The People of the City

A Cake A Day

Brian was chatting to Charmaine on reception when Monica Page walked in carrying her large, bright blue cake tin. He hadn't so much been chatting with Charmaine as leaning over the reception desk and trying to chat her up. From his position perched on the edge of the desk had to stare up at him with her large, green eyes, and he was perfectly positioned to casually stare down her cleavage. He didn't even have to lean forward to get the perfect view.

"I'm sure that Louisa is sure to win X-Factor," he was saying, knowing that it was Charmaine's favourite television show, when he saw Monica walking towards them with her bright blue cake tin.

"Oh look, it's Monica. I love her cakes!" Charmaine exclaimed.

God, he never looked at the woman twice unless she was carrying that cake tin. She was one of the many dull, middle aged women that filled this company, women he tried to avoid most of the time. With her dull green cardigan and her dull brown hair. God, couldn't she at least try to make something of herself. His mum hadn't let herself go, she kept her hair dyed blonde and always took care over her appearance, and she must be the same age as Monica Page. If his mum could do it then Monica Page could at least try.

"Monica! Have you got cakes for us?" Charmaine cried out, as she jumped up from her chair.

"Of course," Monica Page replied as she made a bee-line for them.

Brain stood up from perching on the reception desk as she approached them.

"I've made orange chocolate cupcakes, would you like one?" Monica Page said as she offered them the open cake tin. As he lent forward he could smell the rich chocolate and orange aroma rising up from the open tin.

"Is the sky blue? I love your cakes!" Charmaine exclaimed, as she reached in and helped herself to one of the dark brown cupcakes in Monica's Page cake tin.

"How about you?" Monica Page said as she offered the cake tin to him

"Thanks Miss Page," Brian replied as he reached in and took one of the dark brown cupcakes. The little cake gave slightly to his grip, showing how moist and rich it was.

God, she might be another dull old bag but Monica Page could make cakes, Brian told himself.

*****

Joanna lent forward on Katie's desk and said, "I've heard that she's applied for the Deputy Project Manager's role."

"Caroline Griffiths? She can't organise changing her own knickers," Katie replied, turning away from her computer screen.

"She thinks she's perfect for the job," Joanna told her. She hadn't seen Katie for two days (Katie had been off on another training course, like she hadn't done enough of them already) and she was burning to tell Katie all her latest news.

"She does, does she?" Katie replied, her carefully plucked eye brows rising quizzically.

"She told me Monday morning, when she told me that she'd put in her application. She said she is what the Project Management team really needs. Someone with young and new ideas," Joanna said, a flourish of superiority running through her voice. She didn't bother hiding it though because she knew that Katie felt the same way about Caroline Griffiths as she did.

"She did, did she? Well wait until she wants a reference from me, I'll put them straight," Katie said, her back straightening with annoyance.

"Yes, and she's only gone and put Richard Jennings down for her reference," Joanna replied, firing her final shot at Katie.

"The two-faced little bitch!" Katie exploded.

"I know," Joanna replied, hiding the satisfaction she felt. She had now got her own back on Caroline Griffiths. That girl, only just out of university, had been getting far too much credit and praise ever since she arrived here, while all Joanna's work went ignored. Just because she didn't have a degree and a thin waist like Caroline Griffiths, she lost out all the time.