by Lexi Wilson
“I am well. Please, have a seat,” I replied professionally. She sat down and smiled as I glanced back at her resume. I’d seen it before, but I was taking the time to refresh my memory with each fresh applicant who walked through the door. It was easier to picture them doing what the paper said they had done when I had them sitting right in front of me.
Skimming the paper, I saw the list of credentials she had neatly lined up on the side. They did match up with what I was looking for, but it didn’t change the gut feeling I had about this woman.
“Do you have any kind of secretarial experience?” I asked. She gave the paper a slight nod.
“As you can see, I have plenty of credentials there-” she began, but I interrupted her.
“That’s not what I asked. Simply because you know how to do something on paper does not mean you can do it in real life scenarios. What I asked was if you had any secretarial experience to speak of.” I looked at her with raised eyebrows, and I could see by her face she was slighted by my abrupt answer.
She sat back in her chair and took a deep breath, recovering before answering. “Yes. I was the secretary for a vet’s office when I was in high school. I answered the phones, made appointments, and checked in the patients.”
“If you consider a goldfish a patient,” I said dryly. I could see she was offended by my remark, but she didn’t argue. Instead, she changed the subject.
“It’s experience nonetheless, and I think you’ll find I’m a perfect fit for what you are looking for,” she tried. I smirked as I sat back in my chair, running my finger over my lips.
“I think I’ll be the judge of that, and I regret to inform you that I don’t think you’re what I’m looking for, at all,” I said with the same dry tone I’d been using throughout the entire interview. I saw the surprise flash through her eyes, but she was good at controlling her facial expression.
“I understand your hesitation-” she began, but once again, I cut her off.
“No, I really don’t think you do. I’ve been in this business a long time, and I know what I need from my staff. This isn’t checking in puppies and kittens and telling people not to forget that Fluffy needs her shot,” I said with a condescending smile. “This is the real world, sweetheart, and I need someone who knows how to handle themselves. Thank you for your application, and I wish you luck.”
I nodded toward the door, expecting her to burst into tears or do something dramatic before exiting. Instead, she held her ground.
“Mr. Miller, I have sat out there in that lobby for the past three hours, and I’ve watched person after person come out of here with their heads hanging. There was no doubt in my mind when I walked in here that you had high standards. But, since each person appears to have not impressed you, I am going to ask that you give me that chance. I very much need a job, and you very much need a secretary. What’s the worst that could happen?”
Unlike the men and women who had applied before her, she spoke with a resolve that caught my attention. I could honestly think of a hundred things that could go wrong, but when faced with the question directly like this, I couldn’t help but admire her backbone.
She wasn’t begging me for a job; she was proposing the mutual benefit that would come if I gave her the position, and I liked that. This was a woman who knew what she wanted and was willing to put it all on the line to get it. Sure, I still had the ability to say no and send her out, but I had to admit I was intrigued.
If she had the guts to stand up for herself like that, I wanted to see what else she could do.
“You understand that this position requires long hours? And, I expect you here on time, every time. I understand things happen in life, but I’m not going to put up with you saying your dog died every other week. Considering I might give you the position, can you guarantee me you will be here?” I looked at her directly in the eyes as I spoke. I had learned through years of experience eye contact was intimidating to most people.
If she could hold mine, it was a good sign.
And she did.
“Yes, I can promise you I’ll be here on time and on schedule. Like I said, I need a job, and I know what I can do. If you give me this chance, Mr. Miller, you aren’t going to be disappointed.” She smiled confidently as she sat back in her seat, and I took a deep breath.
“Alright then. Today’s Wednesday. Are you able to start in the morning?” I gave her a haughty look, challenging her to impress me from the beginning.
She rose from her chair. “Absolutely. And, thank you for this opportunity.”
She extended her hand once more, then turned to go.
“Great, take this and go out the door, then take a right when you get to the hall on the other side of the waiting room. When you reach the desk, give it to the intern down there, and she’ll show you what to do.” I handed her a few slips of paper, and she thanked me before once again getting ready to leave.
I couldn’t help but watch the delicate sway of her hips as she glided across the floor in her heels. The sound of each step she took echoed on the hardwood floors of my office. The door closed behind her, and I sat back in my chair for a few minutes. I’d tell the others that the position was filled when I was ready.
For now, I wanted to see who I had hired a little clearer.
As I looked at the resume more intently, I saw her full name was Stella Tanner. Only twenty-eight years old and with primarily college and internships under her belt. I shook my head as I set the paper on the desk and looked at the clock on the wall.
I certainly hoped I hadn’t made a mistake.
Chapter 2
“I’m glad you got the job. Mr. Miller can certainly be picky when it comes to hiring new recruits, so I’d be proud if I were you.” The young intern walked down the hall in front of me, her tight skirt taut against her legs. I marveled at her ability to walk so quickly in the high heels she was wearing, but even guessing those to be pushing four inches, she wasn’t nearly as tall as me.
I glanced back and forth in the hall as we walked toward the personnel office. The publishing house was smaller than I thought it would be, but I didn’t care. It had been my dream since I was a little girl to work in such a place. I could remember dressing up my Barbie dolls as businesswomen, making each one a successful member in the industry.
Some were reporters; others were editors. Of course, there were the secretaries who were keeping everything running smoothly and together. I knew it was glamorous for some to call themselves writers and editors, but I had never wanted that position for myself. I wanted to be the glue that kept things going. I wanted to be the oil that ran behind the scenes of the machine, making sure everything was as it should be.
“I’m glad I got the job, too,” I replied to the girl as we strode along. I had to admit I was surprised that I did. I couldn’t believe I had spoken to Mr. Miller the way I had. I wasn’t timid by any means, but I certainly wasn’t the girl to say things like that to just anyone.
Not to mention, he was one of the most gorgeous men I had ever met. As soon as I walked into the office, I was taken with his looks. He was tall, had to be in his late thirties, salt and peppery black hair, and it was clear he took care of himself.
His muscles, though not overly large, were clearly defined under his shirt, and I had no trouble questioning whether or not he went to the gym. Not to mention his presence just filled the room. As soon as I walked in, I could see that this was a man who knew what he was doing. He had the air about him that what he said, went.
He wasn’t going to take any shit from anyone. He wasn’t the kind of man who was pushed around. He was the boss — and everyone knew it.
I had felt intimidated, but at the same time, I had to admit he did piss me off with the way he had dismissed me without giving me a second thought. I could see it in the way he merely glanced at me then turned back to what he was doing. It was as though I wasn’t worth his time as a person, and I wasn’t going to just stand by and let him treat me that way.<
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Even if he didn’t wish to hire me, I would have wanted to know why. It was really as simple as that.
“Good golly, it’s Miss Molly!” A large, black woman with short, tight curls and heavy makeup greeted the two of us as we walked into personnel room. She was curvy and boisterous, the kind of woman I instantly liked. I guessed her to be close to Mr. Miller’s age, but before I had the chance to think about it more, Molly took over.
She smiled and looked embarrassed, and I could sense the playful connection the two of them had with each other.
“If he keeps going with this trend, I’m going to be the old lady in the office soon!” the woman joked, and Molly laughed. I looked from one to the other with a smile, though I was still feeling nervous.
“This is Stella. Stella, this is Shanice. We call her the old lady of the office.” Molly looked over her shoulder as she smiled, and Shanice put her hands on her hips. She looked at me with raised eyebrows, but I could see she enjoyed the banter.
“Keep it up, and you’re going to be where I’m at soon enough!” Shanice said as Molly laughed. Molly walked out of the room, leaving me standing at the desk with the jolly woman. The sound of her heels faded in the hall, but before I had the chance to think of anything else, Shanice brought my attention back to what she was doing.
“You’re going to have some paperwork to fill out. I see here he wants you to start tomorrow. Are you going to be ready?” Shanice asked me as she handed me a pen. I smiled warmly and nodded, knocking a small section of my bangs onto my forehead. I brushed it to the side and looked down at the paper.
“Remember to put in all your banking information if you want direct deposit. Otherwise, we can do things the old-fashioned way,” Shanice said. I looked over the form, trying to remember the number sequences for my bank. I was an incredibly organized individual, and I often memorized all numbers of importance.
I knew it would be a skill that would come in hand in my life, but now that I was trying to fill out the paperwork for my employment, I felt my mind go blank. “I’d like to do direct deposit, but I don’t know my information right now.”
“Don’t worry about that; just bring it in with you tomorrow, if you can remember along with everything else you’re going to need to do.” Shanice smiled warmly as she continued to type on her keyboard, and I smiled in spite of the fact she wasn’t looking at me. “When you’ve finished, just leave it on that pile there, and I’ll take a look at it before I leave.”
I obeyed, thanking her and heading out of the office. My own shoes echoed cheerfully along the hall as I hurried toward the exit, my head held high. I glanced back into the lobby on my way out the door, surprised there were still quite a few people inside. Perhaps they were there for something besides an interview.
I hailed a cab and sped home, eager to go through my clothes and pick out my outfit for my first day. I didn’t have much to look forward to in life, and I spent hours of my day going through and styling my clothing. Next to the writing industry, it was the one thing that brought me joy.
“Bella!” I exclaimed as I walked through the small door to my apartment. My little chihuahua barked happily, wagging her tail and dashing around my feet. She nipped at my heels, though she would never bite me. I laughed as I scooped her up. I’d only take a couple of steps into the place, however, when my nose crinkled. A foul smell permeated throughout the hall, coming from the living room. A smell I knew well and had grown to hate.
Whiskey.
“Stella? Is that you?” My mother’s voice came from the living room, and I could hear in her drawl she was drunk. I refused to glance at the clock. I knew it was far too early to be indulging in any kind of alcohol, but I didn’t want to know just how far she had made it before getting drunk today.
“Yes! I was out,” I called. I didn’t want to even see her if I could help it.
“What were you doing? Did you go to the store?” she called back.
“No, I was at a job interview; I told you that!” I replied.
She said something, but I didn’t bother to stop to hear what it was. It wasn’t going to be supportive, that was for sure. My mother had never been supportive of me or anything I was doing. Our relationship was filled with arguments and bickering, and I couldn’t remember the last time she told me she loved me.
Surely there had to be a time, but I couldn’t recall.
“Start some dinner!” her voice rang through the house once more, and I sighed. It was far too early for dinner, but I wasn’t going to argue with her about it. I scooped Bella up in my arms and headed for the stairs. Though the apartment was a two bedroom, it had been split into an upstairs and a downstairs, and I was glad I could retreat at least a little way from my mother.
She continued to yell from down below, but I ignored her as I closed my door. I’d only moved in with her because I was desperate at the time, and this job was going to give me the key to getting out. It not only would get me out of the house during the day, but it was going to pay well enough I could find another place of my own.
I felt bad, not wanting to spend any more time with my mother than I had to, but she had changed. Her failing health was only made worse with the alcohol consumption, but I had given up trying to get her to change. I had tried going to various meetings about the situation, but time and time again, I was told it wasn’t my responsibility to try to change my mother.
I had to take care of myself, and that’s what I was going to do.
“Bella, I’ve done it. I’m going to be a secretary at Springwater Publishing. Can you believe it? I can’t.” I spoke to my dog as I ran my fingers through her short, coarse hair. She wagged her tail and looked at me with her ears held back. I knew she couldn’t understand anything I was saying, but it made me feel better talking to her.
“And let me tell you, this guy I’m going to work for looks like a model. He’s got to be one of the prettiest men I have ever seen, and I’m going to prove to him that I’m the best. He didn’t want to hire me. I could tell he didn’t know if I was going to be a good fit, but I’m going to prove to him that he made the right choice.” I was speaking into her side, holding her up against me as I continued to stroke her fur.
She wagged her tail once more, licking my face. I laughed and pushed her down onto my lap, petting the top of her small head and looking toward the door. I could hear my mother wandering around downstairs, but I wasn’t going to go see what she was doing. It bothered me that she tried to cook when she was drunk, but again, I couldn’t fix that for her.
All I could do was make sure the house didn’t burn down and count the days until I was able to afford a place of my own. It would be tight living in New York City, but I would take just about anything over the situation I was living in right now. As long as I had Bella with me, I’d be happy in just about any other situation.
I put my dog down on the bed and walked over to the closet, looking over the few business suits I had to choose from. They were all brightly colored and cheerful, perfect matches to my bubbly personality. I sighed as I started to sift through them, trying to make the best decision for my first day on the job.
I might be struggling with being happy in my current situation, but I was going to dress to impress. If Mr. Anthony Miller hadn’t been sure about me before, I would wow him first thing in the morning.
A burst of sunshine would set the tone for the day.
Chapter 3
“Because I’m at the office, Maisie. You know I’ve been getting here early these days.” I didn’t usually bother masking my feelings when speaking to my ex-wife. I was constantly angry with her, and she knew it. Of course, she felt largely the same about me.
“I get that, but you can send money online. I know you can. You’ve done it before; you could do it now.” There was a time when her voice was the most melodious thing I had ever heard. Now, it was nails on a chalkboard. Every time she and I interacted, she would push my buttons in every way she could. She knew how to get m
e worked up, and she would do all that was in her power to make it happen.
The only problem was, she was good at it. I could go from a perfectly good mood to a very bad mood really fast when I was speaking with her. But these days, a good mood was a rare thing for me to begin with, so she really only made things worse.
“What the fuck do you need the money for? You know I’ll send some if you have a good reason, but the last I heard, you blew it all on stupid shit to fill your closet.” I spat the words. I didn’t care if she got mad about it. I was paying her a sizeable sum each month because of our daughter and alimony, as per our agreement, but that didn’t stop her from routinely calling me and asking for more.
“Come on, Anthony. It doesn’t matter what I need the money for; I just need it.” I grimaced. This was the same sort of story she pulled on me more often than not, and I found it terribly annoying.
“Is it for Kellie?” I asked coldly. There was silence on the other end of the line. “Is it for Kellie?”
“Supporting me is supporting Kellie, Anthony. The happier I am with my life, the happier she can be with hers. I don’t expect you to understand the struggles of being a single parent since I’m the one shouldering the burden more often than not.”
I could hear in her voice she was about to continue, but I snapped.
“The only goddamn reason you are a single parent is because of how you acted during our marriage! Don’t act like you’re the victim here, Maisie.” I was surprised at the laugh on the other end of the line.
“Oh, so you’re going to try to blame me for us falling apart. As I recall, you were the one who left me. You were the one who said that it wasn’t working anymore. Don’t try to tell me that this divorce was my fault.” Her words cut through the phone like a knife, and I cringed. I felt the tension growing in my chest, and I was on the verge of losing my temper.