By Heidi Silberman

Her four inch heels click clacked rhythmically on the pavement. To ensure she didn’t rush they always did so to the beat of the song in her head – today it was I’m Walking on Sunshine. Passing workers envied her relaxed demeanour, noticed her head held high, and stepped out of the way despite her unhurried gait. Veronica was running late, but no one would ever know.

Dark hair framed her gorgeous face, drawing attention to immaculately made up eyes and lips. Exceedingly long legs kept the rhythmic walk going beneath a professional yet sexy skirt, while her jacket highlighted curves in all the right places. Those nearby caught a hint of Chanel number – which one was that? But before they could work it out she had passed. There was baby spew on the back of Veronica’s blouse, but no one would ever know.

She was this close to partner, and everyone in the firm knew it. One more deal to secure and the empty chair in the boardroom was hers. The one more deal was hanging from her shoulder in her laptop bag. She went over the numbers one more time.

Already this morning she had fed two children breakfast, packed three lunches, phoned one husband (currently overseas), washed three loads of clothes, hung out two, made four last minute changes to her proposal, delivered the kids to family day care, attempted to restart the car seven times and walked six blocks. Veronica had been up since five, but no one would ever know.

Three blocks from the office her phone gave her a gentle reminder that the most significant meeting of her career was to begin in 10 minutes. She quickened her pace, until I’m Walking on Sunshine began to sound like the chipmunks had taken up residence in her mind. Veronica was panicking inside, but no one – Veronica stopped singing. Who was she kidding? She took off her heels, hitched up her skirt and ran.