“Ms. Harlow?”
“Right here,” she called as she stood and ambled toward the small man wearing glasses and a gentle smile on his face.
“This way, please.”
She followed him into the room where a blue screen was set against the wall. There was a table with a paper and pen sitting atop it and nothing more.
“Please have a seat. I’m going to take your picture.”
Ari didn’t understand the need for a picture just yet. Possibly it was for an ID card or employee badge, but usually that was done after you were hired. Maybe they were running it through security to make sure she wasn’t a criminal. It didn’t matter. She wasn’t going to protest.
She took her seat and waited for the flash, knowing her smile wasn’t genuine, but her anticipation was so high it was impossible to offer anything bigger than a slight grimace.
“Please fill out this paper and make sure all contact information is correct. If you’ve passed to the second part of our screening process, we’ll call you in three to five days,” Mr. Kinsor said with the same gentle smile.
He didn’t ask her if she had any questions. He didn’t elaborate on the job. Normally, she would’ve just filled out the paperwork and kept silent, but her rising curiosity pushed her with an unknown bravery to ask about what the job position was actually for.
“Mr. Kinsor, the ad in the paper was vague. What exactly does this job entail?”
“If you make it to the next level, you’ll be given more information, Ms. Harlow. I’m sorry but Mr. Palazzo is a very private man and this position is… confidential,” he answered with a slight pause.
“I understand,” Ari said with a brittle smile, though she didn’t understand at all.
She scanned the solitary paper on the table and her confusion only worsened.
What are your hobbies?
Are you in a serious relationship? If not, when was the last one you were in?
Are you available to travel?
What kind of questions were these? She answered as best she could, finally reading a question that actually made sense:
What are your career goals?
The sentence caused her to genuinely smile. Before her mother’s car accident, before her life had changed so dramatically, she’d been an honor roll student at Stanford, working toward her Bachelor’s degree in History. She’d planned on getting her Master’s, then a Doctorate so she could be a University professor.
Someday…
In her heart of hearts she still held out hope of resuming her life one day – accomplishing the goals she’d set for herself. Instant guilt filled her at the thought. Her mother would like to have her life back, too, but she never would. It was only fair that Ari made sacrifices. Ari had to atone for her sins.
Her mother had sacrificed her entire life so that Ari could have what she needed. She’d paid for a small private school for Ari, and then scrimped to save for her to go to the best college. Ari had earned scholarships, but her mother paid for her dorm, her food, even her beloved car.
Ari had never realized how much her mother had sacrificed of herself until the day her mom had been checked into the hospital, circumstances demanding Ari grow up quickly without having her mother to lean on. She was now responsible for her mom’s care – and Ari was failing at her new role in life.
Since the day of her mother’s car accident, their lives had been filled with utter trepidation.
Thankfully, the Palazzo Corporation had called her back and the second interview had been more odd than the first. She’d been put through a fitness regimen. They’d had her run on a treadmill for half an hour, timed her traipsing through an obstacle course, and then tested her endurance.
She’d run track all through high school, and continued her running at college, so the physical aspect wasn’t a problem, but with each step she took in the odd interview process, she felt rising concern about what she was applying for.
All they'd offered at the second interview was that it was a private position for the CEO of the corporation. Maybe she was expected to dodge bullets in other countries he was invading? She’d heard rumors that his businesses weren’t always welcome overseas – that some of the governments thought he was overstepping his bounds.
From the research she had done, the people normally welcomed him as he paid high wages, and offered excellent benefit packages. A lot of the time it seemed it was other businesses in the area he was building that wanted to keep him out as he monopolized whatever area he was pursuing. At least she knew if she got the job that she’d have security. People didn’t tend to quit when they worked for the Palazzo Corporation.
The pay for the position was high enough to give her mother the very best medical care and still leave enough left over for her to save up – possibly getting her back to school within a couple years. At this point, she’d almost do whatever it took to be hired.
“Ms. Harlow, if you aren’t going to take this interview seriously, you may exit the way you came in,” Mr. Palazzo said in an irritated tone, snapping her back to the present.
“I’m sorry. I truly am. I do take this interview very seriously,” she quickly answered, hoping she hadn’t missed a question.
“I won’t repeat myself again – do you understand?” Before she could answer, he continued. “I asked if you’re available all hours. I don’t mean Monday through Friday. This job requires your availability to me seven days a week, night or day. There will be times I won’t need you for extended periods, and other times I’ll need you with me for several days straight. There may be travel involved. The bottom line is that you must have zero other commitments. If that doesn’t work for you, this interview is over.”
Ari felt a lump in the back of her throat as she struggled to keep in the tears threatening to spring to her eyes. She finally gazed in his unusually colored eyes, getting her first solid look at them.
She’d heard about his type of eyes before, something called Heterochromia iridum, where two colors were present. His had a deep purple center around the pupil, which faded into a gorgeous midnight blue. They were mesmerizing – intriguing – capturing her gaze, even though they were narrowing intensely at her right then.
“I have no other commitments. I’m available,” she told him, inwardly crossing her fingers. She was committed to her mother, but with this money she wouldn’t have to worry about her mom’s care. She’d go see her when she had those down times he was speaking of. If she didn’t get in to see her mom for a month she’d be devastated but her mom would be in good hands, and most importantly, she wouldn’t notice since she was in a coma.