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All I have is one suitcase. Maybe two at a stretch.
“You’ll also receive a signing bonus of twenty thousand dollars.”
I can’t even respond to that. Did she just say twenty thousand dollars?
“For housing, we’ve been able to accommodate you in the East Building. You’ll have a furnished one-bedroom apartment on the twelfth floor. The building itself is newly renovated and it’s connected to the main office building by a glass Sky Walk. You won’t even need to go outside for your commute.”
“Wow,” I gasp.
“You’ll also have a company credit card, a clothing allowance and an entertainment allowance. The building has a heated pool, gym and spa, as well as a rooftop garden, and these amenities are all included for employees. We have an extremely comprehensive health insurance package, also included. And our retirement and investment plans are award-winning. We were written up in Forbes last month for our innovative approach,” she says proudly. “My email will contain information about all of the above, but please let me know if you have any questions as you read through the job description. I’m here to help.”
“Thank you.” I realize my face is wet. From my own tears.
“Does that mean you’d like to accept the job?”
“Yes. Absolutely yes.” This is literally more than a dream come true. With everything Invested Enterprises is offering me, I’ll be able to help my mom and sister out even more and, since I’ll have next to no expenses other than food, I’ll really be able to save money for the first time in my life.
“Thank you so much, Ms. Callahan.”
“Please, call me Penelope. Your email is on its way. We’re hoping to receive your signed contract as soon as you’ve had a chance to read through everything. How’s Wednesday?”
“Wednesday is perfect.”
“Fantastic, Dusty. Welcome to Invested Enterprises.”
13
The next two weeks pass in a blur of quitting my job, packing, moving out of my apartment, saying my goodbyes to almost everyone I’ve ever known, and reassuring my mom I’ll still come home for the big holidays.
When I told my boss at Stellar Investments I was leaving, she was more in awe than disappointed. If Invested Enterprises offered her a job, she’d jump ship too, she said.
“At least I’ll have someplace to crash when I start touring,” Skylar tells me, helping me lug my two oversized suitcases to the front hallway. My ride to the airport is on its way. I said goodbye to my mom before she left for work and my eyes are still red from crying. It’s surprisingly hard to leave them.
When I told Penelope I wouldn’t be shipping anything to New York because everything I owned fit into two suitcases, she insisted the relocation stipend would still be included as part of my signing bonus. It’s company policy. So, until an hour ago, I had thirty thousand dollars sitting there innocently in my bank account like it belonged there. Which means that I had thirty times more cash in my bank account than I’ve ever had in my life. What does a person even do with that much money?
Helping out the people I love felt like the best use of it. So, around an hour ago, I deposited ten grand each into my mom’s and Sky’s accounts. Which Sky hasn’t noticed yet.
I open the front door and Sky and I just stand there for a few seconds. My sister tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear. “I’m really going to miss having you around. Even if you are a pain in the ass,” she smiles sort of sadly.
“I put some more money into your account,” I tell her. “I want you to be able to concentrate exclusively on your music for a while.”
“Dusty, you don’t have to do that. Save your money for New York.”
“I had some extra.”
“Are you sure? I’ll pay you back. For everything. I really mean that.”
“You can pay me back when you’re a superstar. I put some into mom’s account too. So she doesn’t have to work so hard.”
My sister gives me a heartfelt hug. “You really are the best sister. Thank you for believing in me. I won’t let you down.”
“You never have, sis. Good luck with the gigs.”
The car drives up. It’s more like a limo, paid for by my new job. “Now go and slay New York, Dusty Rose. They won’t know what’s hit them up there in the Big Apple. Make all your dreams come true.”
“I will if you will.”
“Deal,” she laughs.
