It was the usual Monday morning with Leonora feeling washed out. It was difficult to think straight, though this would soon pass after a second coffee. She looked at the tired eyes staring back at her in the restroom mirror. She made funny faces, stretching the facial muscles in an attempt to ease the signs of weariness.
Standing up straight on tiptoe, pushing back her shoulders in an exaggerated pose a pair of ample breasts were impressively emphasised. Critically examining the image she felt pleased at how trim her figure had become over the past few months. Somehow it had been possible to keep to yet another diet.
At five foot five it was important not to look dumpy so honing a trim little waist helped settle that problem. Looking over her shoulder at a hard rounded bottom she breathed a noise of satisfaction. "It will do!" she sighed.
Looking into the tired face again she wondered for a moment when it had become so important to look after her body. At twenty-four it was a little too early to be worried about ageing. She wasn't looking for a man. On leaving college Leonora had made a life plan and right now it meant working on building a career.
On reflection she considered the business suit skirt was a little too short. An idea came to mind that this new outfit had been a reward for coming down a size. Staring in the mirror she wondered if a little too much cleavage was on show.
She wrinkled her nose in thought about the diet. It was curious how her breasts were larger yet her waist and tummy were trim. Good looks did help, had helped. As head of the department she was off the bottom rung of the corporate ladder ready to take another step up.
***
On seeing Rodney enter the purchasing office she suspected something was wrong. Rodney was the chairman's son and one of those annoying people who liked you to know it. Why was he slumming down here among the workers? A hasty swallow of caffeine added to the adrenalin rush. She was now alert at this sign of danger.
The triumphal gait of his walk continued unimpeded despite the smiles and quick words doled out as he passed upturned faces. He leaned into her office. "Did you enjoy the party?" He asked. "So, your favourite song is Lucky!"
How did he know about a friend's party over the weekend? It irritated her that she couldn't remember seeing him there. The more she thought about it the party shimmered like a hot roadway hiding the way back.
It must have been good. "It was good. Thank you for asking," she had almost told him she didn't remember much but it was important to portray an image of responsibility and respectability. She didn't want him to think she was a drunken party girl.
He smiled and turned away. "Hell! Party girl?" she exclaimed quietly. Where did that idea come from?
"Not more urgent reports surely!" Eileen, her secretary complained.
Nervously straightening and tugging at the short skirt Leonora pulled herself together. "No. He just came in to thank us for the ones we completed last week," she said.
Eileen looked at the door he had just closed behind him. "Well. That is something new. Stop fiddling with that skirt woman. If you're uncomfortable wearing it leave it at home tomorrow. Go back to something you feel more comfortable in." Eileen knew her boss wouldn't listen but said it anyway, as the department nursemaid forever dishing out advice, wanted or not.
With everyone's head down the muttering elapsed enough for Leonora to return to her office; satisfied everyone was working hard.
Apart from vague snippets of conversations all she was left with was a lingering pleasant feeling that she enjoyed a party at the weekend. There was not a single definite thing about it she could remember. Was he there?
There was no way she would have been singing at a party, unless perhaps they had a karaoke machine and she was very drunk. The words of the song triggered a memory and curiosity. "Lucky, lucky, lucky, I'm a lucky party girl," she quietly sung.
The words seemed familiar but not right and definitely something she wouldn't sing. Leonora was far too sensible to make a fool of her self. What had she done at the party and was it in front of him? He seemed to have such a smug smile upon his face as though he knew something.
It had probably been as dreary as usual with time spent listening to a strangers boring lecture about business. The thought that the party had been the same as usual implied she often went to parties, which was a surprising idea, yet it sat in her mind refusing to leave.
It tied in with these Monday morning heavy feelings. What had she done each weekend for the last six months? Her diary was well maintained up to six months ago with neat scribbles about decorating and weekend chores, both dull and tiresome, yet right now very comforting entries, then nothing. What had she been up to the last six months? Why hadn't she noticed this before?
"Leonora, Leonora. Are you in yet or still home painting the ceiling." Leonora's secretary was not exactly respectful of her boss but she did an excellent job of bringing everything together, especially on a Monday morning.
"What do you mean, painting the ceiling?" Leonora asked. Sharing gossip together would soon bring her round, back to the normal world of chaos that was usual in the office.
"Friday you said you were spending the weekend painting a spare bedroom ceiling. Anyway, you have the usual meeting to start the week then it's the usual department rounds." Eileen stated.
The rounds were what they called checking up on each of the staff to ensure they were not just sitting waiting for something to do. It happened, but not since they started the rounds. First, she had to attend the inter-departmental meeting. She looked at the reports then at Eileen, and they pulled the ritual faces, "Ugh!" they said in unison.
"You're not smoking," Leonora said, accusingly, as though it were an omission in her secretary's duties.
"I wondered when you would notice!" she giggled. "I've been going to a hypnotist. It's great. It's working. It's almost painless. I hardly remember having smoked let alone wanting to smoke," she enthused to Leonora, who at that moment was more friend than boss.
A curious thought dominated the day that just couldn't be shaken off. It led her to ask Eileen for the hypnotist's telephone number and taking the considerable step of actually dialling to make an appointment.
***
If there hadn't been a free slot that very afternoon the unsettled mood may have been shrugged off with the whole thing being dropped, yet she was there sitting before him, feeling confused. At first she felt embarrassed telling him of a vague uncomfortable feeling she had but then his professional skill was to help a client relax.
"One of the girls is arranging a party and was talking about outfits on a web site. When she laughed about one of them, a party pet..." She broke off with a shudder. "It left me with an uncomfortable image. I was dressed as a party pet surrounded by men. I don't know what it means but its frightening."
