Working IT OUT

Away from her job, Mandy ditched her alter ego... and she was bright, upbeat and bold

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Roger? You home?' Mandy called out, as she shoved the front door with her hip, manhandling her faux-designer handbag and laptop case awkwardly through the entryway. It had been a long old day and she was glad to be back. Not that she had a lot of time to relax.

Dumping her bits and pieces on the sideboard in the hall, she shrugged off her work blazer and wandered towards the kitchen. She caught a glimpse of herself in the hallway mirror as she went.

She'd had the same permed corkscrew curls since the 80s – and she still loved them. Her motto was, 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it.'

She smiled, noting that her hair was walking decidedly on the wild side right now, thanks to the relentless office air con – but, no matter. Her barnet would look even more all over the place after her evening activities, so no point in tarting it up.

Raising her arms above her head in a stretch, Mandy approached the fridge and yanked it open, in search of sustenance. She pulled a face as the strong smell of her husband's Stilton hit her square in the nose.

'Oof! That reeks!' she remarked out loud, waving a hand in front of her face. She made a note to ask Roger to finish it up that weekend or chuck it.

Scouring the shelves, her gaze landed upon yesterday's veggie pasta leftovers.

'Perfect!'

Taking out the cling-filmed bowl, she shut the fridge and pivoted on her heel to the nearby microwave, pausing to grab a sharp knife out of the utensil pot. Stabbing the film with relish, she popped the bowl inside the oven, shut it with a clunk, and jabbed at the well-used 'on' button.

'Alexa, play my 80s pop playlist,' she called over her shoulder to the smart speaker on the windowsill, as the ancient microwave creaked into life.

'Good evening, Mand-ee,' Alexa responded primly, in her usual offbeat pronunciation. 'Here is your 80s pop playlist.'

'Yes, yes, get on with it,' Mandy returned, with her own usual eye-roll.