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I smile bravely through the pinch of regret. His handsome, gorgeous face drops into a shroud of disappointment. He knows what I am about to say. I swallow my reluctance and drag the words out of my mouth. My body is buzzing with the energy of his kisses.
“Goodbye Anonymous.”
THE FIRST DAY AT JOB
BROOKE
“Yes, mom.”
“Did you pack the trail mix bar I sent you? The vending machine has all kinds of junk. Avoid that.”
“Yes mom,”
“Be sure to remain hydrated. Did you take your water bottle?”
“Yes, mom.”
“Try to grab a desk near a window. You get pale and sad in the darkness.”
“Yes mom,”
“Stop saying yes, mom!”
“Okay, I have to go in, love you, bye mom!”
Leaving the comfort of my phone, I look up to face my first day at my new job as a handbag designer. I am having trouble accepting that my workplace is inside the massive steel and glass building in the middle of Manhattan, NYC. Three months have gone by since our trip to Hawaii. We had all returned energized. That beautiful evening in Hawaii, with that gorgeous man, had woken up my sleeping creative instincts. I became more outspoken at interviews, stated my goals with greater clarity, and took rejections in my stride. One of them was the Foster Company who never returned my samples and did not hire me after 3 interviews. But I kept going and thirty interviews later, I landed my dream job at one of the world’s most prestigious handbag designing companies,House of Elysian.
My phone is still lit with encouraging messages.
“Crush them alive into protein powder and drink them with a smoothie.”Yup that’s Edith’s way of encouraging me. Sylvia leans towards sanity, almost:
They are lucky to have you. Your intelligence will shine. Knock them out.
I love them, but I don’t think they fully understand the corporate culture. Their impression of the corporate world is that everyone is trying to knock and crush each other. It can’t be that crazy!
The entrance is a wall of glass with several doors also carved out of glass. All of it is laminated, so not much is visible from the outside other than my own anxious reflection. I take a moment to steady myself, untangling my hair and bringing it in front of my shoulders, give my dark gray skirt a two-handed a pressing push and straighten my posture to bring my bottle green blouse in place.
Here I go!
I decide to use the main revolving door in the center and push my way into another world. The lobby itself was a sight to behold, featuring towering ceilings adorned with intricate chandeliers that cast a warm, golden glow. Polished marble floors reflected the gleaming lights, adding a touch of opulence to the space. A grand reception desk stood at the center, manned by impeccably dressed receptionists who exudes professionalism and grace.
The massive lobby is all white marble, the pearl-colored floor gleams in the splash of filtered light, falling and bouncing onto the cream-colored marble walls. The stone alone must be worth millions, not to mention the large reception desk, giving that appearance that is carved out of one oak tree, shining and polished to glassy finish, the grains of the wood proudly basking in the luxurious setting.
The middle of the desk facing the entrance has a large bronze letter ‘E’ affixed inside a maroon-colored velvet circle. There is a style in the air, as is evident from the well-dressed employees in smart business attire walking around or emerging from softly lit hallways connected to the round reception area. Couldn’t help but notice the air of professionalism that permeated the atmosphere.
The air of ambition and creativity is making an impression on me. I have to do the silliness Edith would have done. I take out my phone for a quick selfie. I am trying to get the perfect angle and try to avoid having the large bright glass windows in the background, which blur my face. I rotate until I find a wall that holds three large oil portraits.
Click.
Vanity-check the selfie by enlarging.
Looks good enough to share.
Share with a group.
Wait, what is that in the background?
No, no, no. It can’t be!
