"No, no wait, it's not a personal call—she told me she might have a job for me."
Smooth, Denali. Now, she knows you're desperate, and she thinks you're a whore.
The woman sighs, her fingers clacking on some random keyboard in the background. "Oh, alright, then, I'll put you through. Hold, please."
I wait patiently, listening to the world's most pleasing hold music, while she no doubt puts me through the links and then prepares to hang up on me. But then, I'm surprised, because a familiar voice answers, and I nearly sob with relief.
"Hello. Arista here; can I help you?"
I slump forward and suck in a huge breath, trying not to panic. "Ah, yeah, hi—you probably don't remember me, but we met at the ladies' night event a couple months back, at the bar. You gave me your card and said if I was ever looking for work?—"
"Oh, right, yeah! I do remember you. But I don't remember your name." She pauses, and I realize she's waiting for me to fill her in.
"Denali," I breathe, crossing my fingers and my toes and any part of my body I can cross in the hopes that it'll help. "Denali Stone."
"So, Denali Stone," she says, and I can practically picture her leaning back in an oversized office chair, crossing her legs, twirling a lock of hair as she grins through her voice. "I take it you're in the market for a job."
"I—yeah. I think I am."
She sighs, and then, without missing a beat, her voice rings out clear, the first good news I've gotten in a long time.
"I think I have something for you."
Whatever it is, I'll take it. "When do I start?"
Her laughter is almost contagious. "Be at the address on the card tomorrow at six sharp. And dress professionally. My client can be a bit . . . much."
I've dealt witha bit muchbefore, and then some. "I'll see you tomorrow."
I'll be there so early, I'll beat her to her own office. Watch me.
When we hang up, I hunt down Taco and toss him into the air, whooping as he comes back down and I catch him, just like he likes. "Taco, mommy's got a job!"
It's not official, but it's a start.
And I can sure use a break right about now.
"I'm sorry, ma'am, you're a bit early, so you'll have to wait?—"
I recognize the woman at the receptionist desk as the girl who answered the phone last night, and smile at her, hoping to get in her good graces. Though if the look she's giving me is any indication, she's not liking what she sees.
She's looked me up and down at least twice now, her gaze full of disdain for my choice in clothes, I guess.
She's wearing expensive brand-name luxury accessories, her blouse is silk, and the skirt she's got wrapped around her legs screams money. In comparison, my attire is much like me—rough, cheap, and well-worn. It's not by any means grungy or unprofessional, but it's certainly not what they're used to seeing around here, clearly.
I'm in a pair of black, flowing slacks that hide my heels when I stand still, a white blouse that itches in the heat that I've tucked in somewhat, leaving one side of the front untucked like has been stylish for a few months now. My top two buttons are undone to allow for air, but they don't bare my breasts, like her top does, and all in all, I feel like I've achieved a certain level of professional style that most people in my situation can only hope for.
I'll have to thank my neighbor for letting me raid her wardrobe later.
She seats me in a waiting room where people come and go in groups and individually, some passing by on the way to the elevators, others heading for the ground-floor cafe that seems to be busy from the moment I walk in until I'm called back up a half an hour later and directed to a meeting room.
It's not even an office. It's a whole ass conference room, and I'm the only one here.
"Take a seat, Miss Stone; Miss Simmons will be along shortly."
I'm left to my own devices, and I'm sweating bullets. What if she doesn't like me after all this time? What if the client she talked about knows who I am, or who my old boss is, and decides on the spot I won't work? What if she's only here to tell me that she's decided against it, and?—
"Oh, hi there! I hope you haven't been waiting long."
