Don't Call Me Baby

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Lunch with the Ladies

Tuesday morning. Raining again, but at least my bunny slippers hadn't lost another eye and my mum had restocked on bananas. I ate one, while waiting for my toast to brown and thinking about all the disclosures Julian had made to my mum last night. I couldn't picture Julian in an army uniform, but it did explain his bossiness. I didn't even know that Denmark had an army. I couldn't actually picture him with any family either - perhaps he was an alien and that was why he lacked any empathy - I chuckled to myself at the thought of Julian being beamed down from a flying saucer in a tight silver space suit. That thought somehow cheered me up no end. I was beginning to like imagining Mr. Snooty in unusual scenarios. I wandered through to my bedroom and spotted the red box that he had handed over last night. I'd forgotten all about it and the box had slid onto the floor. I suppose I should take a look.

I opened the box carefully wiping my buttery fingers on my pajamas in case I got grease stains on the dress. Inside, wrapped in delicate tissue paper was a plain white dress with spaghetti straps. I pulled it out and held it in front of me. It was long and made from heavy jersey silk. I turned it around and got the shock of my life to see there was no back to the dress. I don't think I could wear this. For a start I couldn't wear a bra with a backless dress. Secondly, I wasn't used to showing much skin. Surely a black dress would have been far more... well... me. I sighed at the thought of arguing with Julian about wearing this dress and figured I'd just take the red dress along instead and tell him a little white lie that I'd forgotten to pack it. I tossed it back into the box and promptly forgot all about it.

After taking a quick shower, kissing mum goodbye, I left for the tube station. It was cold and I was grateful for the new coat which kept me warm. I was hoping that Pam would be on lunch duty today and that I would manage to have lunch with Sharon again. I felt sure she knew something more about Derek that she wasn't quite confiding in me yet. Maybe she knew who he was meeting up on the roof?

It was standing room only on the tube and my feet were beginning to ache in my new shoes by the time I reached the office. I would be much more comfortable if I could wear my trainers and jeans. Pam was wearing another tight skirt this time lime green with matching heels that I swear were six inches high. How on earth she managed to move at all was a mystery to me let alone that wiggle she had when she walked. If I were her I'd be terrified of bending over and bursting out of the skirt. Perhaps, I thought watching her walk down the corridor, the tight skirt was the cause of the wiggle.

"Normally watching a woman's butt is the prerogative of the male species," Joe Jr. whispered to me catching me by surprise. I blushed.

"Umm, I wasn't. I was thinking," I retorted hoping he believed me. I turned to him,

"Although I prefer my women taller," he flirted. My, oh my, he was handsome I thought. Those deep blue sparkly eyes, perfect white American teeth and broad chest, this job did have its benefits too.

"Really," I replied, "Do you make it a habit to flirt with all the women in the office?" I asked him.

"Only the good looking ones,'' he replied with a wink and walked away. Oh Lola Hussey better be careful of that one!

I got to my desk and before I could even remove my coat Julian's head popped around the door of his office. "Good morning, Lola. You're late," he said unsmiling, "when you're ready I have some dictation for you so come to my office please, and oh," he turned back as an afterthought, "would you bring me some coffee, black no sugar." I scowled, I was only five minutes late and now I'm a bloody waitress too? What's wrong with his legs, I thought.

Sharon was watching, "Don't worry," she said, "being a dogsbody is what we get paid for," she smiled then suggested we go to lunch, "Delia is on duty today so maybe Pam would like to join us?" She turned to Pam expectantly. Pam looked surprised to have been asked and took a while to respond,