âHello, IT depo, whatâs your problem?â a scripted and disinterested, though not unkind, voice came down the line.Â
âI- well, this is rather embarrassing actually,â Stede struggled to find the words.
âIâm sure it is, but Iâm ganna need you to tell me anyway,â the voice was warm, tone pitching a tad jovial now, amused.
Stede felt a warm flush growing on the back of his neck.
There was a crackle of a hand over the receiver, and a mumbling of voices, one much curter then the other, a quick back and forth.
âAh shit, I mean, shit. Sorry, I forgot to say. Iâm supposed to have you put in a ticket first,â Stede could hear their eyes rolling through the phone.
âI know, I know, youâre thinking âbut Iâm already on the line, isnât that a waste of time?â And yea it isââ
A louder back and forth.Â
âUh, sorry mate, âit is the new policy to have all tickets put in through the new system to better track productivity, except in cases where that wouldnât be possible,ââ their tone was mocking, though Stede guessed it was directed towards the man with the curt voice in the background, and not him, right?Â
Steve thought he heard the curt voiced man yell out something like âtwatâ in the background.
âOh, okay, sorry about that, Iâll go do that first then.âÂ
Stede hung up before the other man could reply. Already feeling like heâd messed up and he hadnât even turned on his laptop yet.Â
Stede sighed in resolve and picked up the receiver.
âIT depo, what can I do you for now number 11?â
Stede blinked, caught off guard.
âYour office mate, damn you must be new huh?â
âA little bit,â the heat returned to Stedeâs neck.
âYou get your ticket number then?âÂ
There was a pause. The heat spread from Stedeâs neck to his ears to his cheeks.Â
âItâs my first day and I donât remember how to log in.â He let out in tight one breath.
âTo the company sharepoint..or,â the man let it hang in the air.
âMy computer?â Stedeâs voice was small and questioning.
âAhhh- so you CANâT put in a ticket then,â they said sass clearly directed toward the curt man.
âThere would seem to be a flaw in that system, yes,â Stede offered sheepishlyÂ
A warm round laugh poured down the line and Stede relaxed the tension he hadnât noticed he was keeping in his shoulders.
âYouâre funny 11, so whatâs your name,â the voice came husky and deep over the receiver.
Why did his throat feel tight suddenly?
âIâm Stede, âwhatâs yours?â He managed, confused on why he felt like heâd suddenly forgot how words worked, and completely forgetting his purpose in calling.
Stede heard the same musically laugh crackle through the receiver.Â
âI need your last too mate, for your username.âÂ
Stede wanted to fold into himself like a black hole.
âRight, right, right, of course, Stede Bonnet.âÂ
Why was it so warm in here, offices were supposed to be cold right?
âRight then, so your username should be s (dot) bonnet, type that in the top one,â
Ed listened to the slow deliberate key taps, reclining in his seat with his feet on the desk.Â
âOkay, now your passcode should be Badminton1, but youâll have to change it.â
âIâm in!â Stedeâs voice sang, a bit to keen for just having logged into a computer.
âCongrats, mate!â Ed teased playfully, a smile pulling at the corner of his lips, finding something deeply endearing about Stedeâs excitability.Â
He felt Izzyâs eyes on him and shook himself out of the thought, feet returning to the floor.Â
âNow that your sorted, youâll make sure to put that ticket in then, for âtracking purposesâ?â
Izzy floated away, satisfied with Edâs towing of the company life, and Ed added in a hushed tone,
âAnd if you need anything else dial 1-4-3, thatâs my direct, so the boss wonât be such a downer.â
âAhh gotcha, thanks again.âÂ
âItâs Ed by the way, the nameâs Ed,â
Stede thumbed the card in his hand absently and two thoughts snapped together in his head.Â
âOh right! Edward Teach,â he laughed to himself.
Ed brow furrowed with amused confusion.
âYouâve heard of me then?â his voice was laced with intrigue. Â
âI guess I have,â Stede replied. Surprised at the coyness of his tone, he overcorrected,
âI-uh found you card,âÂ
âAh, well good thing you did I sâppose. Ring if you need me 11.â