November 1988

I busted into the chapel on a chilly November morning, just seconds away from technically being late. I shook off some of the snow that gathered on my shoulders and hair, and began walking to my desk.

I passed Tom when he said to me, "that's two demerits for being late, officer."

"The roads were so bad, I passed three accidents on the way here. Three!" I exclaimed as I placed my bag on my desk. "I was surprised my car made it through."

"Are you going to need a ride home?" Tom asked me.

"If the snow doesn't let up, yeah," I said as I shimmied my black coat off and set it on my chair, but I was still warm from the brown abstract-patterned grandpa sweater I was wearing. My jeans were cuffed to show my white high-top converse, but I probably should have worn winter boots today. "Thank you."

"Not a problem. I think Fuller restocked the hot coco if you want any," Tom said.

"Oh, yes," I said. My teeth were practically chattering together from how cold I was. At that moment, hot coco sounded like the most delicious thing in the world.

"I'll get it."

"Are you sure?" I asked. I really didn't mind making it myself. In fact, I naturally assumed I was.

"It's okay, I was gonna get some anyways."

Tom got up from his desk and headed over to the little corner of the chapel where we have a lonely cabinet, a drawer, and a small refrigerator living. It's the tiniest kitchen, but at least it's something. I was still getting settled at my desk as I heard Tom rummaging around over there, then I heard him ask, "what's this?"

I glanced up and saw that he grabbed a paper bag from the fridge that had a note stapled to it that said, "DEAD DOVE DO NOT EAT."

We all watched Tom open the bag and look inside. His face dropped and he looked back up and he deadpanned, "I don't know what I expected."

"Hey, don't eat him," Doug said from his chair.

Tom stared at Doug and said flatly, "I wasn't gonna."

"Sorry, he flew into the window this morning and I was gonna bury him after my shift," Judy said and walked up to Tom to grab the bag. "Do you guys want to come with me?"

"I very much do not," I said.

"I'll bury him with you, Jude," Doug said.

Tom handed the bag to Judy and said, "you couldn't have left him out in the snow? Would have done the same thing and he wouldn't have been close to our food."

"It's fine," she assured and put the bag back in the fridge.

Tom grimaced and washed his hands. I went back to focusing on my tasks to start the day, until Tom walked up to me with two mugs of hot chocolate in his hands. They were complete with marshmallows and whipped cream. He handed one to me, and I let the warmth of the handle burn my fingers, but in a good way.

"Thank you," I said up at him. He is so sweet.

Tom just smiled at me and took a sip of his own. When he settled back in his own chair, I noticed an endearing whipped cream mustache on his upper lip.

As I was taking a sip of my hot chocolate, Doug asked, "anyone see that new episode of the Golden Girls yet?"

Tom set his mug down silently while his lips moved slightly, as if he was talking to himself. His eyebrows stitched together and he asked, "you watch the Golden Girls?"

Doug looked at Tom and nodded. "You don't?"

"Uh, no," Tom said sarcastically.

"You should give it a chance, man."

"No, I don't think I will." He took another sip of his hot chocolate.

"We are kinda like the Golden Girls, ya know. Except we are young and not in Miami," Doug said, followed by a sigh.

"Jenko was like Rose," I said softly. I love the Golden Girls.

"Absolutely. Fuller is like... Dorothy," Doug added.

"Judy, you kinda remind me of Rose too. Not the naive part. I mean the sweet, kind, and competitive part," Ioki said.

Judy smiled from her desk. "Thanks. And I see you as Miles, the professor."

Ioki beamed at that comment. It's like the sun kissed his face and reflected off his sparkling white teeth.

Doug turned to me and said, "Mick, you remind me most of Sophia. You're quick-witted and never fail to make me laugh."

I giggled softly and turned my attention to my mug of cocoa. My warm cheeks rose and I took that comparison as a compliment. It is no wonder why she's my favorite character.

"I was thinking that too, with a hint of Blanche," Ioki added.

"Yeah," Judy agreed.

Tom looked between all of us with a cock of his eyebrow. He asked, "has everyone here seen the Golden Girls except for me?"

No one waited a beat before we all answered in unison. "Yes."

"I'm surrounded by a bunch of nerds," Tom mumbled under his breath and took another sip of his hot coco. A very Dorothy thing to say.

Just then, Fuller opened his door and he called me and Tom into his office. I put my mug down and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. I swiped an orange from my coat pocket, since I didn't have time to eat it this morning.

I followed Tom as we went toward Fuller's office and I just couldn't get the peel off. I held my hand out and asked, "would you peel—"

Tom playfully hit my hand, causing the orange to fly up in the air. He snatched it with a grin and started peeling it for me.

"... my orange for me?" I finished with a giggle.

Tom looked up at me with the same smile and looked back down to peel the orange. We walked through Fuller's office door and I shut the door behind us before I got beside Tom and we stood together in front of Fuller's desk.

"The exchange students over at Fernfield High School are being sent back to their home countries left and right. All for disciplinary reasons. I think that there's something fishy going on there, and I want you two to check it out." Fuller handed us folders of our alter-ego.

"Exchange students? From... England?" I asked, flipping through my papers. I thought I recognized the name of the school, but we went to different high schools in the same district already so they have very similar names.

"The Van Dort twins," Fuller said, "y'all are siblings again. Just... just don't mess it up this time."

"You can count on us. I promise, we will not jeopardize the assignment," I reassured.

"Again," Fuller finished for me.

"Again." I nodded with a bit of shame.

"Now say it all again," Fuller demanded, "like a Van Dort."

I peered at Tom and cleared my throat to try to form a British accent and I repeated my sentence.

"No, love, you're forcing it too hard," Tom said in a smooth British accent that I had no idea he was capable of perfecting. "Don't pronounce the 'r' so hard. But enunciate the heavy consonant words."

I gave Tom a sideways glance before looking back at Fuller. Fuller said, "pretend you're on The Goldbergs. Imagine the voice in your head, and try to replicate it."

I know that Fuller was trying to help, but I had no idea what The Goldbergs was. Later, I found out that it was a radio show that aired from 1929-1956. I assume he referenced it because of the transatlantic accent, but there are about a hundred other things he could have referenced to give the same advice.

"What?" I asked.

"The Gold— nevermind, you're probably too young for that."

"Way too young," I breathed out.

"Hey, hey," Fuller snapped. "Radio isn't just some background noise. Back in my day, the radio gave us everything we needed to know. It gave us information, entertainment, and music. I'm not even that old!"

"You sound just like my grandma," Tom said with smart-ass attitude. He tossed the orange peel in the nearby garbage can and handed me the ball of citrus.

Fuller's expression dropped in annoyance, even though we all knew that Tom was just joking. "Tom, help her practice. You have school this morning, don't be late."

"You really do have a great accent," I said to Tom as I ate one of my orange slices. "Do you practice?"

"No, love, I am just very talented," he said with a wink.

"Hey, hey, none of that." Fuller smacked some of the papers on his desk.

"Sorry, I'm done," Tom said, stuck in his perfect English accent.

I thanked Tom for peeling my orange, and I offered Tom one of my orange slices. He took it. "Tax," was my reason.

Fuller excused us with a wave of his hand. "Go on then. Dismissed."

We left his office, with Tom in my ear giving me sentences to repeat in an English accent all the way until we got to the school.

I hope you this liked this one!
It was inspired by Johnny Depp's English/British accents that he can somehow sound different with every British character he plays 😂
And I put in a reference to Arrested Development!!