ONE
"Thank you.
Your order is in the system and it'll be with you middle of week commencing the twenty-fifth. I'll give you a call a couple of days before to confirm delivery."
I closed the call and sat back twisting my dark hair up to pin it in place with a pencil.
Another two hours before home. This was the quiet part of the day now. The calls would die down and I'd tidy my crap away and chat to the other girls.
This was my first and only job but I imagined this was much like any other sales office. We were arranged in two rows of three well spaced out desks with Bob making up an additional station at the far end. Workstations were all much the same with a terminal and a rack against the wall for our customer files. Between them large windows along the side to my left swamped the office with natural light.
Not all the desks were occupied. Melanie, Sarah and an older lady in her forties, Moria, made up our current team along with me. And of course Bob Landry as the office manager. He pretty much left us alone, usually working on a myriad of other projects for the boss. Like me he was a more recent addition to the company but had quickly carved out a niche that stretched well beyond his brief. I only wished I was able to do the same.
Julia was on maternity leave and the other desk was just spare for when the Reps were in.
"I'll make coffee while it's quiet." I said pulling my headset away and picking up my specs.
"Two sugars."
Moria reminded me. Didn't matter how much I put in she always said it wasn't enough.
Our little kitchenette was behind the office along the corridor past Accounts just before the stairwell. Turning the other way would lead to the Site Managers office. A lovely man responsible for the whole business. He oozed confidence and power. I wanted to be just like him one day.
"I'll give you a hand."
Sarah followed me out and leant against the doorframe. Her help being more moral than practical. I wasn't a big fan of Sarah if I was honest. Only a couple of years older than me, I think she felt I'd stolen her role as the baby of the office when I joined. There was always an air of judgement, or jealousy. I couldn't quite put my finger on what it was, but there was a permanent coolness between us. Sometimes it seemed she was competing against me in some flirting competition I wasn't even playing.
No. Sarah was too much of a tart for me. Whereas I came dressed for work, professional looking in skirts and matching jackets, Sarah always had the look of the street corner. Even now it was a short skirt, heels and low top. Coupled with her dyed red hair she gave me the impression of someone who slept around.
"You heard?
Mike's leaving."
"Really? When?"
"End of the month.
Bob'll take that and we'll get a new Office Manager."
"You think."
My mind was going into a spin imagining a myriad of possibilities. A opportunity I couldn't let slide.
"I'm going for that job." I said calmly.
"You? A Sales Manager?" Sarah looked incredulous
"You've no chance. Bob did repping before. And we're all just decoration to Mark. Have you not worked that out yet?"
What Sarah said had some truth. Mark did like pretty girls around him but to call us decoration was going too far. I'd always found him professional and helpful. And he'd often spoken about growing talent in house. Something told me I was destined for this job. Getting out on the road was the reason I'd joined Reinhold Plastics.
"I'll get it.
You'll see."
"Hmm.
This my coffee?" She abruptly asked already picking the mug up.
I just nodded and got on with putting sugar in Moria's. I went for three heaped. Let her say that wasn't sweet enough.
Sarah had walked away without another word. It was obvious I'd managed to annoy her yet again. I didn't care.
My phone was ringing when I returned to my desk. Dropping back into my seat I snatched up the headset and pressed 'answer'.
"Hello. R P Packaging. Emma speaking, how can I help?"
Professional and well spoken as I always was.
"Tell me what colour knickers you're wearing." Came the reply in a sensual voice.
I glanced around to check the other girls were busy and pushed the headset mic closer to my mouth.
"What makes you think I wearing any?"
The other voice reverted to normal.
"Coz you're too posh not to."
"Liam. You're such an arse. What do you want?"
"Just checking with my posh bird if I'm okay to come round tonight."
I turned my head down towards the desk as the smirk spread across my face.
"I'm counting on it. You're cooking."
"Woah, what? Can't we have McDonalds?"
"No. You keep telling me I'm posh. Lady's don't eat McDonalds."
"Ha. I think I've got the wrong girl. I was hoping for Posh Emma's sister tonight. Slutty Emma."
"I have a sister and I'm sure you've noticed I don't let you anywhere near her. And you always get slutty Emma when you ask nicely. And cook."
"Fine." He whined the word.
"I'll cook. But I expect to eat pussy for dessert."
"You do know these calls are recorded for training purposes don't you?"
There was a stunned silence for a moment and I knew I had him.
"Really?"
I laughed.
"Yes. But I can delete it so don't worry.
"Fucking hell Em. I thought I'd screwed up then."
"You screw up all the time. That's why you date me, so I can clean up after you."
"There's definitely screwing involved, but other than that..."
"Careful. You don't want to ruin your chances of using your... screwdriver before work."
"That's... so hot. Now about those panties..."
"My panties are fine. Just you worry about not messing my stove up when you put the pasta on."
"Pizza did you say? Great. Bye."
"No wait... "
Too late. He was gone and all I had was the dead tone. I caught a glimpse of Melanie grinning at me just before she took a call. She knew who'd been on the phone. Probably even knew the conversation. Her sister was deaf and she was quite adept at lip reading. I felt myself colouring up as I rerun the conversation in my head trying to remember what I'd said.
Melanie was probably late twenties, perhaps even thirty. I wasn't sure of her exact age. She was the one I got along with best. Quiet, married with two small children and although I could see she was attractive it was always hidden beneath a slightly dowdy look and a few extra pounds than she should have. Not fat, just in need of some toning. Somewhere she'd lost her way and forgotten what she had.
"Someone's on a mission tonight." She said grinning as soon as she ended her call.
"Shut up." I coloured red.
"Don't tell everyone."
I glanced around thankfully finding the others too preoccupied to hear.
"I'm gonna turn my desk around so you can't see my lips."
"Aw don't do that.
Your convo's are the nearest I get to excitement these days."
She came over and perched on the end of the desk.
"Don't ever get married. Or have kids.
It all ends then. They don't try and you'll be too tired changing nappies."
"Ew.
No children for me. My hole is for entering. Not exiting." I giggled.
"My hole hasn't been entered for weeks. At least not by Jim. Last time was when Liverpool won. Enjoy it while you can."
"Not by Jim?
Something you want to tell me?"
She darted back to her desk as Mark came through the door and put her head down.
"All my favourite girls working hard?" He said jovially rubbing his hands together as he passed by. He looked like a king of all he surveyed and I suppose he was.
This was my chance. I slid off my chair and ran after him.
