Mary's day

A broken pencil, an empty spreadsheet and three doodles completed.
She rubbed at her glasses but only wound up smearing them with the moisturiser she forgot she’d applied to her hands.
“Time for a break,” said Mary aloud. She seemed to be speaking to the computer monitor.
Mary went over to the counter and poured herself a glass of vino. She waited, her bottom perched on the work surface, as she nibbled the edge of the wine glass, as if considering whether or not to drink. She then allowed the liquid to slip down her throat in one smooth gush.
She was a pretty woman, Mary. All the men told her so, after one too many beers, whenever she went to those evening social occasions with work. She always made an effort you see, with herself, with other people. She liked people too much.
Mary’s hair was perfectly blonde. She wore a tailored suit, different shoes each day and fake tan to work. Mary worked from home.
At Powers & Fleetwood LLP she had enjoyed seven intimate relationships with work colleagues. Four of these were married and one of those was a woman.
One day her immediate boss, Peter Edgeware, called her into his office and suggested she work from home from now on. He said Mr Powers himself had made this suggestion. Mary said she could understand why he thought that and agreed.
She was offered a new job title and her salary was raised by £20,000 per annum.
Peter would ring her most days to see how she was “getting on”. Some days she would answer more quickly than others. Today when he rang she sat on her window seat and watched the men digging up the road.
Once a week Peter would phone on his mobile. He would be gauging her state of mind and she knew it. She would pretend she wasn’t drunk and that she’d been working hard and then maybe, just maybe, he’d say he was coming over. Coming over today, to see her.