sitting by your desk in its wrapper?”
“I might like lacrosse. Bradley does. He spoke about it last week.”
“Well. I’ll repeat my message. You don’t have time to use any of this sporting equipment. You might pick up a hobby but for right now you’re signed up for these swimming lessons. No more consuming. Okay? Do you know how many minutes I have to spend looking at your packages? It can’t go on. Can not, will not continue.”
“Okay. I get it, I’ve been a little trigger-happy on the mouse, clicking away, buying a few items.”
Jessica leaned forward, hands firmly on the desk. “If that’s what you call it.”
Sophie nodded, picking up the package trying to change the subject. “I have no idea what it could be.”
Jessica swatted her hand. “Oh no, you don’t. I can’t make this easy anymore.” Jessica’s face transformed from a grin, into a look of menace. Her hands worked nimbly, like she was an expert in knitting, fingers flying, slashing open the package.
“It’s marked personal,” Sophie stated. “It could be anything.”
“Hmm…like sporting equipment? What’s so personal about that? At least I know what’s going on in your head every now and again when I open your mail.”
“It could be absolutely anything.”
“What you’ve got some other fetish I don’t know about? Is it something exciting, x-rated, like edible underwear?”
“What use would something x-rated be when I don’t have a boyfriend. You said it, they simply chuck me.”
“Maybe it’s something else that could help you out in that area?” Jessica pushed the flaps of the box down, peered inside. “Oh my God.”
“What? What is it?”
“You were right. You need this.”
“What? A book? An exercise ball?”
“A vibrator.” Jessica giggled, her voice carrying through to each corner of the office, and probably breaking ice out in the Arctic as well.
Sophie cringed. “Give me that.” She snatched the cardboard box. There was an item, wrapped in tissue paper, long, rectangular, but the shape of a shoe box. Clearly not a vibrator. Too flat to actually be shoes inside. She picked it up, feeling the weight. Very light. She hurriedly peeled back the tissue paper, her curiosity mounting. This was too light to be the inflatable ball she’d purchased. She extracted a yellow, plastic kickboard.
Out of all the things she’d purchased over the last week she did not purchase this. There was some type of mistake. The shop had made a mistake.
“I knew it.” Jessica shrieked. “I bloody knew it, more blooming sporting equipment. What the hell do you need a kickboard for?”
Yes. Why indeed did she need a kickboard? Then she realised. “Swimming lessons,” Sophie swallowed as comprehension became clear, she’d bought the swimsuit, agreed over email. Although swimming wasn’t a sport she exactly fantasized doing, never being one on Derek’s list either, she somehow was on the swimming trajectory. Propelling forward as if she was going to go through with it.
“No, no, no.” Jessica continued. “This simply can not go on.”
Sophie held the kickboard with shaking hands, watching as Jessica extracted more items.
“A bathing cap? Goggles? Really, Sophie? What’s all this for? You better show me your pool membership. I have high doubts that you’re actually planning to go to this pool.” Jessica held the items by the tips of her fingers, displaying them like dirty laundry, for the entire office to see.
“For your information I have a swimming lesson booked. Matthew Silver left that message that there was a free spot left. Remember?”
Jessica narrowed her gaze. “I didn’t believe you’ll actually take the lesson, you’d actually have to make time. Personal time. That’s the reason why you didn’t arrange one with his receptionist, you don’t make time.”
“Oh I must make time.” Sophie suddenly felt the need to justify it. “You see, Matthew Silver would be absolutely appalled if I
“I might like lacrosse. Bradley does. He spoke about it last week.”
“Well. I’ll repeat my message. You don’t have time to use any of this sporting equipment. You might pick up a hobby but for right now you’re signed up for these swimming lessons. No more consuming. Okay? Do you know how many minutes I have to spend looking at your packages? It can’t go on. Can not, will not continue.”
“Okay. I get it, I’ve been a little trigger-happy on the mouse, clicking away, buying a few items.”
Jessica leaned forward, hands firmly on the desk. “If that’s what you call it.”
Sophie nodded, picking up the package trying to change the subject. “I have no idea what it could be.”
Jessica swatted her hand. “Oh no, you don’t. I can’t make this easy anymore.” Jessica’s face transformed from a grin, into a look of menace. Her hands worked nimbly, like she was an expert in knitting, fingers flying, slashing open the package.
“It’s marked personal,” Sophie stated. “It could be anything.”
“Hmm…like sporting equipment? What’s so personal about that? At least I know what’s going on in your head every now and again when I open your mail.”
“It could be absolutely anything.”
“What you’ve got some other fetish I don’t know about? Is it something exciting, x-rated, like edible underwear?”
“What use would something x-rated be when I don’t have a boyfriend. You said it, they simply chuck me.”
“Maybe it’s something else that could help you out in that area?” Jessica pushed the flaps of the box down, peered inside. “Oh my God.”
“What? What is it?”
“You were right. You need this.”
“What? A book? An exercise ball?”
“A vibrator.” Jessica giggled, her voice carrying through to each corner of the office, and probably breaking ice out in the Arctic as well.
Sophie cringed. “Give me that.” She snatched the cardboard box. There was an item, wrapped in tissue paper, long, rectangular, but the shape of a shoe box. Clearly not a vibrator. Too flat to actually be shoes inside. She picked it up, feeling the weight. Very light. She hurriedly peeled back the tissue paper, her curiosity mounting. This was too light to be the inflatable ball she’d purchased. She extracted a yellow, plastic kickboard.
Out of all the things she’d purchased over the last week she did not purchase this. There was some type of mistake. The shop had made a mistake.
“I knew it.” Jessica shrieked. “I bloody knew it, more blooming sporting equipment. What the hell do you need a kickboard for?”
Yes. Why indeed did she need a kickboard? Then she realised. “Swimming lessons,” Sophie swallowed as comprehension became clear, she’d bought the swimsuit, agreed over email. Although swimming wasn’t a sport she exactly fantasized doing, never being one on Derek’s list either, she somehow was on the swimming trajectory. Propelling forward as if she was going to go through with it.
“No, no, no.” Jessica continued. “This simply can not go on.”
Sophie held the kickboard with shaking hands, watching as Jessica extracted more items.
“A bathing cap? Goggles? Really, Sophie? What’s all this for? You better show me your pool membership. I have high doubts that you’re actually planning to go to this pool.” Jessica held the items by the tips of her fingers, displaying them like dirty laundry, for the entire office to see.
“For your information I have a swimming lesson booked. Matthew Silver left that message that there was a free spot left. Remember?”
Jessica narrowed her gaze. “I didn’t believe you’ll actually take the lesson, you’d actually have to make time. Personal time. That’s the reason why you didn’t arrange one with his receptionist, you don’t make time.”
“Oh I must make time.” Sophie suddenly felt the need to justify it. “You see, Matthew Silver would be absolutely appalled if I
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