Chapter Text
Governor Joan Ferguson was late. This, in and of itself, was enough of an anomaly to ignite her irritation. The fact that it was a result of a series of blunders from individuals outside of her control merely fanned the embers of her rage to start the morning. She hadn’t even had her morning tea.
She strode past the break room toward her personal office with the thundering cloud clearly over her head.
“Oh! Governor!”
Governor Ferguson had long ago concluded that every person possessed at least one irritating habit. Some more than others. Many more than most. Some people whistled. Some popped their gum.
And Deputy Governor Vera Bennett insisted on making pointless conversation before coffee.
Joan sighed heavily and took two measured steps backward to address her deputy from the door.
Her eyes tightened as she greeted her with a forced, half smile. “Good morning, Vera.”
She clocked the older gentleman sitting next to her at the table with an empty mug between his hands. He wore the faded and dingy uniform of the maintenance staff.
“I best be on my way. I’ll see you tomorrow, Vera.” He said as he pushed his chair back.
“Get some sleep, Richard!” Vera called warmly.
Richard rinsed his mug and stepped through the door with a polite nod. “Guv’na.”
The Governor gave an answering nod before settling her attention on her deputy. Vera held forward a mug of steaming tea. Joan lifted a questioning eyebrow and slowly took the offering.
“I noticed you hadn’t been to your office yet this morning when I arrived for our meeting. I thought you might be needing this.” She shrugged.
Vera promptly gathered her belongings and followed the Governor down the hallway. Joan took a tentative sip and felt the bergamot warm her chest. Earl Grey. Of course it was.
“And Mr. Taylor? I was under the impression he was rostered for the night shift.”
Vera blinked for a moment.
“Oh you mean Richard!”
Joan cast a sideways look as she settled into her chair. “You know the janitorial staff by their first names.”
It was an observation. Not a question.
“We usually have our tea together in the mornings before the start of shift.” Vera answered anyway.
The Governor waited. She had long learned that silence was an extraordinarily effective tool when conversing with the petite woman. She had almost a compulsive need to fill silence.
“Well, ever since his wife passed.”
And there it was.
“He’s not in a rush home anymore, so he tends to still be here when I arrive.”
“You pity him.”
Vera met her gaze and she canted her head. “No.”
“No?”
“I just don’t think he should sit alone if he doesn’t have to.”
The following morning, Governor Joan Ferguson passed Mr. Taylor, Richard, as she walked through the entrance. She couldn’t recall if she had ever learned the first names of the cleaning staff.