Patience

5

When her alarm went off the next morning, she stretched and shut it off. As she's preparing her coffee, she peers down at the island and she's going to grab the letter from the courthouse when she sees the ten numbers written out. She wrinkles her nose and just shrugs before making her way into the bedroom to get ready for the day. 

She throws her hair up in a bun, does her minimal makeup and changes into a black long sleeve teeshirt and a pair of black skinny jeans. She tucks her shirt in and slides some socks on her feet and her five-inch black high heel boots. She doesn't have a uniform per say but she does have to wear all black while she's working. Which is fine because she owns a lot of black anyway and she gets to design black outfits. 

As she's collecting her stuff to get ready for work the numbers are eating at her. She looks at the time on the wall and she sees that she has about an hour before she actually has to be at work so she picks the phone up and dials the number. As the phone's ringing, she looks at her records that were clearly touched the night prior and she has to do a double-take when she sees the Much Love, Stevie Nicks scribbled onto the front of a handful of them. She picks Rumours up and she just stares at it. After a moment, she runs her fingers along the elegantly swoopy handwriting very similar to her own. When the phone stops ringing, she gets a voicemail that wasn't set up so she just shuts the phone off but something clicks in her brain when she turns her attention back to the autographs and how very similar the handwriting was to her own handwriting. 

She sprints into her bedroom and grabs the fireproof box before opening it and grabbing at her birth certificate. Comparing the two she falls back on her haunches. Though the signatures are similar, she doesn't know what Stevie's Stephanie looks like. 

She bites her lip and shakes her head before leaving her birth certificate on the coffee table and heading out the door for work. 

LA Models is a nice place to work at. It's a big building, she gets her own "office space" and they let her pick out a new tool bag and exceptional professional tools. Her tools have a lilac and violet marble handle. It's closed on Sundays but she gets one day a week off, she would've liked to have Wednesday's but they gave her Tuesdays. it's not horrible. And she gets to pick her clients. She keeps herself busy and makes a good amount of money. Well enough to get by. She has very little spending money after bills and everything is paid. She only gets alimony once a month and it's only one hundred dollars but nevertheless she gets it. However, after the bills are paid and groceries and gas are bought she has about fifty bucks left. But she's always struggled with money. It's slightly hard to get a job when you're under Foster Care so she'd do chores for whatever person she would live with paid her an allowance, normally ten dollars so not having money wasn't that big of a deal.

***

She was on her lunch break when Mallory called her. 

"Hel Mal, I've got about fifteen minutes." She sighs licking the sauce off of the spoon she's eating her spaghettios with. 

"Hey, so The Nicks-Parkinson party is letting me choreograph for them.  I'm excited and so is Jessie. I'm going to be working in slight close proximity to Stevie Nicks...is there anything like you want me to have signed for you, or to give to her?" Mallory questions.

"No...I'm not going to do that, did you know she signed all her records in my case last night?" She scoops another spoonful of cold Os. 

"I didn't. But that explains why she was asking for a sharpie. I told her you had one in your junk drawer." 

"Oh great, you told Stevie Nicks where my junk drawer is...." She rolls her eyes as she completes her chewing. 

"Stop it, I don't think she'd go through your shit. Hey, I'm going to Cantina tonight...did you want to go with me?" 

"Yes, it's fucking Cantina...I get off at eight...when's your reservation?" 

"8:30. I'll meet you there." Mallory tells.

"I have been craving a Marg from Cantina's for weeks." Tori groans.

"You know you really should treat yourself some more." 

"I would if I could Mal, but I just can't swing it. Tonight's even pushing it. Payday isn't until tomorrow." Tori explains. 

"Alright, well I'll see you tonight." Mallory's smiling through the phone and Tori can feel it., 

"Bye Mal." Tori hangs up the phone.

***

Walking into Cantina, she sees Mallory two brunettes, a redhead, and a blonde and she knew. She had been set up to an extent. Mallory waves and Tori rolls her eyes but she walks towards the small group.

"Did you get new glasses?" Mallory questions.

"A month ago. I don't want to intrude on your meeting. Mallory called and asked if I'd like to come." Tori shakes her head.

"No, it's fine. I told her to invite you. I was intrigued by you last night and I wanted to get to know you better so I called Mallory this morning. The bronze color of your glasses looks good with your eyes. Nearsighted?" Jessie questions.

"Farsighted. I only need them for reading and driving." She explains.

"I'm farsighted too." Stevie smiles.

"I know...I found out when I was around thirteen and that was around the time I got into Fleetwood Mac and when I found out you were farsighted it made me feel a little bit better." Tori shrugs.

"Oh, Karen....this...This is Tori Cryderman, Tori this is my assistant Karen Johnston." Stevie grins.

"I'm going to need you to sign confidentiality." Karen hisses.

"NO!" Jessie and Stevie shout at the same time.

"Briggs party of six." Someone calls out and Mallory turns and makes her way to the sound of the voice.