Twenties Girl

“We’re not!” I shake my head. “Natalie, I don’t think like you! I don’t work like you! I want to put people into great jobs, not treat them like bits of meat. It’s not all about salary!” Feeling fired up, I grab her stupid Salary, salary, salary Post-it off the wall and try to rip it up, except it keeps sticking to my fingers so in the end I just crumple it. “It’s about the package, the person, the company-the whole picture. Matching people. Making it right for everyone. And if it’s not about that, it should be.”

I’m still half hoping that I might get through to her somehow. But her incredulous expression doesn’t alter one iota.

“Matching people!” She bursts into derisive laughter. “News flash, Lara: This isn’t a lonely hearts bureau!”

She’s never going to understand me. And I’m never going to understand her.

“I want to break up our partnership,” I say, my jaw set. “It was a mistake. I’ll speak to the lawyer.”

“Whatever.” She stands, folding her arms, and leans back proprietorially against her desk. “But you’re not poaching any of my clients; it’s in our agreement. So don’t get any bright ideas about ripping me off.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” I say tightly.

“Go on, then.” Natalie shrugs. “Clear your desk. Do whatever you’ve got to do.”

I glance over at Kate. She’s watching us, utterly aghast.

“Sorry,” I mouth. In response, she gets out her phone and starts texting something. A moment later, my phone bleeps and I pull it out.

I don’t blame u. If u start a company can I come? Kx

I text back.

Of course. But I don’t know what I’m going to do yet. Thanks, Kate. L xx

Natalie has sat back down at her desk and is ostentatiously typing at her computer as if I don’t exist.

I feel a bit light-headed as I stand there in the middle of the office. What have I just done? This morning I had a business and a future. Now I don’t. I’ll never get all my money back off Natalie. What will I tell Mum and Dad?

No. Don’t think about that now.

My throat is tight as I pick up a cardboard box from the corner, empty the computer paper out of it, and start packing my stuff. My hole punch. My pen holder.

“But if you think you can set up on your own and do what I do, you’re wrong.” Natalie suddenly lashes out, swiveling on her chair. “You don’t have any contacts. You don’t have any expertise. All your airy-fairy ‘I want to give people great jobs’ and ‘Look at the whole picture.’ That’s not going to run a business. And don’t expect me to give you a job when you’re starving in the street.”

“Maybe Lara isn’t going to stay in recruitment!” To my astonishment, Kate chimes in from across the room. “Maybe she’s going to do something else altogether! She has other talents, you know.” She nods at me excitedly, and I peer back in slight confusion. I do?

“Like what?” says Natalie scathingly.

“Like mind reading!” Kate brandishes Business People . “Lara, you’ve kept so quiet about this! There’s a whole piece about you at the back on the gossip page! Lara Lington entertained crowds for an hour with her spectacular mind-reading feats. Organizers have been inundated with requests for Ms. Lington to entertain at corporate events. ‘I’ve never seen anything like it,’ said John Crawley, chairman of Medway plc. ‘Lara Lington should have her own TV show.’”

“Mind reading?” Natalie looks gobsmacked.

“It’s… something I’ve been working on.” I shrug.

“It says here you read five minds at once!” Kate is bubbling over. “Lara, you should go on Britain’s Got Talent! You’ve got a real gift!”

“Since when could you mind read?” Natalie’s eyes narrow suspiciously.

“That would be telling. And, yes, maybe I will do a few corporate events,” I add defiantly. “Start a little business up. So I probably won’t be starving in the street, thanks very much, Natalie.”

“Read my mind, then, if you’ve got such a gift.” Natalie thrusts her chin out challengingly. “Go on.”

“No, thanks,” I say sweetly. “I’d rather not pick up anything nasty.”

There’s a snuffling noise from Kate. For the first time today, Natalie looks discomfited. I pick up my box before she can think of anything else to say and head over to Kate to give her a hug.

“Bye, Kate. Thanks for everything. You’re a star.”