She stopped outside Mrs. Kent’s office door to adjust her blouse and run her fingers through her long hair. The honey-colored highlights around her face had taken some time to get used to, but she liked them now—they were different for her.Shefelt different after accomplishing something big. And there was one person whom she’d worked closely with, who knew just how many nights Cedar’s car was the last one in the parking lot. Mrs. Kent was the one who had to force her to go home. So this interview may not be just an exit interview; it could also be Cedar’s new hire interview. That was a cheery thought, and she allowed it to grow inside of her until it took over all the negative brain waves associated with TeoParata.
Smiling came easy then. Cedar tapped lightly on the door before pushing her wayinside.
Mrs. Kent turned away from her computer. “Cedar.” She motioned her forward. “Have a seat.” Mrs. Kent was dressed in her usual Titans polo shirt and slacks. Cedar was thankful she’d changed—no sense looking toointerested.
Cedar smoothed her pants down as she settled into the padded chair. They exchanged pleasantries, and then Mrs. Kent laid her palms flat on the desk. She must have had a nail appointment the weekend before, because they were freshly painted with a Titans star on the ringfingernail.
“The Titans organization couldn’t be more thrilled with how the camp turned out. You and Darrin—” She coughed on his name as if it had stuck in her throat. “—did an excellent job. I forwarded the emails you sent me this morning to James Knight, and he said you exceeded their expectations and he’s looking to expand the Tiny Titans Camp to allow for more participants nextyear.”
Cedar’s whole chest swelled with pride. “That’s high praise. Thank you for tellingme.”
“You earned it.” Mrs. Kent turned to pull a sheet of heavy cream paper off the printer behind her. “I’ve written a glowing letter of recommendation for you and finished your internship evaluation.” She slipped the paper inside a folder with a Titans star emblazoned on the front. She held the folder out to Cedar, whose smile had frozen in place. “Here youare.”
Cedar leaned forward stiffly. Everything Mrs. Kent had said was glowing and positive, but in all of that, Cedar didn’t hear the wordsyou’re hired. “I’m sorry. Letter ofrecommendation?”
“Yes.” Mrs. Kent’s cheeks stretchedwider.
Cedar spoke before her brain could censor the words. “I thought I’d be working here. If they’re making the camp bigger, we’ll need to start sooner, bring in another sponsor or five. There’s so much to bedone.”
Mrs. Kent’s cheeksdrooped.
“I’ve already compiled a list of possible rotations for next year. And then there’s the viral video—I’m ready to use that to ouradvantage.”
The folder sank slowly to the desk. Cedar hadn’t dared accept it, fearing that once she made contact the job would go up in a puff ofsmoke.
“The higher ups are already working to leverage the video. They’re putting together a publicity stunt of some sort—it’s out of our hands. And, I’ve been instructed to make this a permanent internship position. I’m sorry if you were under the impression that this would transfer into something else, Cedar,” Mrs. Kent said with truesympathy.
“So you weren’t ever planning on hiring me?” Cedar drummed her fingers on the chair. Stupid Darrin. He’d planted that seed in her head, and like a dupe she’d watered it and watched it grow. And, like a bigger dupe, she was smudging her spotless reputation with Mrs. Kent and making her uncomfortable. “I must have misunderstood.” She recovered quickly and, with major effort on her part, reset her smile. “I appreciate all that you’ve done for me, Mrs. Kent. I’ve enjoyed my time with the Titans and learned so much from you.” She stood, extending her hand over thedesk.
Mrs. Kent smiled hesitantly. “Let me know where you end up—I’d like to keep intouch.”
“Of course.” They shook hands and said goodbye. Cedar took the cursed folder with her as she exited the office on woodenlegs.
Her cubicle wasn’t far, and she managed to make it to her chair before her legs gave out. Darrin’s work space was already cleaned out, and a fine layer of dust had settled on the empty bookshelf. But then, he spent so little time in the office that the dust had probably been there a while, and she’d been too busy to notice. She was really starting to hate her ex-boyfriend. Breaking up with her because she wanted a familyone daywas bad enough, why did he have to play with her head about thejob?
“What now?” She stared at the black computer screen as if the idea would magically appear. She hadn’t applied to other companies, hadn’t even talked to the career counselor at the college, because she’d been sure that she had this job. There were details they would have to hash out, like salary and time off, but she wasn’t worried about those details because she was so excited to plan the nextcamp.
And now shewouldn’t.
Her head throbbed. She’d been a student for the last two years and had loans to pay off. There wasn’t enough money in her account to pay two months of rent let alone a monthlyinstallment.
“Two minutes,” she muttered. She needed two minutes to mourn the job that could have been. Then she needed three minutes to imagine Darrin in a straightjacket on his way to an insane asylum for horrible ex-boyfriends. Then she would be able to make a plan. With a groan, she put her head on the desk. She’d start with the straightjacketimage.
Just when she was getting to the good part where a big guy in white scrubs—who weirdly enough resembled Teo Parata—loaded Darrin into the back of a white van, she heard the department secretary say, “MissBell?”
Cedar bolted upright and rubbed at her forehead, hoping she hadn’t been on the desk long enough to leave behind a red mark. She swiveled around and wondered just how good her imagination was, because behind Fern stood Teo. His broad shoulders and massive arms shadowed the petite woman like a mountain shadows a baby pine tree. Akoni was nestled into the crook of hisarm.
“Is everything okay?” Fernasked.
“Fine. I’m fine.” Cedar saw something bright pink on her shirt and snatched the post-it away. “What can I help youwith?”
Fern smiled. “It appears this gentleman left a diaper bag here last Saturday. He thinks you might know where itis.”
Cedar blinked long and hard. Teo really was standing in her cubicle. Well, notinher cubicle. He would never fit in the small space. But he was here. And she’d chewed him out—to his face. Unless she imagined that too … No, she was pretty sure that had actually happened. “I haven’t seen it since …” She thought back to the hurried diaper change in the executive’s restroom. She’d run in and out as fast as her stupid wedges could move and must have left it behind. “Oh! I think it’supstairs.”
The phone rang up front and Fern sidestepped towards her desk. “Would you mind showing him theway?”
Cedar waved her off. “Sure.” It wasn’t like she had anything more to do than stash a few folders in her car andleave.
