Tracy Island Job Opportunity - Part 8
Ah go on then, have another chapter. Pippa is quite possibly on the edge of being overwhelmed by all of it, but as long as she doesn't say that to her self then it doesn't count - right? right? (yeah I am stuck in scene setting, and who knows if I will ever make it out the other side. cross your fingers!)
Part 1 / Part 2 / Part3/ Part 4 / Part 5/ Part 6&7 AO3
By the time she heard a discrete cough from outside and knock on the door, Pippa had rationalised her notes into a list that screamed less of mental instability. Tucking it, and a pen into her back pocket she grabbed her sunglasses and was ready to go.
She glanced at her handbag where it sat slumped next to the table. She turned to her “What am I going to need for this, Parker? Is this the sort of walk that needs supplies and blister plasters?” she looked down at her comfortable, but very much pavement loving, tennis shoes.
“W-hell, with the Tracy Family I would usually advise that you be ready for h-enything, but in this hin-stance I you should be fine as you are, it's just a short stroll up to the main house.”
“Ok, got it, thanks.” she rummaged in the sack of a hand bag, and pulled out a much smaller cross body bag from within its depths. “Just the essentials then. - Lead on!”
Parker wore the expression of a man who had long ago learnt that it was best not to question a woman on her luggage requirements. That certainly earned him points in Pippa's estimation.
He had been right too, a short stroll along a neatly edged compacted gravel path, which meandered its way through the trees with a gentle incline. It looked new, and she spotted a few armoured cable runs dotted along the side of the path, possibly some lighting was planned too.
She was so caught up noticing those details that the Villa itself crept up on her entirely. They rounded a corner and ascended a few steps and suddenly they were alongside a massive swimming pool, which was only dwarfed by the angular building perched amongst the rockface and vegetation above it. A sweeping glass construction that had her leaning back to take it all in. The glass doors looked big enough for a cathedral! Parker led them around the side of a chunky cantilever patio and through some more domestic sized sliding doors into a pleasantly shaded kitchen. She was still shading her eyes when they adjusted enough to the ambient light for her to notice the other occupant of the room. A gangly blond haired teenager, probably about 18 years old, was frozen to the spot, caught mid rummage through a massive F&M stencilled wicker hamper which was sitting on the table.
On pure automatic reflex alone, Pippa raised one questioning “mum-brow” at him. It wasn’t more than a half-powered “look”, but it was enough that the lad backed away with his hands raised. Definitely guilty.
“Good h-afternoon master H-Alan, so nice of you to h-offer to ‘elp with preparing the luncheon.” Parker flipped the lid down on the hamper, and pointed the young man in the direction of the kitchen. “Some plates, if you please.” was the command. Turning back to Pippa, he gestured across to some stairs set into exposed rockface. “I think we m-hight find the rest of the family h-up stairs, if you would f-hollow me?”
She wondered if he was just hamming it up for comedic effect by this point, but she resisted the urge to doff an imaginary hat and respond with “awwrigh’ gov-nor!” and followed him upstairs. She definitely didn’t keep repeating ‘Alan - guilty blond’’ in her head so it would stick in her memory.
Pippa was reassured to see Lady Penelope waiting up in the lounge area, she was bound to be the sort of person who did proper introductions, the sort with the key details condensed down into a single memorable titbit.
Lady Penelope did not disappoint, she swept over as smooth as if someone had put her court shoes on casters. Pippa did glance down to just check that she wasn’t on wheels, ever since her eldest had gone arse of tea kettle down a half flight of stairs whilst wearing a pair of heelies it was a legitimate worry that had stayed with her.
“Ah Pippa, perfect timing, let me get the introductions underway whilst Parker lays out the provisions. John, would you be kind enough to message Brains and your grandmother?” Lady Penelope had turned to direct the last comment to a glowing hologram of the man from the interviews, although now he was floating and sporting a distinctive and form fitting blue uniform. She could see how that might have given the game away if he had worn that in the interview.
Lady Penelope swept Pippa around the room, first stop was an eyewatering hawaiian shirt filled with sunshine and fish puns. The shirt would certainly stick in her memory, she just needed to pin the name to the shirt. Pleasantries were exchanged. It was only by the third (possibly) joking request for improvements to the island that Pippa remembered Penny's previous warning about not approving any requests from Gordon without running them past Scott.
Which did segway nicely into the next introduction, who turned out to be said Scott. His first words were to reiterate the warning about any of Gordon's requests. Pippa shifted finding out about Gordon's previous request up a few positions on her todo list.
Pippa was just starting to wonder if she could get away with making notes when Lady Penelope glided them towards the kitchen and a beautifully laid out spread. She was introduced to Virgil, Alan, Brains, and Sally (grandma) in quick succession over the charcuterie and sausage rolls.
Over the course of the meal Sally had already offered her extra towels, Virgil had made sure she knew where the infirmary was and where the fire evacuation points were. Gordon had offered up a supply of celery crunch bars and Brains had loaded her up with a hologram unit, laptop, tablet and comms unit, all with a mixture of Tracy Industries or International Rescue logos on them.
Thank goodness Lady Penelope was part mind reader, gave Pippa a perfect excuse of going back to her hut to set up the electronic devices and settling in ready to get cracking the next day.
When Pippa made it back to her accommodation she piled up her armful of swag onto the small table before collapsing back onto the bed. Tomorrow was going to need a lot of postit notes. It was more than a little intimidating. Since panicking wasn’t going to get her anywhere, instead, Pippa kicked off her shoes, peeled off her socks and did the totally sane thing of running straight into the sea up to her knees. Because, why not! It wasn’t every day you got to let your feet sink into the sand on a secluded tropical beach. Although, who knew, if she got to grips with this role then maybe she would be able to do this more often. Although maybe not too often because they would probably think she was off her rocker. After some fortifying lungfulls of sea air and the thoughts were starting to fizz around her brain, shuffling into the sort of energy that called out for a list or a spread sheet. Clapping her hands together decisively, Pippa head back to her pile of newly acquired tech and searched out a suitable device to start organizing her questions and plans for the next day. That was much better, now she had a plan! Bring it on.