Free My Scandinavian Lover by Bella Donnis

Six months as a trainee and Jayne was still making tea. When would she be given a proper position within the company? She accepted the fact there would be a period of time where she’d be the office dogsbody but after six months surely the department could have created a position for her. Or at the very least, old woman Bateman could have looked more favourably upon her application for accounts executive. In the end, she decided to employ somebody from outside the organisation and thus Jayne still made tea for her colleagues, “tea and a tonne of other jobs I’m way too old for.” She said, crushing every last drop of flavour from the tea bag with a spoon against the side of the cup.
    “You’re still a young woman. Perhaps you were just not right for that particular job.” Anita, her friend from Human Resources consoled.
    “I’ve been practically doing the accounts executive job ever since Karen left – On top of making bloody tea, photocopying and going to the supermarket for old woman Bateman’s lunch.” Jayne touched Anita on the arm. “But thanks, sometimes I don’t feel so young.” Starting a new career in advertising aged twenty six seemed like a great idea at the time.
    “Of course you’re young. Heck if you’re old, what does that make me?” Anita narrowed her eyes, dipping brows at the connotation.
    “I’m sorry, but you know how it is. I really need to move onwards and upwards.” She poured milk in the four cups on the tray, stirring each as she did. “Maybe I should just leave! Go back to the pet store.” Jayne loved working at the pet store, all those cuddly animals but once again, that job also paid peanuts.
    “You don’t think it has anything to do with – you know - Mrs Bateman is a bit of an old conservative.”
    “I’d not thought of that – I mean, it’s not that obvious is it?” Jayne had never thought she epitomised the stereotypical butch lesbian.
    Anita let out a shrill laugh. “Babe, I knew the minute I saw you – Didn’t bother me though.”
    “Well why would it?”
    “Exactly! But maybe Mrs Bateman thinks different.”
    Jayne picked up the tray of drinks and headed to the door. “Enough gossiping, girl. I have to meet the little upstart in a few minutes.” She dreaded having to meet the girl who’d held back her career, but she was determined to remain civil despite everything.
     
    *
     

“When’s the new Karen arriving?” Jayne asked Abdul, one of old woman Bateman’s other accounts executives while hoping he couldn’t detect the inevitable scorn that laced her voice.
    “Will you just let it go! She went for someone with more experience, alright!” He lifted the tea to his mouth, slurping loud. Evidently he could detect the scorn in her voice.
    “It’s alright for you – Mr thirty five k. Try having a social life on ten.” She waited for a response but when none came, she figured there was no response to give.
    Maybe she should leave the company. Her uncle would be sure to take her back on at the pet store. While the pay she received would not give her a life of luxury, at least she could pay the bills and have a half-semblance of a life. There was only so much more of this crap she could take, and Jayne always considered herself to be reasonably accommodating but high accommodation levels only lasted so long on trainee wages and now she’d have to spend her time sat facing the new girl who took away her opportunity.
    She looked around the office. Open planned and claustrophobic. There were times when she wished everybody didn’t know everything about everyone and that each little thing she did, said or thought wasn’t magnified a hundred times and blown up out of all proportion. Jayne was a lesbian – And it was counting against her. Maybe she really should leave. Screw them all!
    “Jayne?” Old woman Bateman called from across the room. “Can you come here please!”
    Jayne trundled over the floor, between Abdul and Angela who were