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“Mimi. Dinner time.”
“I’m not done,” she mutters.
“And you won’t finish tonight. This one is supposed to take a few days, so you can just continue when you’re done eating,” I say.
“I want to finish now.” She looks up at me and her lips tremble. It’s a warning. I know that one of her infamous—but thankfully infrequent—fits is right on the horizon.
I raise an eyebrow and give her the mom-look I’ve perfected over the past five years. “Honey, you promised.”
Her lips press together in a thin line and I see her integrity war with her childish urge to have her way. The battle goes on for almost thirty seconds, but I stand firm, just looking at her through the whole thing. Until she finally sighs deeply.
“Fine,” she says and gets up.
“You can come back here when you’re done,” I tell her and she nods as she trots to the dinner table.
As Mimi eats, I return to the job search. I send in a few more applications, and reply to any emails, alerting my current clients that I am no longer with Clarkson. I'm hoping some of them still want to work with me as an independent contractors, but only time will tell.
Either way, I keep myself so busy and distracted that I don't have time to sulk. I've already let myself sulk for long enough. It's time to return to the real world.
“I’m done,” Mimi announces suddenly, and I glance at her. Her plate is clean of food, and I smile proudly.
“Good girl. Put it in the sink and you can go back to the puzzle until it’s time for bed. Remember it won’t be done today, so no more tantrums, okay?”
“Yes, mommy.” She dashes to pick up where she left off, and I shake my head amused. Gosh, I wish I loved something as much as the girl loves her puzzles.
As I return to my job search, my mood suddenly dips. I thought I would have gotten a hit by now for my application. Someone with my experience can typically command a higher salary and position at other real estate agencies in the city, even though I never finished college. Still, it's only been a couple of days, so I tell myself to be patient.
I keep my hopes up, and around dinner time, I get a ding on my email. My heart jumps in elation when I read the subject line.
Invitation to interview.
It takes everything within me not to jump up and whoop loud enough to wake the dead.That's what I'm talking about. I refresh myself on the job description, and while the salary is less than what I was making at my last job, it's a good start. Definitely a step up from unemployed.
Maybe I was wrong when I was talking to Chloe.
Sometimes the universe does show up for you when you need it.
***
The universe turns out to be a cold-hearted bitch.
The interview starts well enough.
I try to put up a confident façade in the waiting room as I wait for someone to come get me. After a few minutes, an older, jolly-looking man emerges from one of the doors and calls out, “Ava Lawrence?”
I get up. “Yes, that’s me.”
He smiles. “I’m Meadows, the hiring manager. I’ll be conducting your interview today.”
“Great. It’s nice to meet you.”
He takes my extended hand and shakes it. “Firm handshake. I like it. We’re off to a good start. Do you want anything to drink?” He shuts the door after I walk in. “Wine? Beer? Brandy?”
“Wow. You guys must have a pretty good time in here.”
He laughs. “We try to. Nothing sadder than a miserable salesman. And I like more laidback interviews myself. I find people are most honest with alcohol in them.”
“Yes, but I didn’t know anyone wanted honest saleswomen.”
