Dress Code: Office Chats

Diane was working at her desk when Carla came in, her attitude oddly timid for the normally brash gossip. Diane was squirming a little—she’d made certain to dress up to the new Dress Code and even went behind it.

“You’re looking very feminine today,” the guard said, not sounding subservient at all to Diane, even though she was his superior…

She flushed at the memory, the way he’d looked up and down her body.

“What is it, Carla?” Diane said. She was focusing on an inventory. It was annoying. Stanley and Mark were the ones who would normally handle this. This kind of work, just checking numbers was beneath her.

But maybe he doesn’t trust me… There had been other changes. She knew that other gi—no, women, were being given jobs that were just… not hard. Like they didn’t trust them out of their sight.

Like they want to watch us… make certain we’re not being silly… The hint of music filled the air, the odd tone blanking her mind for a moment, then Diane shook her head.

Maybe it was a good idea. Diane remembered all the times she’d fluffed off a project. The men probably wouldn’t do that. They understood that work was work, and you didn’t deserve to always have fun working. She squirmed in her seat, for a moment the vision of her boss, looking at her disapprovingly, thinking about whether or not he’d have to…

Discipline her…

Diane squirmed and then looked back at the computer, realizing that she had a whole day to go to get it done.

“What is it Carla,” Diane repeated. A good, proper worker didn’t gossip. But Carla was wringing her hands.

“I, uh… okay, there’s a thing… they’re going to be auditing our educational qualifications.” Carla looked worried. “I mean, they’re… I got a degree and everything, but the men are concerned.”

The men are concerned… Diane shivered. Like they were concerned about her work. But that…

“Why are you telling me?”

“I, um, I was told to let people know that they might be asked for some records.” Carla shook her head. “I’m not gossiping! I don’t… don’t do that anymore. It’s not proper. It’s…” She pressed her legs together, Daine could see, her short skirt doing little to disguise it.

Diane was doing the same thing. She had an image of Carla, called on the carpet, trying to defend herself, because everyone knew she was a gossip.

But so was Diane. She’d spent time listening to Carla when she should be working. All the girls had, wasting the time that they could have been using to work…

Work for the boss.

No wonder Mandy had sold the company. Diane bet she’d realized just how bad she was at it.

Better to get a man to handle things and clean up their mess.

Another surge of warmth filled her crotch. A vision of men sitting, frowning, evaluating the silly workers under them…

Diane bit her lips, then nodded. “You’ve told me. You’d better tell the others.”

‘Right. Do my work.”

“Right. And not gossiping.”

Carla licked her lips at the mention of her favorite hobby.

“Right. Good girls don’t gossip.”

And then she was gone, and Diane nodded at her retreating back.

Carla was right. Good girls didn’t gossip. They worked.

For the company.

And their men.