

“Of course I’m here,” Mia snapped, though her worry softened the edge in her voice. “Where is she?”

Marjorie gestured toward the double doors leading to the emergency ward. “They’re still running tests. Dehydration and exhaustion, most likely. She’s been pushing herself too hard lately.”

Mia ran a hand through her hair, trying to steady herself. “That sounds like her,” she muttered. “Always trying to take on the world.”

Marjorie’s lips pressed into a thin line. “She doesn’t know how to slow down.”

For a moment, they stood in silence, their shared concern for Charlotte bridging the usual animosity between them.

°•°•°--**--°•°•°

Hours passed, and tension gave way to weary camaraderie.

“She’ll be fine,” Mia said, more to herself than Marjorie, as they sat side by side.

Marjorie nodded, though her hands were still fidgeting. “She’d better be. She’s too stubborn to let this keep her down.”

Mia glanced at her, surprised by the crack in Marjorie’s usually composed exterior. “You really care about her, huh?”

Marjorie’s fidgeting stopped, and she turned to Mia with a small, almost shy smile. “Of course I do. She’s like a sister to me.”