Louise Bentley is a feisty, wild, 'let's-go-to-Capri-for-the-weekend-yeah?' kind of girl. She spends her days working at a party-planning company. Oh, and she never wants kids. Ever.
Ben Langford is a studious, quiet, 'I'm-busy-reading' sort of man...
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"That," Ben said, "is terrifying."
He looked at Aman's desk; it was littered with plush toy monkeys, their red mouths grinning out at him. One was wearing a pair of sunglasses. Another was perched against Aman's desktop computer, drinking a cup of coffee. His secretary picked up a monkey wearing pajamas, examining it.
"It is, innit?" Aman asked, sounding pleased.
Ben gestured at the coffee-drinking monkey. "Can you turn that around? It's staring at me."
Aman considered this. "No. I like it where it is."
Ben sighed. Of course he did. "Let me guess. It's National Doll Day."
Aman shook his head.
"National Monkey Day?" Ben tried.
"Nah."
"I know." Ben clicked his fingers. "National Creep-Out-Your-Colleague-Day."
Aman gave him an affronted look, straightening the bowtie on the nearest monkey. "It's National Sock Monkey Day." Obviously, his tone implied.
"Right." Ben turned back to his laptop. He could feel the monkey staring at him, and he sighed, dragging his gaze from the screen again. "Do I even want to know where you got seven sock monkeys from?"
"I made them." Aman patted the head of the bowtie monkey fondly. "This one's proper cute, isn't it?"
Ben clicked his pen. "It's hideous."
"Really?" Aman tilted his head. "I think it looks a bit like you, actually."
"Gee," Ben said dryly. Thanks."
"Langford?" a voice called.
They both straightened. Victor White was leaning against the door of his office, dressed in a black suit. This, Ben reflected, was not good news; his boss only wore a full suit to weddings, funerals, or if someone was getting fired.
"My office," Victor said. "Now."
His boss vanished. Aman set down the sock monkey, giving Ben a grim look. Then he saluted him. Actually saluted him.
"Good luck," Aman said. "My thoughts and prayers are with you."
"Cheers," Ben muttered.
He pushed back his chair, trailing Victor into his office. He didn't come in here often — about once a week to drop off files or bring Victor a coffee — but the office rarely changed. Ben could have drawn it with his eyes closed: the water cooler filled with sparkling water; the large glass windows with a view of Hyde Park; the framed photo of a cocker spaniel.
This, Ben reflected, might be the last time he ever saw it.
