Meet Avril a colleague at the NYC based publisher Olivia is transferred to.
Mornings in Queens: purchase pastry en route to subway. Gloves always on, germs everywhere. Blended faces, swivelling bodies a whirlwind of humanity dashing in all directions with the same ambitious palpable energy.
Same white mocha, an almond croissant. Remember to get donuts for the department. Blatant new girl move, I want to stay here – they have to like me!
Livy’s Timex watch looked at in 15 minute intervals awaiting the subway ride. A clamouring of bodies. Finally, on board. Trainers still on, black French Soles inside a schoolgirl backpack. Once on Manhattan streets slip into chic footwear.
Crumbs wiped off scarf. Mad dash to the offices, another stop over at a coffee house to grab another morning drink this time a hazelnut latte and one for Avril too.
Already on the island is Avril. Her morning is less rushed as at age 26 she still lives with her parents in their Manhattan townhouse. You’d never think that someone wearing a yellow Alessi watch takes a town car takes but Avril is our resident contradiction in terms. Typically, Avril doesn’t wake up until 8:30am as work starts at 11am as she’s just a part-timer. (She doesn’t actually need to work.) As gazes at the clock she sips on a ginger peach tea and a gluten-free lemon and ginger slice for breakfast.
Mom (ugh why do I have to spell it the American way, this is killing me) still lectures at NYU, Daddy is still at Liberty street. Edmund her eldest brother is at Goldmans Sachs and baby brother Tim is studying at NYU in some obscure subject so he can graduate over-educated and unemployable.
Avril paints and continues nibbling breakfast and somehow manages to gather her belongings for work without leaving a dent on her newly polished nails. She checks Tinder and OKCupid as she’s due a couple dates tonight hence varnish application. FYI – it’s just her usual base coat applied twice then three coatings of Essie “Mademoiselle” polish, if it’s good enough for Melania Trump…
Anyway all you need to know about Avril is that under her Manic-Pixie-Dream-Girl vibe she just wants to marry a Hedge Fund Manager and have his babies. You’re witnessing her hipster phase, it won’t last. Anyway tonight she’ll be hooking up with Sid a Grafitti artist in Brooklyn at night; by day a freelance video editor at Vayner Media.
The other date is Mason an entrepreneur.
From what I heard or rather found out by stalking her online she has met Sid before (they were tagged in a group shot) but this’ll be a first with Mason. I mean I think it’ll be a first she’s not following him on insta and there’s no tagged photos so it must be one of her online matches. Right?
It’s noon. Avril is skimming through personal messages because her love life is more important than deadlines, Livy is actually doing work.
5pm and it cannot come sooner. Sid is first to see over in Brooklyn at Toby’s Estate (a Coffee Roaster in Williamsburg.) This’ll be her third coffee of the day and she couldn’t help but wonder if her jitteriness would make Sid think she liked him already. I mean her was kind of cute but he talks about himself a lot.
“Are you on snapchat,” he asked.
“No.”
“I managed to get quick vid with the CEO today – check it out.” Enter a 10 second video of Sid and Gary doing V’s with bold text across it saying WORRRRK!!!!
“That’s so funny, whoa you got to meet the CEO?”
“Yeah most of the staff get to.” Judging by the clip it was had to tell who was the boss as it seemed everyone wore basic white tees,hoodies, cargo pants and Vans.
“Where I work the women are pretty much expected to always be in skirts or work dresses, trousers are frowned upon.”
“Sounds like Mad men.”
“It is sometimes.”
Next up burger and fries with Mr Unemployed…
Mason had incredible energy and the kind of guy us Brits would call a Cheeky Chappie. And a Collarless Hustler. His dimples blinded Avril to the fact that he was only 19, a recent NYU drop-out and a friend of a friend of a friend of her little brother. The two met skateboarding – the brothers that is. Avril noticed Mason’s A.P.C jeans with a navy crewneck sweater.
Unbeknownst to Avril he had already been featured in Inc’s 20 under 20 and Brainchild’s Transforming Tech as he and a friend developed an on-demand app to locate nearby professional organizers in Manhattan called “@YourService.” The co-founders are looking to branch out into a wider pool of consultants and advisers in business efficacy to housekeeping.
Mason’s knee started to jerk up and down, he keeps breaking eye contact and looks around the room. “I don’t actually have a job as such.”
“I figured.”
“I’m a free agent, I’m back and forth to San Fran quite a bit as that’s where my investors are based.”
“What do you like to do there, outside of work I mean.”
“Umm… Skate, surf, just cruise really.”
“So where are you from originally?”
“NJ.”
“Are you still there or?”
“Yup, with my parents.”
“Me too, no wait not in Jersey. Manhattan.”
“Did you go to Dalton?”
“Yeah me and my brothers did, Timothy and Edmund.”
“Fancy names,” he turned his head once more then eyes diverted up to the ceiling.
“So, are you all in with your business?”
“Pretty much.”
“Don’t you wanna go back to school?”
“Nope.”
CatherineVaughan.com
Welcome to Wonderland will be my first novel. Publication date will be announced on my Mailing List. Join here.
