Sophie Kinsella - The Undomestic Goddess

Now it’s up to us, the lawyers, to work out what they said and what they actually meant (and if you think it’s the same thing, you might as well give up law now) and put it all into a draft contract in time for more negotiations.

When they’ll probably begin shouting some more.

I rub my dry face and take a gulp of cappuccino before realizing I’ve picked up the wrong cup―the stone-cold cup from four hours ago. Yuck. Yuck. And I can’t exactly spit it out all over the table.

I swallow the revolting mouthful with an inward shudder. The fluorescent lights are flickering in my eyes and I feel drained. My role in all of these megadeals is on the finance side―so it was me who negotiated the loan agreement between Fallons and PGNI Bank. It was me who rescued the situation when a ￡10-million black hole of debt turned up in a subsidiary company. And it was me who spent about three hours this afternoon arguing one single, stupid term in the contract.

The term was best endeavors. The other side wanted to use reasonable efforts. In the end we won the point―but I can’t feel my usual triumph. All I know is, it’s seven-nineteen, and in eleven minutes I’m supposed to be halfway across town, sitting down to dinner at Maxim’s with my mother and brother Daniel.

I’ll have to cancel. My own birthday dinner.

Even as I think the thought, I can hear the outraged voice of Freya ringing in my mind.

They can’t make you stay at work on your birthday!

I canceled on her too, last week, when we were supposed to be going to a comedy club. A company sell-off was due to complete the next morning and I didn’t have any choice.

What she doesn’t understand is, the deadline comes first, end of story. Prior engagements don’t count; birthdays don’t count. Vacations are canceled every week.

Across the table from me is Clive Sutherland from the corporate department. His wife had twins this morning and he was back at the table by lunchtime.

“All right, people.” Ketterman’s voice commands immediate attention.

Ketterman is the only one here who isn’t red-faced or weary-looking or even jaded.

He looks as machinelike as ever, as polished as he did this morning. When he gets angry, he just exudes a silent, steely fury.

“We have to adjourn.”

What? My head pops up.

Other heads have popped up too; I can detect the hope around the table. We’re like schoolkids sensing a disturbance during the math test, not daring to move in case we land a double detention.

“Until we have the due diligence documentation from Fallons, we can’t proceed. I’ll see you all tomorrow, here at nine a.m.” He sweeps out, and as the door closes, I exhale. I was holding my breath, I realize.

Clive has already bolted for the door. People are on their mobile phones all over the room, discussing dinner, films, un-canceling previous arrangements. There’s a joyful lift to the proceedings. I have a sudden urge to yell “Yay!”

But that wouldn’t be partnerlike.

I gather up my papers, stuff them into my briefcase, and push back my chair.

“Samantha. I forgot.” Guy is making his way across the room. “I have something for you.”

As he hands me a simple white package, I feel a ridiculous rush of joy. A birthday present. He’s the only one in the whole company who remembered my birthday. I can’t help glowing as I undo the cardboard envelope.

“Guy, you really shouldn’t have!”

“It was no trouble,” he says, clearly satisfied with himself.

“Still!” I laugh. “I thought you’d―”

I break off abruptly as I uncover a corporate DVD in a laminated case. It’s a summary of the European Partners presentation we had the other day. I mentioned that I’d like a copy.

I turn it over in my hands, making sure my smile is completely intact before I look up.

Of course he didn’t remember my birthday. Why would he? He probably never even knew it.

“That’s… great,” I say at last. “Thanks!”

“No problem.” He’s picking up his briefcase. “Have a good evening. Anything planned?”

I can’t tell him it’s my birthday. He’ll think―he’ll realize― “Just… a family thing.” I smile. “See you tomorrow.”

The main thing is, I’m going to make dinner after all. And I won’t even be late! Last time I had dinner with Mum, about three months ago now, I was an hour late after my plane from Amsterdam was delayed. Then she had to take a conference call halfway through the main course. It wasn’t exactly a success.

As my taxi edges through the traffic on Cheapside, I quickly rifle in my bag for my new makeup case. I nipped into Selfridges in my lunch hour the other day when I realized I was still using the old gray eyeliner and mascara I bought for a Law Society dinner a year ago. I didn’t have time for a demonstration, but I asked the girl at the counter if she could just quickly sell me everything she thought I should have.

I didn’t really listen as she explained each item, because I was on the phone to Elldridge about the Ukrainian contract. But the one thing I do remember is her insistence I should use something called “bronzer powder.” She said it might give me a glow and stop me looking so dreadfully― Then she stopped herself. “Pale,” she said at last. “You’re I take out the compact and huge blusher brush and start sweeping the powder onto my cheeks and forehead. Then, as I peer at my reflection in the mirror, I stifle a laugh.

My face stares back at me, freakishly golden and shiny. I look ridiculous.

I mean, who am I kidding? A City lawyer who hasn’t been on holiday for two years doesn’t have a tan. I might as well walk in with beads in my hair and pretend I’ve just flown in from Barbados.

I look at myself for a few more seconds, then take out a cleansing wipe and scrub the bronzer off until my face is white again, with shades of gray. Back to normal. The makeup girl kept mentioning the dark shadows under my eyes too, and there they are.

Thing is, if I didn’t have shadows under my eyes, I’d probably get fired.

I’m wearing a black suit, as I always do. My mother gave me five almost identical black suits for my twenty-first birthday, and I’ve never really broken the habit. The only item of color about me is my bag, which is red. Mum gave that to me as well, two years ago. At least… she gave me a black one originally. But on the way home I saw it in a shop window in red, had a total brainstorm, and exchanged it. I’m not convinced she’s ever forgiven me.

I free my hair from its elastic band, quickly comb it out, then twist it back into place.

My hair has never exactly been my pride and joy. It’s mouse-color, medium length, with a medium wave. At least, it was last time I looked. Most of the time it lives screwed up into a knot.

“Nice evening planned?” says the taxi driver, who’s been watching me in his mirror.

“It’s my birthday, actually.”

“Happy birthday!” He eyes me in the mirror. “You’ll be partying, then. Making a night of it.”

My family and wild parties don’t exactly go together. But even so, it’ll be nice for us to see one another and catch up. It doesn’t happen very often.

It’s not that we don’t want to see one another. We just all have very busy careers.

There’s my mother, who’s a barrister. She’s quite well-known, in fact. She started her own chambers ten years ago and last year she won an award for Women in Law. And then there’s my brother Daniel, who is thirty-six and head of investment at Whittons.

He was named by Money Management Weekly last year as one of the top deal-makers in the city.

There’s also my other brother, Peter, but like I said, he had a bit of a breakdown. He lives in France now and teaches English at a local school and doesn’t even have an answering machine. And my dad, of course, who lives in South Africa with his third wife. I haven’t seen much of him since I was three. But I’ve made my peace about this. My mother’s got enough energy for two parents.