Chapter Text
Darcy Lewis knocked on the office door and heard a muddled, “Come in,” from the other side. Opening the door, she walked into the small office, which was just big enough for the desk facing her and the woman sitting behind it. Bookshelves took up almost all of the remaining space, lining both side walls, filled from top to bottom with thick binders.
As for the woman, who was looking at her with seemingly professional disinterest, she was blond, her hair in a severe bun that somehow made her look to be both in her mid-30s and late 40s, and Darcy couldn’t tell which was more likely. Her expression was unreadable, which, considering the call Darcy received that morning, did nothing to alleviate the worry within her.
“Hi,” she said, her voice sounding too high to her ears. “I’m Darcy Lewis.” She closed the door and, upon a nod from the woman, sat in the empty chair facing her.
When the woman still hadn’t spoken after several long moments, Darcy said, “I got a call this morning that there was a problem with my internship?”
“Yes Miss Lewis,” the woman said, she voice sounding like one of her less favorite professors in the throes of a lengthy and boring lecture. “I’m sorry to say Professor Lawndish has unexpectedly taken a position at another university, so your scheduled internship has been canceled.”
“Canceled?” Dary spat, thoughts of her impending graduation and the six credits that stood between her and the degree in political science she had been pursuing for almost four years. “I need those credits. What am I supposed to do?”
“I understand this is a serious issue,” the woman said, sounding as if she hadn’t heard Darcy at all. “We apologize for the inconvenience.”
Inconvenience? Like hell, Darcy thought, this was a flipping disaster. Professor Lawndish promised her a pain-free internship helping him research his latest book. After a few months sitting in libraries reading, taking notes and listening to her iPod, she would have her credits and her degree. And best of all, it was local, so she wouldn’t need to find a new apartment. She was due to sign a new lease next week, so at least this happened before she locked herself in for another four months, but staring at the woman across the desk, it was small solace.
Darcy signed up for the internship six weeks ago in this very office, and she was betting that the pickings were pretty slim this close to the end of the semester.
As if reading her mind, the woman said, “Unfortunately, there are very few open internship positions and even fewer offering six credits. In fact, there appears to only be one available that will allow you to graduate on time and meets your skill set, even though it is admittedly out of field for your course of study.”
“I’ll take it,” Darcy said quickly, and then thought for a moment. “What exactly am I taking?”
“It appears the work will be mostly tabulating data and monitoring equipment. The position is unpaid, but does include room and board for the duration, which will be the entire summer.”
“Equipment? What kind of equipment?”
“The sponsor is Dr. Jane Foster, an astrophysicist.”
“Astrophysicist? Like studying stars and stuff?” Darcy asked.
“Something like that,” the woman replied, her tone never changing. “According to the paperwork, she will setting up her operation in a small town in rural New Mexico. It was a last minute request, and you’re the first applicant to even hear about it.”
After a pause, she continued, the first hint of emotion breaking through in her voice, “Normally I would hold it for someone in field, but under the circumstance, it’s yours if you want it.”
Darcy didn’t even bother to consider it. Free room and board. And six credits! “Well, sounds like it will be pretty boring, but beggars can’t be choosers,” she said. “I’ll take it.”
“Good,” the woman said. ““I’ll send Miss Foster a note that she can expect you in two weeks once the semester is over.”