Next to arrive was Shelby, a giggly, easily distracted strawberry blonde who reminded Tessa of a bird. Of medium height, Shelby was stick thin, her arms and legs spindly. She had a small face with a pointy nose and chin and deep-set, almost beady eyes. Her high-pitched voice and annoying little laugh at times sounded just like a chirping bird.
Andrew seemed to pick on Shelby more than any of the others, to the point that she was now terrified of him and would start quaking whenever he was close by. Privately, Tessa thought Andrew’s methods could be a little less intimidating but nonetheless could understand his constant irritation with the silly, not especially bright Shelby. Tessa wondered how she’d ever been hired to work in this very high profile unit given her overall lack of ability.
The next two to arrive were BFF’s Gina and Alicia. Since they were roommates, they arrived and departed the office together every day, and at times it seemed like they were joined at the hip. They gossiped all the time, were merciless in their critique of other employees’ wardrobes and grooming, and Tessa neither liked nor trusted them. They were always nice to her – almost sickeningly so – but she knew for a fact that they talked about her behind her back, made fun of her inexpensive clothes, and cattily speculated why she always seemed to get the best assignments from Andrew.
Both women were obsessed with clothes, shoes, hair, makeup and manicures, read fashion magazines and online blogs on a daily basis, and were always smartly dressed. Gina was the more exotic, flamboyant of the two with her olive skin, big dark eyes, and masses of dark brown hair. Alicia was classier, more refined, with a chin-length bob of wheat blonde hair, ivory skin and a designer wardrobe she was able to afford via her monthly trust fund stipends.
With their sly, almost predatory mannerisms, Gina and Alicia made Tessa think of the conniving Siamese cats from Lady and the Tramp. She was extremely careful not to give them any fodder for gossip, rarely if ever discussing her personal life, and generally not contributing to their almost nonstop commentary about the goings-on in the office.
Gina gave her an overly-friendly smile, while Alicia greeted her with a saccharin sweet “Good morning.” Tessa tried to ignore how both of them none too discreetly checked out the dress and shoes she’d worn today.
“That’s such a cute little dress, Tessa,” Gina told her in a phony voice. “Every time you wear it I think what a good color it is for you.”
Tessa merely smiled politely in response to Gina’s not-so-subtle dig. Tessa never tried to pretend that she had much beyond her rather limited wardrobe, or that she could afford to shop anywhere besides the big discount chains like Marshalls, Forever 21 and H&M. She could never dream of buying anything at the places she knew Gina, Alicia and Shelby preferred – big-name stores like Barneys, Nordstrom or Neiman Marcus. Not only wasn’t it even remotely in her budget, but Tessa didn’t let things like a label or price tag bother her. She knew all too well what it was like to have absolutely nothing, so she was always grateful for the little she did have.
The last of the team to arrive – almost fifteen minutes late – was Kevin, the lone male of their group. Though, as Shelby, Gina and Alicia loved to tease, Kevin was arguably the most effeminate of them all. He was flamboyantly gay – his clothing, haircut, mannerisms, speech – and he talked freely about his lifestyle to anyone who would listen. Tessa had learned far too much about Kevin’s numerous boyfriends and hook-ups, including his sexual preferences and escapades. Even though she was married, she’d been more than a little naïve sexually, but two years of working with Kevin had opened her eyes – and not in a good way.
Kevin made his rounds to each of the girl’s cubicles, air-kissing them in turn. He cooed over Gina’s new shoes, admired Alicia’s manicure, made a whispered comment to Shelby that caused her to make one of those chirpy little bird laughs, and told Marisol he’d had dinner at the restaurant she’d recommended to him last night. He came to Tessa last since they sat next to each other.
He pressed his cheek to hers lightly, and she had to force herself not to recoil at the heavy scent of his cologne.
“Morning, sweet pea,” he grinned. “How’s my girl today?”
Tessa couldn’t help but return his smile. Kevin might be a promiscuous airhead with atrocious taste in clothes and cologne, but he was almost always cheerful and could usually put her in a good mood.
“I’m good, thanks. Peter’s due home later today,” she told him.
Kevin’s eyes twinkled mischievously. “Oooh, bet someone’s good and horny by now. You’ll be walking funny tomorrow morning after he’s through with you.”