‘Yes, I know, but I’m only saying. There’s nothing wrong withnothaving a job at your age. Soon enough, you won’t have the option of not working and you might look back at this time wishing you could have stayed at home.’
I sit next to Ma on the bed, taking her hands in mine. ‘Ma, I’m doing this. It’s good experience. If nothing else, maybe it’ll help me figure out what Idon’twant to do!’
Ma nods but doesn’t say anything, a strained smile on her lips. ‘As long as you’re sure.’
I am. Even if my real motivation for working at Eternally Yours doesn’t pay off – which it will, it must, I’m manifesting it – then at least I’m making money in preparation for when I go off to Edinburgh uni next year. Not that I know what I’ll study when I get there but hopefully, I’ll figure it out this summer. All I know is that I have to go there. It’s where Ma and Baba met. The longer he’s been gone, the more I feel his absence. Maybe in Edinburgh I can feel him again. Maybe it’ll help me finally figure out what I want to do with my life.
But before that, I need to get through this summer.
And that starts tomorrow at Eternally Yours, ‘a renowned matchmaking agency delivering bespoke dates and successful romance to an exclusive clientele’.
The place I’m going to infiltrate from the inside to find the information I need to complete my mission.
2
When I get to Eternally Yours, I’m sweating buckets – which obviously isnotpart of my ‘amazing first day at work’ plan that I jotted down in my Notes app this morning on the bus into work.
POPPY’S AMAZING FIRST DAY AT WORK
1) Smile and act confident
2) Take notes on everything Sadia says; do not miss a word!!
3) Remember why you’re here
4) Don’t give away your true intentions
I’d felt good writing it all down, seeing my goals for the day, but now that I’m here I feel unsteady.
It’s ironic: I’m here to work at a dating agency and it feels likeI’mthe one about to go on a first date.
‘Poppy!’
I spin around at the sound of my name. Walking towards me in a sunshine-yellow pantsuit with a bright smile is Sadia Khatun.
‘Auntie,’ I say, recovering from my surprise at seeing her. I did my interview for the personal assistant role with her, obviously, but it was on Zoom so it felt less daunting. Now that she’s standing in front of me, I am filled with nerves. I extend my hand to her. ‘It’s such a pleasure to meet you. I’m so grateful for this opportunity, and honestly you have no idea how excitedI am to be here!’ The words tumble out of me at lightning speed, my mouth unable to stop the rambling until I clock her trying not to laugh.
‘Sorry, that was a lot, wasn’t it?’
‘It’s fine, don’t worry. And, please, call me Sadia,’ she says with an angelic laugh. ‘You had a brilliant personal statement. Your passion for the agency and matchmaking practically radiated through the screen. We’re pleased to have you with us for the summer.’
I swallow, unable to admit that the statement I gave her was an amalgamation of sample statements I found online, with a made-up sentence about why I was passionate about helping people find ‘the one’.
Truth be told, I’ve not been interested in dating or in finding ‘the one’ since my own relationship ended six months ago.
But I don’t think the real reason I took this job would sell me quite as well.
‘Thank you,’ I say, gulping down the truth.
‘I also enjoyed the plan of action you submitted that detailed how you had organised your college’s colour run. None of the other applicants thought to do so and it showed me just how willing you were to not only go the extra mile but also how you think about things ahead of time.’
I want to beam at the praise but find it difficult to. Sure, it’s a good quality to possess but I kind of wish I didn’t have to find out just how skilled I am at it because of Baba passing away; borne out of my desire to control something when everything else felt so out of my hands.
‘Let’s go to my office and have a chat, shall we?’
We move through the open-plan office, where people sit at desks, typing away and chatting, before Sadia opens the door to her private office, indicating for me to go first.
‘As you already know, Eternally Yours is an exclusive datingagency,’ Sadia says, making her way to her desk chair. When she notices me standing like a mannequin, she points to the plush pink seat opposite her. I’m grateful for the instruction.
