I hop up from the seat and immediately sway to the side, the floor tilting up to meet me before warm hands wrap around my upper arms.
“Whoa there,” they say, “let’s take it easy for a few minutes. Was this your first time giving blood?”
I nod as they help me sit back down.
“Hang tight, I’ll be right back with some juice.”
I blink up at the ceiling until they return with a familiar purple juice box. I hold in a chuckle when I recognize it’s one of Reverie’s favorites, which means it’s full of sugar.
They stick the straw in and pass it over.
“Take your time, it’s best to drink it slowly and relax. You’ll be on a fifteen minute watch timer now anyways,” they say.
I have nowhere to be anyway, so I let myself sit back and enjoy the juice while the phlebotomist putters around the room until I’ve finished it.
When I step back outside and unfold my umbrella for the walk home, I smile up at the sky through it, thankful for a resourceful roommate and healthy body that have allowed me to continue living my best independent life for the next month.
Unfortunately,I find myself still unemployed and more antsy than ever when another couple weeks crawl by without any further call backs. It’s safe to assume I didn’t get the project management job I interviewed for, and although bummed, I’m doing my best not to let it get me down. I was able to pay rent for July, and if I need to I can sell some blood again in two weeks to help cover August expenses. Talking myself through the positives has always helped me feel better when a situation starts to feel dire, and today is no exception to that rule.
I’m still sticking to the same routine—breakfast, avoid talking to family, put real clothes on, and apply for jobs—when a couple hours into the endless cycle, I get a call from a vaguely familiar number.
“Hello, this is Raya.” I use my most pleasant professional voice when I answer, just in case.
“Hi Raya, this is Noemi with Pacific Northwest Consulting Group, we interviewed you recently for the project manager position?”
“Oh yes, Noemi, hi! Thanks for calling.” My heart rate must be in the 200 range all of a sudden, and I hope Noemi can’t hear it through the phone.
“Of course. I wanted to let you know the position you applied for has been filled, but we actually had another open up quite suddenly that I think you’re a perfect fit for, a Training Lead. If you’re interested, is now an okay time to go over it with you?”
I blink a few times, trying to catch up with the words I’m hearing.
“Yes! Yeah, now is a great time!” I say, cringing when I realize how desperately enthusiastic that came out.
“Perfect. So here’s what you need to know…” Noemi breaks down the job description, expectations, salary, responsibilities, and emphasizes that this position includes frequent traveling and collaborating with others, while also training employees at other companies on how to effectively use the implemented software. I confirm my willingness and ability to follow through on everything Noemi mentions, marveling that what sounds like the perfect job seems to have fallen into my lap.
“There’s one catch," Noemi says. “We need you to start immediately.”
Walkinginto Pacific Northwest Consulting Group, or PNCG, I still can’t believe my good luck. I wore a brand new thrifted outfit today in the hopes it’ll bring me good luck. A flowy floral top in deep reds and blues is tucked into a matching red high-waisted corduroy skirt. It has carved wooden buttons down the front that I simply couldn’t pass up, not to mention the texture is divine. I’ve paired the outfit with dark blue flats that have a dainty strap around the ankle, and pulled my hair back into a loose french braid that hangs over my shoulder.
I pinched myself after the call yesterday, then had Reverie tug on my hair to be double sure it was real. I take the elevator to the sixth floor where Noemi greets me with a warm smile.
We take the first part of the day to go through the intake paperwork, all the boring stuff you have to do every time you start a new job that I have become far too competent at given my young age. I don’t know why I’ve had such trouble finding a place I fit in, but I’m hopeful this one will be a good match.
When I’m shown to my work station, which is not a soul sucking cubicle or in a long row of identically sterile desks, but is part of a semi-open work space with what looks like three other desks clustered together with mine, my eyebrows shoot up in surprise.
“Not what you’re used to?” Noemi laughs as I shake my head. “It works well for us. Looks like everyone is at lunch, so you’ll have to wait until they’re back to meet them, but you’re grouped with Asher, Alex and Kendall. Asher is the Technology Specialist you’ll be working closely with, and Alex and Kendall are both in client services.”
Noemi helps set up the work laptop that was waiting on the desk, and right as she’s readying to leave, my new coworkers come wandering in.
“Oh, perfect. I was about to step out, but let me introduce everyone first.” Noemi takes a step back, turning so she can gesture to me. “This is Raya, our new Training Lead. Raya, this is Asher, Alex and Kendall.”
With that, Noemi strides out of the shared workspace, heading back to her office without a backward glance and completely oblivious to the mortification sluicing down my spine.
5
NOT AS IT SEEMS
RAYA
