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Piper
The first dayof classes is exhausting. I run from one end of campus to the other. It's mainly a day of collecting syllabuses and listening to my professors drone on about expectations. The best part of my day was when it was over.
Or at least I thought it was over. My adviser had other ideas.
"Thank you for meeting with me, Ms. Hoffman."
I haven't seen him since the start of summer semester. It was a quick ten-minute conversation. We needed to switch a few classes around. When I walked in that day, it was clear he was depressed. The slump of his shoulders in addition to the bags under his eyes told me all I needed to know. Still, I found myself looking for evidence. And I found it in the absence of his wedding band.
Nine months ago, his jet black hair was graying. Today it's been dyed. His once pale skin is now bronzed, as if he spent his summer on a beach instead of on campus like I did.
He can't hide his devastation, though. His smile is weak, and the bags under his eyes, though not as dark, are still present.
Just another vote against marriage.
"Of course. Is there something wrong with my schedule?" Shifting in my seat, I place my hands under my legs to hide their shaking.
When I saw his email last week requesting a meeting, I felt like I was going to throw up.
"No. Your schedule looks fine. I did have an opportunity arise that I thought you might want to take advantage of, though." Removing his chunky glasses, he tosses them on his desk and leans back in his chair. I realize how predictable his mannerisms are when he steeples his hands and stares at me.
Is he waiting for me to say something? To ask? I'm about to speak up when he finally continues.
"You're going to need an internship next year to complete your thesis. We work with a number of area restaurants and pride ourselves on matching students with environments they will thrive in." He pauses, and I wait for him to continue because I can feel the bomb about to drop. "We've had great success in recent years. And I'm excited to see how all our matches this year fare. Which brings me to the reason I brought you in."
"Me? But I'm a junior. I have another year before I start working on my thesis."
"That's true, but I also happen to know you've already decided on your thesis topic."
"I have, but—"
"And I happen to have a restaurant that is interested in joining the program who I feel would be a perfect match for your thesis. You'd be able to work one-on-one with their chef, around your schedule, and complete your thesis program a year ahead of time."
My mind is going a thousand miles a minute as he tells me about the restaurant and the position, what they're looking for, and how it ties together perfectly with my thesis. It sounds like the perfect present, wrapped in the prettiest paper, with a big red bow on top.
I find myself saying yes without giving it a second thought. With no concern for how busy I'm already going to be this semester. And I'm walking out of his office twenty minutes later, on my way to my official interview with the owner. My new boss.
"Welcome, Piper,"Justine says, a warm smile on her face as she extends her hand in my direction. "It's so nice to meet you."
"Thank you. It's nice to meet you as well."
"Shall we?" she asks, motioning for me to follow her. "I was hoping my husband and son would be able to join us, but they went golfing. It's a tradition they have for the first day of classes."
"Sounds like they have a great relationship."
Lies. All lies. The more I pretend not to know who she is, the more lies I feel like I'm telling.
I recognized her the second I walked through the doors.
"They do. We're really blessed. JJ is a great kid. We're hoping he'll take over the restaurant once he graduates so we can retire early."
JJ. I like it.
Justine shows me to a booth in the back of the cozy, upscale restaurant. The tables are draped in cream-colored linens and adorned with wrought iron lantern centerpieces. I imagine they're lit when the restaurant's open for business. They have a few more hours before they begin serving guests, giving me plenty of time to impress Justine and secure the position.
"So tell me, Piper, what are you hoping to accomplish if I bring you on?"
Straight to the point. I like her even more than I already did.
