14 Days

The day I fell in love with my boss had been a normal Monday morning. I had been on my way to a job interview and was almost out of time. After being out a a job for so long, I wondered if I still knew how to be a secretary. I had been working as a secretary in a small publishing company until I hit the roughest patch in life. By the time I got back to work, not so long after, the company went bankrupt and was bought by a new one which let go of the old workers. I was unable to get a job of that calibre again and did different odd jobs just to make ends meet.

I waited tables, I worked at a grocery store and even walked dogs.

I went from one job interview tomorrow another to no avail. I just about gave up on ever using my degree again when I came across an ad on a job website. I knew the name of the company because there is no way you'd work in a publishing company and not hear of HarperRussell Books... and also because that was the company that bought my old company. HarperRussell Books is actually one of the subsidiaries of the HarperRussell company chain. They were also involved in pharmaceuticals, technological production, food production, and even made my favorite cereal. So when I saw that ad, I didn't even care what the position was. Within me, I concluded that even if it was a cleaning job, I'd take it because I knew it would pay better than all the jobs I did combined.

I was insanely happy when I clicked on the link which redirected me to their official website and found out that the job was not for a cleaning job but a secretary. I quickly applied and crossed my fingers with the hope that I'd get a response and an invite to the interview. After a week of getting no response, I lost hope of ever getting a response until that bright Friday evening. I was taking out the trash after work when my phone vibrated. I sighed and wiped my hands on my jeans before pulling it out of my pocket. I mindlessly went through the phone in order to check the source of the notification.

I began yawning until I saw HarperRussell Books and it cut the yawn short and my fingers trembled with trepidation. I didn't have much hope but I feared being rejected because I really really needed that job and it was my last hope.

Subject: Invitation to Interview

Dear Iyanna Garvey,

As a result of your application for the position of a Secretary, I would like to invite you to attend an interview on June 30, at 9 AM at our office in Quincy, MA.

You will have an interview with the department manager, Edie Wilson and myself. The interview will last about 30 minutes. Please bring three references as well as a copy of your driver's license (if any) to the interview.

If the date or time of the interview is inconvenient, please contact me by phone (***-***-****) or email (mikey@harperrussell.com) to arrange another appointment. We look forward to seeing you.

Best regards,

Micheal Banks

_______

Micheal Banks

Administrative Director

HarperRussell

101 Earth Street

Quincy, MA 02169

***-***-***

mikey@harperrussell.com

I dropped my phone and pressed my fist against my mouth to prevent myself from screaming like I wanted to. I smiled so hard my cheeks began hurting. I knew it was just an interview and not that I'd gotten the job but the fact that they invited me for an interview was enough reason to bring tears to my eyes. Out of probably hundreds, I was one of those invited for the interview. I picked my phone back up and was happy to find out the screen wasn't broken or anything. I quickly sent a reply.

I dialled my mom's number immediately I sent the reply. "Mom I got invited to the job interview!!" I whisper screamed because I was still at work and didn't want anyone knowing that I applied for work in a big shot company while waiting tables just in case I ended up not getting the job. I shook my head and mentally slapped myself.

'Stop it Iyana. Don't be pessimistic right now.' I said to myself and smiled when I heard my mother scream from the other end of the phone. "Oh my God. That's a great news baby. I know it doesn't mean you've gotten the job yet but it's such a big step in the right direction. Yes!"

"I just saw my boss walking out the back for a smoke. Don't want to be called a slacker. Kiss my baby for me. See you when I get back. Love you!" and at that, I disconnected just as my boss screamed my name as I expected.

"Iyana why the fuck are you slacking on the job?" I was not a slacker but he was my boss, so his words were always right.

"Sorry Sir. Just taking out the trash." and at that, I slipped back into the kitchen just as he lit a cigarette.

'God please let me get that job.'

*****

I hurried down the pedestrian walkway as fast as I could with the hope that I'd be in the office for the interview at least 30 minutes before 9am. Everyone was in a hurry. It was rush-hour at 8:23am as people still hurried off to their different places of work. I lost focus when I looked down to adjust my watch in order to check the time only to run into the guy before me.

"Watch it Lady." he snapped and I quickly apologized. He stepped around something like everyone else did and I looked down to know why and saw a husky puppy whimpering probably from being kicked a number of times. Her eyes were beautiful. One was blue and the other brown. I honestly don't know why I concluded she was female. It was probably a dog walker thing.....no it wasn't. I was just guessing.

"Ohhh. You poor thing." I muttered without thinking as I bent down to pet it before picking it up when she nuzzled my palm.

'Yes Iyana. Pick up every strange dog you see by the road why don't you?' My mind said to me and I realized I had actually just picked up a strange dog 30 minutes before my job interview.

'Stupid Stupid Stupid little girl. This is why bad things happen to you. Because you're a stupid little girl' a mocking voice whispered in my head and I shook it away and focused on what I had on my hands at that moment.

'She has a leash on, that means she has an owner.' I thought before reaching to check the collar around her neck with the hope of finding details of her owner.