Five

Cassandra

I follow him down the walkway and see the familiar interior of the office. The flooring is the same colored tile; white and hunter green squares with beige walls throughout the entire station. As you walk down the walkway, on each side there are rows of gray desks with small black leather seats that roll with the department's activity.

Each desk has six drawers, black computers, a lamp, and wooden name plates at the edge of their desks. Every desk is scattered with paperwork except for the last desk, which is completely cleaned off.

My desk.

As soon as I get closer, sure enough, the nameplate reads, 'Officer Cassandra Porsse.' My arm hairs rise up with a sense of pride and excitement.

In the walkway, there's a small black and silver chair to the side of each desk for guests or people needing to file charges. Behind my desk is the printer and the large whiteboard, with the water dispenser next to it. The bathroom to the side.

"Come into my office, Cassandra. I'd like to go over your schedule and also introduce you to your partner." I nod, setting down my keys and phone onto my desk before following Miles into his secluded office.

Unlike the patrol officers, Miles' office has a door and windows that face his crew, allowing him to keep eyes on all of us at all times. Miles reaches out his hand, gesturing for me to take a seat in one of the guest chairs that face his desk and I comply. I sit in the brown leather chair as I observe him walk around his large black metal desk to take a seat.

Miles' office hasn't changed either. He still has the two gray filing cabinets to the right, several certificates and medals hanging on his wall behind his chair, a lamp, stacks of paperwork, a laptop, his own bathroom and bulletin board, and last but not least, a picture of him and my dad.

My eyes remain focused on the picture before Miles clears his throat, breaking me from my trance. "I miss him too," he says and I nod, biting the inside of my left cheek.

The picture of them threatens tears to build up as I admire my Dad's smiling face. It was a picture of the day they ran a marathon. It was the typical picture most people take after running a marathon. They were completely drenched in sweat, exhausted but triumphant, they sported the white sheet on their chest displaying their black runner number proudly. I waited at the end, anticipated their victory, and took that very picture.

I shift in my seat and rub my palms against my knees. "So, you wanted to talk about my schedule?" I ask, changing the subject.

"Yes. So, since you're new, you will be on the normal twelve-hour shift, two on, two off, and work every other weekend." I nod, remembering the shifts my father used to do. Miles still talks with his hands and I can't help the small smile that forms on my lips as all of the familiarities welcomed me, comforting my uneasy emotions.

"Anyways, you will be put with a partner for your first six months. After the six months is up you will be given your own unit to drive."

I knew about this part as well. We have to do a ride-along for the period of time, to get more hands-on training and to become familiar with the tasks and paperwork.

Paperwork....joy. The average person does not realize the mounds of paperwork that come with police duty.

"Okay, thank you, Miles."

He stands from his seat and I do the same, shaking his hand over his desk. "I'll call you in a bit when I get a hold of your partner. I believe he's out in the field right now. Go make yourself comfortable for right now, get situated. Everyone knows that we're expecting a new officer today and they are all a little rambunctious, being that you're the only woman. They are a great group though, so you'll be fine." He smiles, then opens his palm, revealing a single silver key. "Here's the key to your desk to lock up your drawers."

I take the key and walk towards his door, my hand on the doorknob. "Thank you so much, Chief Miles. It feels good to be here again," I say in a small voice, and he smiles, giving a nod.

I've been at my desk for about an hour and I have been greeted by many new faces and also by some I've known from before. My drawers are filed neatly and I believe the supplies that I need are in order -pencils, pens, highlighters, stapler, evidence bags, my shield, and my handcuffs.

As I go through the system on the computer, getting a feel of the program we use for arrest reports, I hear someone clear their throat. I turn around in my chair, and my hands fold in my lap. My mouth falls slightly open when I see Drew filling a cup of water, dressed in a police uniform, a grin stretched across his face.

"You work here? You're a cop?" The shock inside me spills out in my voice. I would've never pegged him to be an officer, but now I see it. He stands tall and lean in his black uniform, with his duty boots dirty.

He looks good in his uniform.

We share a moment that brings warmth to my cheeks. His eyes scan my entire body and a tingling sensation arises in my toes and I give him a cheeky smile when our eyes meet again.

He smiles, walks over to my desk, and asks, "Yeah, surprised?" I admit by silently nodding and he chuckles. "Me too. I had no idea when Chief Anderson told us that we were getting a new female officer that it would be you. He put your nameplate on the desk this morning," he says, lifting up my nameplate to analyze it before setting it back in place, "But I had no idea it'd be you."

"Yup," I say, popping the 'p' with my lips. "That's me, Officer Porsse."

"Cassandra," Miles calls out, popping his head out of his office. I make eye contact with him and he waves at me to come to his office.

"I'll be back," I whisper to Drew. Shock is still written all over his face as he nods.

"Okay. Hey, are we still on for Saturday?" He asks, hope laced in his voice, and I nod before walking to the Chief's office.

"Cassandra, I'd like you to meet your new partner," Miles says, once I close his office door behind me. A man sits in the guest chair with his back facing me.

He's wearing a police uniform, that even from the back I can tell he fills it out very nicely. I walk closer, my hand stretched outwards, ready to meet my partner. My feet stop dead in my tracks and my entire body freezes as the man rises from his seat and turns around to face me.

The ash brown hair and piercing blue eyes are all too familiar. There was no mistaking that dimpled left cheek, that small scar that I spent countless minutes adoring, toned, veiny arms, and his tall, muscular frame. The only difference is that he looks more muscular, which I wouldn't have guessed possible, and his perfect jawline now hides beneath a dark, short boxed beard.

"Meet your new partner, Officer Cassandra Porsse. Cassandra, this is, Officer Crayvin Smith. Your partner for the next six months."