Pictures of Lily

get out the camera from its box. ‘How much was it?’
    ‘Put it this way, it maxed out my credit card. Do you mind if I stick it on here to charge?’ I indicate the power point underneath the reception desk.
    ‘Sure.’ Mel shrugs.
    Nicola rests her elbow against the desk and grins across at me. I look away. ‘So,’ she says. ‘Who’s Ben?’
    ‘I told you, an old friend.’
    ‘I haven’t heard you mention him before.’
    ‘I only bumped into him again recently,’ I explain. ‘I used to know him in Adelaide.’
    ‘Another sexy Adelaide boy.’ She sighs.
    ‘He’s not exactly a boy.’ I can’t help but laugh. ‘He used to work at the conservation park where I had a summer job.’
    ‘What did he do there?’ Mel’s interested now.
    ‘He was a keeper. He looked after the koalas,’ I tell them.
    ‘Phwoar. Sexy and good with animals,’ Nicola says dreamily.
    Out of the blue I see an image in my head of Nicola kissing Ben.
    ‘What?’ Nicola says.
    ‘Sorry?’ I ask.
    ‘You looked like you were in pain.’
    ‘No, no, it’s nothing.’ I brush her off.
    I see Nicola throw Mel a look. ‘Better crack on,’ Mel says, and Nicola turns away as they both get on with their work.
    I look down at the camera in my hands and feel dizzy. I try to take a couple of deep breaths, but the thought of Nicola with Ben is too much. The thought of anyone with Ben is too much. He’s single now. I can’t let him fall for anyone else, I can’t!
    Seeing more of him has not made it easier. There’s no clear-cut decision. But I’m going to have to make a decision soon. I can’t keep going on like this. It’s wrong. Very, very wrong.
    It strikes me that I’ve been carrying this weight on my shoulders for over ten years and I haven’t had anyone to talk to about it. Not a single person. My friends in Adelaide wouldn’t understand why I didn’t tell them years ago, and they certainly wouldn’t comprehend the gravity of it or the depth of my feelings for Ben because I always kept quiet. My closest friends here, Lucy and Molly . . . well, they’d be horrified at my betrayal of Richard. Could I confide in Nicola and Mel? I glance across at them, both diligently typing away on their keyboards.
    I don’t know them that well, and that could be a good thing. And they’ve only met Richard a couple of times so their loyalty would most certainly be with me.
    Maybe it’s time to talk to someone about this . . .
    At that moment, the doors open and Jonathan Laurence strolls up to the receptionist desk. To my right, Mel flicks back her hair. Horny banker or no horny banker, she’s still got the hots for him.
    ‘Lily,’ he says. ‘Could I have a word with you?’
    ‘Of course. Shall I come upstairs?’
    ‘No, no, here is fine. Bronte has been given the opportunity to go abroad on a shoot next week and before she organises cover through the temping agency, I wanted to mention it to you. And your colleagues, of course.’ He smiles at Mel and Nicola. ‘Would you be interested – if Melissa and Nicola here are happy to arrange a temp for reception, of course?’
    I glance at them and they both nod encouragingly. ‘Thanks – I’d love to,’ I beam.
    ‘Great. I’ll have Bronte email you the details this afternoon.’
    ‘Thank you.’
    ‘No problem.’
    ‘That’s so cool,’ Mel gushes when he’s out of earshot.
    ‘Brilliant,’ Nicola agrees.
    ‘Are you sure you don’t mind?’ I check, but they both wave me away.
    ‘Of course not,’ Nicola says. ‘You’ve got to do what you can.’
    ‘Maybe you can get Cara back in,’ I suggest.
    ‘Maybe,’ Mel says. ‘Cara and her hooting laugh.’
    ‘And her takeaway coffees.’ Nicola stares off into the distance, wistfully.
    ‘Is that a hint?’ I ask.
    ‘No, no, no,’ she replies with a grin. ‘But if you’re passing Starbucks, make mine a skinny latte.’
    The day goes by slowly because I’m desperate to get home and play with my new toy. I read the manual on the ferry journey to Manly, but I’m too nervous to actually take a shot in case I drop the damn thing.
    Richard is already home when I get there. I’m disappointed because I’d like to practise in peace. It’s an awful thought to have because we haven’t spent any quality time together since he got back from his surfing trip. I don’t know why. Or maybe I do. Maybe it’s because I’m trying to prepare myself for the absence of him in my life. I push open the door and see him lying