I cringe when I realize I used his stage name.
“Oh, he was scrawny then, working two jobs to help our momma get by. Boy, did all that yard work pay off, though. Come high school, I couldn’t keep my friends away from him.”
I pull my phone away from my ear and look at it, stunned.
Did Toxic really have to help support his family when he was a teenager?
With his sister out of work, is he doing so now?
Deciding to get the conversation back on track, I tell her, “For the position, you’d have to sign an NDA because I work with many well-known clients and their privacy and trust are of the utmost importance.”
“The only person I’ll vent to is the sweet lord, baby Jesus.”
I burst into laughter, surprised by how she pulls off sounding so professional while saying something so ridiculous.
“Initially, you’ll be working twenty hours a week, but I aim to increase your hours as you gain familiarity with the position.”
“Doable.”
“The pay isn’t great. I’ll start you out at fifteen dollars an hour for training, but after two weeks, once you’ve learned everything and can do it without a babysitter, I’ll bump it up to twenty.”
“I’ll take it.”
“Toxic…er, Joe, made me aware that you’re looking for full-time employment. I completely understand if you need to discontinue working for me. No notice necessary, but I will need a status update on everything you’ve touched before you leave.”
“If possible, I’d like to stay on even if I am hired elsewhere. It’s been a rough year and I could use all the help I can get.”
Guilt needles me because of how little I’m paying her, but I’m not treating her any differently than I would someone else, and the job doesn’t entail much.
And if she’s good, I’ll gladly shell out more.
“I’m emailing you the position’s responsibilities. Look them over tonight, and if you’re still interested in working for me, make fresh social media profiles on each platform I specify. I’ll give you admin access to my accounts tomorrow.”
“Great! I look forward to working with you.”
“Do you have any questions for me?” I ask, praying she doesn’t mention Toxic again or the droid situation.
“Nope, just send me that email.”
Toxic
My phone pings with a message from my sister. I step away from the lockers in the venue we’re about to play at, eager to see what she says.
Maria:I got the job!
A second text comes through, this one from Samantha.
Samantha:Your sister better not let me down!
Two birds; one stone.
I breathe out a sigh of relief, glad that I could help both my sister and Samantha at the same time. Hopefully, they’ll grow to like each other, and Samantha will be welcomed into the family with open arms.
If I’m lucky.
Another text comes through from my sister.
Maria:Mom’s recovering well. She says she’ll speak to you tomorrow.
