Easy Over Eggs,
Angharad Golden Hand & Peredur.
part: 100 & 4 dozen.

I thought I'd better look tidy, dunno why, universities are bastions of non-conformist thinking and Bohemianism. But, was I non-conformist or Bohemian? Not really, if I was I'd have just turned up wearing whatever and telling people to call me, whatever. Instead, I wanted to be accepted as a female, a normal one, and have relationships and do my other things as a normal woman. Which was why I was clattering into the professor's office at eight in the morning, wearing a suit and smart blouse. I was carrying my laptop, because I might need stuff I had on it.

It felt really strange seeing Mary's desk deserted, she was always there, I felt really sad. I thought back to her funeral at the crematorium, it was quite moving. Her family were there, although the prof and I sat at the back holding each other up, trying to avoid them. They had heard a sanitised view of the tragic incident. They were told, she had somehow flipped and threatened me and the professor with a knife, knocking me out and stabbing the professor, hence the shooting. Apparently, she had a history of bi-polar disorder and wasn't taking her medication, so the day she ran amok, she was manic.

We tried to slip away from the service, but were asked to wait by her mother, who was pushing ninety. To our astonishment, the old lady apologised to both of us. I gave her a hug and said, " The Mary I had known and worked with, was a lovely lady, who wouldn't hurt a fly. What had happened was an outbreak of her illness and it was so sad that they hadn't been able to disarm her before someone got hurt and she was killed."

"Thank you my dear, you are very kind. It was her illness that killed her, not you or the policeman who pulled the trigger, it was her illness."

I walked her to her car, whilst the rest of her family waited to thank the mourners for attending.

"Do come and see me, I live in Salisbury these days," I shook hands with her, "and it would be nice to hear how you are getting on. Mary said, you were an up and coming talent, and very beautiful. That was how I recognised you, by your beauty."

She held my hands and feeling my ring looked down at it. "What a beautiful ring for a beautiful girl, I hope your husband to be appreciates you, it looks like it from that ring."

"I'm very lucky Mrs Mallory, Simon is a really good man."

"With a good job by the look of it," she winked at me.

"Yes he has, he had the ring made to match these," I showed her the necklace and earrings, "they were my mother's."

"Your mother has gone?"

"Yes she died a couple or so months ago."

"Oh I am sorry, my dear. I'm too old to adopt you now, but if you want an adoptive grandmother, I'd be delighted to assist."

"That's really sweet," I thanked her and we embraced and air kissed.

"That's a lovely suit," she said touching the outfit, the same one I had worn to my mother's funeral.

"Thank you," I blushed despite the cold breeze.

"Do come and see me," she said pushing a card into my hand,"Salisbury isn't that far away unless you're on a bicycle or something."

"I ride one of those too," I grinned back.

"Hence your lovely figure." She got back into her car and it slowly drove off, with her waving to me as she went.

I went back and rescued the professor and took him home, before I went back to the cottage and the crazy siblings.

I shook myself, and walked away from the empty desk. The office key had been loaned to me from the front office and I went inside Agnew's office. It felt very strange too, like I was a child playing in my parent's bedroom and probably doing something naughty. I half expected him to walk in at any moment and tell me off for sitting in his chair.

So instead, I set up on an empty table, my wi fi being able to access a hot spot and get on the net. I sent him an email asking if there were any priorities I should clear first. Then I went off to make myself a cup of tea.

Coming back I saw a woman from reception with another woman, the receptionist said, "Ah here she is, the lady you'll be working with." I almost looked around to see who she meant. "It is Cathy, isn't it?" she said to me.

"Yes, that's me." I put down my mug of tea, "How can I help?"

"This is Pippa, your temp."

"Oh okay, welcome to the madhouse, I'm Cathy Watts."

"Pippa Knight," she took my extended arm and we shook hands, well fingers really.

"Cuppa?"

"Oh please." I put mine in the office and took her through to the small room which acted as our kitchenette. It had a sink, and a kettle plus the raw materials for making tea and coffee. She was a tea drinker, I knew we were going to get on fine.

She found a pile of letters to do and started typing them, whilst I explored the list the professor had sent me back. He'd also advised me, 'Top drawer, green filing cab. chocolate biscuits.'

Well I couldn't turn down an invitation like that, could I? Chocolate digestives, plain chocolate too, my favourite. There was also a bottle of Scotch, but that was not on my agenda one bit. I don't even like the smell, let alone taste.

"Ms Watts?" she said knocking and entering.

"Yes Ms Knight," I replied.

"Oh please call me Pippa," she said blushing.

"I will when you call me Cathy."

"Okay, Cathy it is."

"Right Pippa, what do you need?"

"I love that suit," she said, handing me some letters for signature."

"Yes, my sister in law to be, gave it to me. She has wonderful taste, and I have an empty wardrobe." I smiled and she chuckled. "Am I supposed to sign these?" I flicked through them, "Oh they're all to do with the project, I suppose I better had. oh I like that, 'Acting Project Coordinator.' I think we're going to get on fine, how long are you here for?"

"They didn't give me a date, but it was suggested a month or so. I hope it lasts, it's handy for me, I can get back and give my kids lunch and tea."

That surprised me, she didn't look any older than I was, and she has kids - in the plural. Then I'm supposed to be a career woman, so the fact that I can't have kids, could be a bonus. No it wasn't, if I though that I was deluding myself, but there's little point in crying over spilt milk, so I pulled myself together to do what I was there for.

I suddenly remembered I had an appointment with Dr Thomas, first thing tomorrow. Another early start, damn! So I needed to get as many things done today as I could.

Pippa left at five, calling 'bye' as she went, I'd told her I had a meeting first thing and would get in as soon as I could, but I'd leave her some stuff to do.

The prof had started a report, which was the first priority, he asked me to finish it. I phoned him. "You want me to finish this report?" I said swallowing hard.

"Yes, or I wouldn't have said so. I know women tend to say anything but what they mean, being a man, I actually say exactly what I mean."

"But I've never done one this important before," I said weakly.

"Well it's about bloody time you did. Now stop whining and get on with it, send me an email and I'll change anything I don't like."

That actually felt better, at least he was able to correct it. He should have been resting, but I knew he wasn't, probably walking his dozy spaniel.

I had a tutorial with the Potter girl, I texted her to come to the prof's office. Her essay was much better second time around, so we looked briefly at her next assignment. She was beginning to get the idea and she wrote furiously, making notes as we ran through the previously submitted work.

"This is so much easier the way you explain it," she said, "I'm so glad they assigned me to you for my tutor. When I told Daddy, he wasn't too impressed until I showed him my reworked essay. He told me he had misjudged you, as I did at our first meeting. I'd listened to the rumours and foolishly believed them. Now I know they were wrong, I don't believe anyone as natural and beautiful as you, was ever a boy. You're far too nice."

I said nothing, just smiled.

At seven I had just finished redoing the report to the prof's liking, when Simon phoned. "Where the hell are you?"

"I'd have thought that was obvious, or I wouldn't be talking to you on this phone." Men - duh!

"That's what I mean, why are you there?"

"That is a different question, Simon."

"Don't get arsey with me Lady Catherine, or I'll have to smack your lovely buttocks when you get home."

"With one arm in plaster? You just watch I don't break the other one!"

"That's fight'n talk Missus!"

"Yup, I guess it is," I replied with a pathetic attempt at a John Wayne drawl, why I have no idea, sounded more like Jerry Hall with a cold!

"You step outside gal and git what's comin' to yah."

"Oh yeah, and what'll that be?"

"Six inches of something hard."

"You what?" I squealed, probably damaging his hearing for life.

"I was referring to ma Colt."

"You haven't got a horse," I challenged still sniggering from the previous line.

"It's ma gun not my horse."

"I was going to say, I had a 'My Little Pony' and that was taller than six inches." By now I was becoming helpless with laughing.

"I'm calling you out Missus, ya shouldn't be laughin'."

"Why not?"

"Because it's fwightfuwy wude, and hurts my feewings!" he replied in a silly lisping voice.

"Well why didn't you say, Okay Desperate Dan, I'll grab a cow pie on the way home."

"When will that be?"

"I am just about to leave, is Beryl the Peril going to be there?"

"No she's gone out with John, so it's just the two of us, romantic eh?"

It was, after we ate the fish and chips I got on the way home, I fell asleep while cuddling with him. Another day in the life of a sex goddess-career woman!

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Don't forget, comments please, good, bad, indifferent - all welcome.