Read The Undomestic Goddess for Free Online Page B

reflection. This is it. All the work, all
     the studying, all the late nights... its all been for this day.
    Partner. Or not Partner.
    Oh, God. Stop it. Dont think about it. I head into the kitchen and open the fridge.
     Dammit. Im out of milk.
    And coffee. I must find myself a food-delivery company. And a milkman.
    I reach for a Biro and scrawl 47. Food delivery /milkman ? at the bottom of my TO DO list.
    My TO DO list is written on a piece of paper pinned up on the wall and is a useful
     reminder of things Im intending to do. Its yellowing a bit now, actuallyand the ink at the
     top of the list has become so faint I can barely read it. But its a good way to keep
     myself organized.
    I should really cross off some of the early entries, it occurs to me. I mean, the original
     list dates from when I first moved into my flat, three years ago. I must have done some of
     this stuff by now. I pick up a pen and squint at the first few faded entries.
    1. Find milkman 2. Food deliveryorganize? 3. How switch on oven?
    Oh. Right.
    Well, I really am going to get all this delivery stuff organized. At the weekend. And Ill get to grips with
     the oven. Ill read the manual and everything.
    I scan quickly down to newer entries, around two years old.
    16. Sort out milkman
    17. Have friends over?
    18. Take up hobby??
    The thing is, I am meaning to have some friends over. And take up a hobby. When work is less busy.
    I look down to even later entriesmaybe a year old where the ink is still blue @. 41. Go on
     holiday?
    42. Give dinner party?
    42. MILKMAN??
    I stare at the list in slight frustration. How can I have done nothing on my list? Crossly, I throw my pen down and turn onthe kettle, resisting the temptation
     to rip the list into bits.
    Thekettle has come to a boil and I make myself a cup ofweird herbal tea I was once given
     by a client. I reach for anapple from the fruit bowlonly to discover its gone allmoldy.
     With a shudder, I throw the whole lot into the bin andnibble a few Shreddies out of the
     packet.
    The truth is, I dont care about the list. Theres only onething I care about.
    I arrive at the office determined not to acknowledge this is any kind of special day. Ill just keep my head down and geton with my work. But as I travel up
     in the lift, three people murmur Good luck, and walking along the corridor a guyfrom Tax
     grasps me meaningfully on the shoulder.
    Best of luck, Samantha.
    How does he know my name?
    I head hurriedly into my office and close the door, tryingto ignore the fact that through
     the glass partition I can see people talking in the corridor and glancing in my direction.
    I really shouldnt have come in today. I should have feigned a life-threatening illness.
    Anyway. Its fine. Ill just start on some work, like any other day. I open Kettermans file,
     find my place, and start reading through a document that codifies a five-year-old share
     transfer.
    Samantha?
    I look up. Guy is at my door, holding two coffees. He puts one down on my desk.
    Hi, he says. How are you doing?
    Fine, I say, turning a page in a businesslike manner. Im fine. Just... normal. In fact, I
     dont know what all the fuss is.
    Guys amused expression is flustering me slightly. I flip over another page to prove my
     pointand somehow knock the entire file to the floor.
    Thank God for paper clips.
    Red-faced, I shove all the papers back inside the file and take a sip of coffee.
    Uh-huh. Guy nods gravely. Well, its a good thing youre not nervous or jumpy or anything.
    Yes, I say, refusing to take the bait. Isnt it?
    See you later. He lifts his coffee cup as though toasting me, then walks off. I look at my
     watch.
    Only eight fifty-three. The partners decision meeting starts in seven minutes. Im not sure
     I can bear this.
    Somehow I get through the morning. I finish up Kettermans file and make a start at my
     report. Im halfway through the third paragraph when Guy appears at my office door again.
    Hi, I say without