Vicky says accusingly on Wednesday evening. She’s still draped in her Broom! Broom! sash from the latest promotion and glammed up like a skinny, aged version of Honey Boo Boo. She’s hardly been in the office for the past couple of weeks, being far too busy with her promotions, and has hardly seen me. She looks me up and down critically and doesn’t look exactly thrilled. On the other hand, I am over the moon. I wish I’d done this ages ago. Stepping back from Mum has done her the world of good too. She’s hardly ever in these days. The last time I dropped by she was on her way out to a fitness class with one of her new friends from work.“She looks amazing, doesn’t she?” pipes up Rick from behind his computer, where I know for a fact he’s playing Warcraft rather than updating his accounts. “Watch out, Vicky! Ellie’s a fox! Fancy a drink after work, Ellie?”“Don’t be daft,” I say. Rick must be all of twenty one. I’m almost thirty, it would be like baby-sitting. Still, even though he’s messing around, it’s quite flattering.“How much have you lost?”
