Pictures of Lily

Nicola and I both chorus.
    I feel mildly guilty. Mel always makes the tea when she comes in, usually five or ten minutes after me. I’ve become lazy now and wait for her to appear rather than go to the kitchen myself.
    ‘I’ve got Tim Tams,’ Nicola proclaims, pulling out a packet from her bag.
    ‘Oh, you shouldn’t have,’ I say, reaching for the chocolate-covered biscuits. ‘I’m supposed to be going on a diet.’
    ‘You don’t need to diet,’ she scoffs as I hand the packet back to her. ‘Here, have another,’ she urges, waving it in my direction again. I comply.
    Isn’t that what brides-to-be do? Go on diets? I open my mouth with a sudden impulse to tell Nicola I’m engaged, but shut it again. Maybe later.
    Richard and I barely spoke to each other for the rest of the reception, but this morning when we woke up, he pulled me into his arms and tenderly kissed me on the forehead.
    ‘I love you,’ he said. ‘We can get married whenever you want.’
    ‘Thank you,’ I breathed, full of relief. ‘I love you too.’
    I hope he doesn’t want to tell Sam and Molly yet. Nathan and Lucy go to Bali tomorrow for two weeks. Maybe we can postpone the announcement until after they return and the glow from their honeymoon has dimmed? I don’t want to take anything away from them.
    At least, that’s my excuse and I’m sticking with it.
    ‘Here you go.’ Mel returns and places mugs of hot tea in front of Nicola and me. She removes her designer handbag from her stool and sits down, just as the double doors to the building whoosh open and the Editor-in-Chief of Marbles magazine walks in.
    ‘Good morning, Mr Laurence,’ Mel says silkily.
    The tall, olive-skinned man in the expensive suit chuckles as he approaches the desk. ‘You know, you can call me Jonathan.’
    ‘I know,’ she replies, looking up at him through her dark lashes. ‘But Mr Laurence sounds more powerful somehow.’
    He flashes her a grin and nods at Nicola and me before walking to the staircase. It’s five flights to his floor, but he never takes the lift. Nicola and I gawp open-mouthed at Mel as soon as he’s gone.
    ‘I can’t believe you speak to him like that!’ Nicola shakes her head in alarm, but Mel sighs dreamily.
    ‘He’s so sexy . . .’
    ‘And married,’ Nicola points out.
    ‘Happily?’ Mel asks, the picture of innocence.
    ‘That’s none of our business.’ Nicola gives Mel a warning look, but Mel clearly won’t be put off.
    ‘I can fantasise, can’t I?’
    Nicola and Mel have worked together for four years. The girl I’m replacing on maternity leave, Debbie, has been here for five. They’re all still firm friends, but whenever they get together for rare nights out – rare because Debbie has a baby now – I’m never invited. I suppose it would be a bit weird for Debbie to go drinking with her replacement. I wonder if they gossip about me to her? Probably. She must be interested to know what I’m like. I don’t think they’d say anything nasty though. We’ve never had a tiff. I don’t speak to Mel the way Nicola does. I’m not sure I could get away with it.
    ‘Not many early risers today,’ Nicola comments.
    ‘Quiet morning?’ I ask.
    ‘Very.’
    Nicola starts at eight o’clock, an hour earlier than us to accommodate people coming into work early. She leaves at five whereas we stay on until six. I’m usually a little early because of the time my ferry from Manly comes in. Nicola has blue eyes and long blonde hair with a slight curl to it. Mel is a green-eyed brunette, with longish, dead-straight hair. Both girls are slim and petite, slightly more so than me.
    What would you think if you could see me now?
    I think I look quite different. I had my dark hair cut shorter years ago and now wear it in a shiny, blunt bob with a fringe that falls just above my eyebrows. I’ve learned how to apply make-up properly and my eyes are still light brown, obviously . No one else has ever called them caramel. The temping jobs that I do require me to look the part, and the thought of my old self sitting here next to gorgeous girls like Nicola and Mel makes me shudder.
    Nicola pulls out a nail file from under the desk and begins to file her already-perfect talons. The door whooshes open again and she quickly puts it down to flash her welcome smile at the latest employee to arrive this morning. It’s funny working here. You get to see all kinds of people. The suits tend to get in early. The creatives: late. And