“I see here, Mr. Michaels, that you’ve been arrested. Tell me about it,” she said.
My palms began to sweat as I rubbed them together, thinking before I answered. “I was arrested and charged with criminal mischief.”
“Is it a misdemeanor or a felony?” she asked. She chewed on her pen as she waited for my answer.
“Misdemeanor, ma’am,” I answered as my heart pounded violently in my chest.
“Were you found guilty?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.
“No, adjudication was withheld,” I responded.
“It shouldn’t be an issue, then. Misdemeanors are often overlooked, but felonies are the kiss of death.” She quickly read over the rest of my application. “Look for an email in the next twenty-four hours. The candidates we’ve chosen to move forward will receive an email with instructions.” She stood up and extended her hand to me.
“Thank you, ma’am. I look forward to that email,” I said with a wink. I could usually charm the panties off any woman, but today, my goal was a job. She blushed, and I shook her hand lightly and smiled. I felt confident I would get that email. I always interviewed well with women.
I left the interview feeling upbeat and found Sophia waiting for me in the parking lot. She smiled as I entered the car. “How did it go, sweetheart?” she asked as she leaned over for a kiss.
“Really well. I actually think I got the job, as long as I can pass the background check,” I said, rifling through the papers they handed me during the interview. “I’ll get an email tomorrow if I’m selected to move forward in the hiring process.”
I became obsessed with my email. I wanted this job. I needed it. Every time my phone dinged, I jumped to check it. Just when I was about to give up hope, it arrived.
“I got it, Sophia,” I said, still slightly in shock. “I have to fill out the background check agreement and take a drug test.”
“Congratulations, baby. You’ll get it. I just know it.” She wrapped her arms around me and placed a kiss on my cheek.
“I have ten days to submit the background check and get the drug test.” I read off the email confirmation. The possibility of being denied still weighed heavily on my mind.
34
Sophia
The Future
“Open it,” I said, watching him tap the envelope from UPS on the countertop.
“I’m scared, Sophia… I want it so badly.”
I grabbed the envelope. “I’ll open it, then,” I said.
“No,” he said, tearing open the envelope. He read the pages without speaking, and I couldn’t tell from his face what it said.
“Well?”
“Wow,” he said with a look of disbelief, still staring at the papers.
“What?”
He was making me crazy.
“It shows no criminal record of any kind. It doesn’t even show an arrest,” he said as he stared at the pages.
“Does that mean you have the job? Did they search Florida?”
“Yes, I’ll be hired. The FBI did the search, and they looked everywhere in the United States—driving record and criminal,” he said, a smile creeping across his face.
Kayden dropped the papers, lifting me into his arms. I laughed as he turned in a circle, kissing my face. The excitement radiated off him and became infectious. “I can’t believe it, Sophia. I have a job—finally a job. I can feel like a man again,” Kayden said. Tears of joy formed in his beautiful green eyes.
“You’ve always been a man, Kayden. My man. You’ve never changed in my eyes. When I need you, I’m sure you’ll be there to help and protect me. That’s what people do when they love each other. We’re a team, and you’ll never be alone again,” I said, holding his chin so he could look into my eyes.
