Garrett tapped on the door to the file room and held his badge up to the camera for Fawn to see. She took a deep breath to prepare for another encounter with the arrogant favored employee of the CEO and pressed the button to release the lock. 

     Since she had been told he had unconstrained access, she didn’t bother waiting for him to provide a security pass before unlocking the second door. As he entered, she went back to her artwork. 

     “Thank you, Miss Fawn,” he told her while passing her desk.

     He rolled his eyes and went about his business when she didn’t reply. 

     Fawn dipped her brush into the light purple ink and glided it across the page in the shape of a new flower. Adorning several on the special paper were silver and gold swirls, and when she was done with the current one, she gave it the same filigree treatment. 

     She gave a satisfied sigh as she stared at the end of her work. With a smile of contentment, she began cleaning her brushes and putting them away. There was a small cabinet sitting atop the other end of the desk, where she kept certain tools she used only at work. 

     As she was putting everything inside, a movement to her right caught her eye. When she turned to look, she found Garrett standing only a foot or two away. She gasped and quickly stepped backward, her eyes large from shock. 

     “Forgive me,” he quickly apologized. “I hadn’t meant to approach you so quietly. I have what I came for and would like to sign it out.” 

     Fawn continued to stare up into his eyes to catch her breath. She swallowed hard at the intense way he stared back and cleared her throat as she looked away. 

     Garrett looked her over as he stepped to the side of her desk where she kept the logbook. He grinned and shook his head a bit. 

     “Mr. Pinkerton told me you make your own clothes,” he noted as he pulled the book closer. “Are you trying to get a part in a play or perhaps the Chinese cultural exhibit at the museum?” 

     Fawn clenched her teeth together and glared at him through narrow slits. 

     “I respect my heritage, unlike other Chinese Americans, who forget where they came from,” she angrily spat. 

     He returned her hard gaze and slammed the book closed when he was done signing. 

     “You believe if we don’t all go around looking as if we’d just stepped out of history, it means we’re disrespecting our culture?” he asked in a tone of impertinence. “Have you ever been to China? Do you believe everyone there walks around dressed like that? Would you tell them they forgot where they come from, or would you acknowledge fashion changes like everything else over time?” 

     Fawn pulled her bottom lip between her front teeth and decided not to continue the altercation. She’d heard enough jokes about her clothes and mannerisms from the others in the office. She considered if she stopped at that point, he would let it go and not hurt her like them. 

     Deciding to ignore him, she began to straighten the things on her desk that she had moved aside for her art. 

     Garrett huffed and shook his head before shoving his way through the door she hastily unlocked. 

     As soon as he was gone, she pulled out the letter she’d received that morning. She unfolded it and pulled out her phone to punch the numbers into a new outgoing text message.

     🥀“This is your neighbor from 303. My name is Yuè.

           Thank you for your concern, but I need no help.”

      She sighed deeply as she thought of what more to say. She wanted to add to it, but she didn’t know how. With a swallow and a few short breaths of encouragement, she continued.

       🥀“But I could use a friend.”