3:02am

Chapter Three - CITY LIGHTS

Chapter Three - CITY LIGHTS

The shrill sound of Abby's cell broke through the tension in the room.

"I'M BRINGING SEXXY BACK... THEM OTHER BOYS DON'T KNOW HOW TO ACT..."

Raven's face said it all, shock mixed with a little hint of amusement, she stifled a laugh and Abby looked mortified,

"I... uh...mm, I should get that" She stumbled through her words, all decorum gone in the instant that Justin Timberlake's words sang loud and proud from her speakers.

"DIRTY BABE, YOU SEE THESE SHACKLES BABY I'M YOUR SLAVE..."

"Yeah... I think you should..." Raven spluttered as she gave up trying to hold back and burst into laughter.

"I'LL LET YOU WHIP ME IF I MISBEHAVE..."

Abby ran, face a flushed royal magenta, as fast as her legs could carry her to the back room, scooping up her cell and cutting it's explosion of sound, and her moment of embarrassment, short in an instant. She would 'kill' her interns later, she knew she should never have trusted that they wouldn't do something like this when looking back over her surgical documentation photos and notes.

"Dr. Griffin"

It was the hospital, the monotone woman on the other end of the receiver informed Abby that there was one less resident on the surgical team for that evening and she had been rostered in instead of her normal day shift that was due to start in just a few hours, she would now be expected to start at 6pm that evening. Abby breathed a sigh of relief as she agreed to the time change and hanging up quickly and efficiently changed her ringtone back to something a little more sedate and right up her street, a jazzy track that had no name. It was something that Jake had recorded when he was still alive. She smiled at the memories as she slipped the semi charged cell back into her bag. She would charge it fully when she got back to her house.

When Abby re-entered the workshop Raven was at the back again with her trailblazer; Abby approached confidently despite their last interaction and subsequent moment of amusement/embarrassment from both parties. Raven heard her approach this time, turning she greeted Abby with a smirk;

"Nice ringtone..."

Her subtle laugh was creasing itself across her face as she tried to compose herself.

"So... will you be whipping me if I misbehave?"

The words had tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop them. It was Raven's turn to look mortified.

"Oh Christ... foot in mouth disease... I'm sorry, I don't even know what I was thinking... Can you forget I said that?"

She cringed and it was Abby's turn to smile, it was soft, welcoming, nothing like their first encounter when all that Raven sensed was nervousness and hesitation. Abby made a locking sign across her lips with her index finger and thumb.

"My lips are sealed!" Abby chuckled, "It must be early morning syndrome!" she pushed forwards with the conversation in an attempt to make it less awkward for Raven despite the fact that they had both shared a mutual moment of embarrassment.

"So, uh how much do I owe you for the car?" When Abby left her cell in her bag she'd picked up her wallet and was now undoing it to grab the nearest card secretly hoping it wouldn't break the bank before her next pay day.

"Oh no, nu uh, you don't owe me anything..." Raven winked, "it's on the house Abby..."

"Raven, please.." Abby urged firmly, "I insist, there's no way I'd let you do all of this for me for free!"