I gave it thirty seconds before she was devouring it.
“Those things will taste so much better after. Thanks for meeting with me, anyway. I really appreciate it.” I shot her a smile, a nervous one. A new job still felt like the first day of school where you didn’t know anyone and you’d give anything for a kind smile.
Payton shrugged. “I feel like someone should warn you about the characters we have working for us. Although, I’m probably one.”
“That’s for sure.” Another woman, neat dark hair cut into a tidy bob, sat down next to Payton. A tiny baby was in her arms, the size that made me want to grab it and never let go, only I knew that was a criminal offence. “I’m Claire O’Hara, was Callaghan, if that explains anything.”
It did. The elder sister, a specialist in family law, currently on maternity leave with her second child.
“It’s good to meet you. How’re you doing?” I looked from her to the baby who was fast asleep.
Claire let out a soft laugh. “Well. She sleeps like a dream, nothing like the horrors we had with Eliza. Luckily, their father doesn’t need sleep, so I get to keep what’s left of my sanity.”
“How old is she?”
“Six weeks and two days.” Claire smiled down at her daughter. “The eldest is with her Grannie Marie, getting some much-needed attention. I decided to find out what the outside looked like and Payton said you were here, so I thought I’d say hi. You don’t mind me crashing, do you?”
“Not at all. Do you want me to hold her while you get a coffee? Because you can have one of those.” I sent a look over to Payton, not sure whether I was going too far to tease when this was only the second time I’d properly met her.
I saw Claire smirk at her sister too. “I’d love a coffee without a baby in my lap in a café. One with lots of lovely caffeine. Would you like me to order you something decaffeinated, Payts?”
“Fuck off.” It was almost whispered. “You’re going to force me into making a bad impression on our new partner.”
Claire grinned. “It wouldn’t have taken her long to suss everyone out anyway. May as well show your true colours from the start. Are you sure you don’t mind holding her, Georgia?”
“I wouldn’t have offered if I did. I like babies.” I stood up and held my hands over the table, taking the bundled precious package. I inhaled, hoping it wasn’t too obvious, and caught that baby smell.
Claire laughed quietly. I’d been caught. “I think that’s why we had Niamh. Eliza stopped smelling like a baby and I missed it. Would’ve been far less painful and a lot cheaper to have someone put that smell into a perfume.”
“Definitely.” I sat down and got myself comfy, tucking Niamh into my arm. I felt myself relax, some of the first day nerves drifted away. “Tell me about these characters then.”
Payton smiled, her eyes on her niece. “Three of them are my brothers, one’s my soon to be brother-in-law and another is Claire. Max is grumpy, and Jackson always looks like something’s on fire somewhere and he’s the only one who can put it out. Claire was a workaholic, but she went part-time and mellowed after she had Eliza. Eli is engaged to my other sister, Ava – who has nothing to do with law, apart from the fact she’ll be marrying a lawyer – and he’s just lovely. We share an office and somehow he manages to cope with all of us.”
“He’s a partner too, isn’t he?” I’d read up on them all. Eli Ward was almost forty, had graduated from Oxford, made partner at the age of thirty, and had been mentioned numerous times in the law gazette.
Payton nodded. “Equity. He bought in. The firm isn’t just owned by those with Callaghan surname.”
This was good. This was my aim. A fixed salaried partnership was already a huge achievement considering I was thirty-two and my career hadn’t been straight-forward, but I wanted more.
The baby in my arms stirred, her eyes briefly opening. She gave me a look as if wondering who I was, and then settled again. I guessed Claire would have another hour before she needed feeding.
“I think every law firm has its characters. Anyone I should be wary of?” The answer should be yes. As much as society had improved in terms of equality, some people were still more equal than others, and the breed of man who thought he was better simply because he had a penis remained in existence. It was they who scaffolded that glass ceiling above the heads of women, purely because they were afraid we’d rise higher than them. I hoped that by the time little girls like Niamh were women, that ceiling had been permanently shattered, swept up and battered back into sand.
Payton tipped her head to one side. “There’s Roger who works as a paralegal. He used to be a solicitor but ended up not being able to practice. He can be a little creepy and I know Jackson would like him to leave. Alan works in accounts. He’s a sleaze. If you’re out and have had a few drinks, he will try to corner you and don’t get into a lift with him on your own. He develops an extra hand. And Belinda, she’s one of the legal secretaries in the pool, she’s a complete bitch and spreads gossip like its soft butter. Sandra in accounts needs an eye keeping on her too – she really likes to know what’s going on.”
“You forgot to tell her about Seph.” Claire sat back now. “You want me to take her back?” She nodded at the baby.
I did not want to hand Niamh back. “I’m good if you want the use of both arms for a bit longer.”
Claire grinned. “I learned with Eliza to never say no if anyone offers to hold, bathe or feed. Or babysit.”
“Seph isn’t that scary.” Payton frowned, rubbing her tidy bump. “He’s a bit like Tigger, you know, the bouncy tiger thing from Winnie the Pooh. Always full of energy, and words. So many words.”
“And poor Georgia here will be working with him.” Claire gave a satisfied sigh. “You’ll love him. He’s easy going and likes to laugh, plus he’s not bad at his job. Speaking of which.” She looked at her watch. “What time’s your partners’ meeting this morning, Payts? I though Max was doing it early.”
“Shit. In about two minutes. Are you coming?” She pointed to Claire’s take out coffee.
“Technically, I don’t have to, but knowing just being there will piss Max off, I think I should. And I can offer some moral support for Georgia. It’s like being fed to the wolves…”
The wolves were situated around a large, probably antique, boardroom table. There were fifteen partners in total, including me. Six female, nine male, plus baby Niamh who Claire had proudly showed off as we’d walked through the offices to the room. I somehow doubted that this was the first time a baby had been present at a partners’ briefing.
“Morning, everyone.” Jackson Callaghan shuffled papers in front of him, before his eyes locked with mine and then he gave me a wide smile. If I didn’t know he was married, he would be my type. He’d interviewed me and gave off a serious but sexy vibe, one which disappeared when he offered me the post, and was completely erased when he mentioned his wife and son.
I didn’t do married men. It was unfortunate that one had done me.
Jackson poured himself a glass of water and passed the jug to Maxwell. “And, Georgia, welcome to Callaghan Green. We’ve been looking forward to you joining us, mostly so Seph can stop going on about being short-staffed and harassed.”