There she is again. It seems like every time I head into the bathroom, she shows up right afterward. Her cube is right near there so I see her all the time. There's something about her that's different from all the other women who work here, but I can't pin it down. She's pretty -- espresso-colored hair, collar length, bangs across the front, dark lipstick on a somewhat wide, almost asymmetrical mouth, dark eyes, and a very long neck. But her clothes are so very conservative I'm not sure what to make of her. All I know is that I can almost count on her following me into the ladies' room.
She'll stand at the mirror and primp a bit until I go into a stall. She then takes the stall right next to mine. I'm still not sure what to make of it; we all have our favorite stalls after all, and she doesn't seem to do anything unusual. This time I decide to test her -- I choose a different stall. Sure enough, she once again takes the stall to the right of me.
We both sit, neither of us making any audible sound. I am too focused on her to pee. This stall is out of toilet paper, giving me the perfect opportunity: "Can you pass me some toilet paper? This one's out."
"That stall always seems to be out. Here you go." Long pretty fingers with immaculately painted and trimmed fingernails appear under the wall, with a delicately folded wad of tissue. I reach down and as she hands it to me, she touches my fingers and slides off of them as I pull away.
After flushing, I exit and she follows suit. we stand at the sinks, looking in the mirror. I steal a glance at her reflection as she adjusts her blouse, briefly revealing the lacy top of a beautiful -- and expensive-looking -- bra. I look up quickly and she is looking at me -- in the eye -- in the mirror reflection.
"I like your necklace. You always have the most interesting jewelry. I'm Catherine, by the way." Not taking her eyes off of my reflection. I turn to thank her directly and she looks at me for a moment, lipstick tube suspended in a graceful hand. She holds the moment for a little too long, and I feel heat rise from my neck into my cheeks. She smiles mysteriously, and returns to the mirror to reapply her lipstick.