Chapter 8 Elaine - Unhealthy Coincedence

• On Monday morning, I strode into the lobby of Sturm Publishing Inc. with nothing but printed enquires Cora had sent me. Since I couldn’t go back to being an editor, because the job offers I’d browsed through on Craigslist weren’t paying well enough. I came across the post for a secretary with better payment and applied. Luckily, I got an email that said that I had been shortlisted for an interview along with six others two days later.
• It hadn’t even been up to a week since we moved here and New York was already bearing fruits. I got Finn enrolled in a Catholic elementary school close to Cora’s new office so she could pick him up after work in the afternoons since I would be closing by five on weekdays.
• “Hello. Good day. I’m here for the interview?” I tilted my head and offered my hand to the middle-aged receptionist sitting behind a huge desk. There was a white intercom on her left, piles of paperwork scattered all over the table. She had her food flask opened in front of her and I spied half-eaten rice and sauce with vegetables. Her eyes are a startling blue behind her black-rimmed glasses and they crinkled at me.
• “What’s your name, dear?”
• “Elaine Matthews,” I relaxed when she eventually smiled, picking up something that appeared to be a list. She perused through and stopped at a number close to the bottom.
• “If you go straight and turn left, you’ll see an elevator. Enter, and have it stop you on the second floor. The interview room is the first door you’ll see on the corridor. The others are already waiting. You have five minutes till Mr. Sturm comes in.
• I rushed down the corridor, past men and women wearing expensive suits and carrying heavy briefcases, their faces etched into a frown. Once you were in a publishing house, it was best to expect the good and the bad - pending on how well your manuscript was to an editor. Sturm Publishing Inc. was the leading publishing house in New York City. They provided authors with lots of benefits and a higher percentage of profit. Someday, I would be lucky enough to write a book and have it published here. Right now, I was almost late for an interview.
• I took the elevator and stopped on the second floor. The doors opened to yet, another long corridor carpeted with the prettiest blue rug I'd ever seen. A lady was standing by the first door, looking anxious. I went over.
• “Hey,” I gave her my best polite smile. She shook my hand, and we exchanged pleasantries. She couldn't be more than twenty-five; with straight black hair, well-defined cheekbones, and charcoal-black eyes that shone behind her dark black-rimmed glasses. “Are you also here for the interview?”
• She nodded. “Yes. But it seems like I got the wrong room. There's no one inside.”
• She turned the doorknob for me to peek in and I found the room empty as she said. “Why don't we check the other doors?”
• “Okay.”
• Turned out that the accurate room for the interview was the last on the right, not the first as the receptionist had told us. We joined the others already waiting. “Sorry, I didn't quite catch your name.”
• I chuckled. “We never introduced ourselves. I'm Elaine Matthews. A twenty-seven-year-old super mom.”
• “Oh wow. I'm Maya Ferrara. I'm twenty-two, with a certificate in English Literature. I've written five books.”
• I gaped at her, stunned. Five books? That was a lot!
• “That's... brilliant! I worked as a chief editor for an up-and-coming firm in Manhattan. That's where I've lived for the past ten years. I just moved to New York last week with my little son.”
• “Me too. I moved in from Ohio last Saturday. Are you married?”
• I hesitated, averting my eyes. I'd always dreaded this question, and it seemed to slip into every conversation I had with a stranger. How could I trust who I just met? What if she turned out to be a judgemental bitch?
• “It's fine. I shouldn't have asked,” she shrugged, resting her back now and blowing away the hair that'd fallen over her eyes. I exhaled in relief, grateful that she hadn't pushed. “Do you think he'd be harsh?”
• I furrowed my brows, puzzled. “Who?”
• “Mr. Sturm. The Chief Executive Officer. You know him right?”
• I shook my head, biting my bottom lip. I hadn't done deeper research on Sturm Publishing Inc. once I got shortlisted. I knew what being a secretary was all about, and hadn't bothered checking who I'd be assisting. “How is he like?”
• “Are you kidding me?” her eyes were wide in disbelief. “Girl, he's always on the front cover of every published newspaper. The number one most ineligible bachelor in New York.”
• Well, too bad I wasn't a fan of newspapers as well. “I'm not one with the times. He should be here by now.” We looked up as the door opened and Mr. Sturm strolled in, clutching a blue folder. Maya winked as we stood up in greeting. He lingered at the door, his back turned to us. His hair was the neatest blonde, tied back into a cute bun.
• “Wait till you see his eyes,” Maya whispered, excitement shining in her eyes. I noticed too that the others were agitated too, but it was more about making a good first impression. Maya's leaned more on affection. “They're brighter than the morning sky.”
• “Huh?”
• “Shush! Here he comes!”
• Mr. Sturm eventually turned and lifted his eyes to us. “Good morning everyone. Sorry, I came late.”
• Our eyes met and I felt my spirit leave my body. Bloody hell! It was him! MacDonald guy! He looked more muscular, and fairly advanced since that last night I saw him. He'd grown beards, and they were well trimmed - his lips fuller and pinker. His eyes were cerulean-blue, even more captivating.
• I wiped my sweaty palms on the blue gown I'd borrowed from Cora and lowered my gaze. He seemed to mirror my shock as well for he stood frozen in place.
• It... can't be. It can't be.
• He recovered quickly and cleared his throat. “Please have a seat let's get started right away.”
• We all took our seats and opened our folders to bring out our qualifications. “See, I told you he's hot. I can't believe you're just seeing him for the first time.” Maya chuckled, her eyes shifting to focus on Max who was now talking. I recognized the look on her face. She wasn't listening to whatever he was saying, but rather, she was bewitched by his looks.
• I wanted to disappear into thin air. It felt surreal, like a dream. I never thought I would see him again. His eyes found mine now, and for a moment they softened. I whipped my gaze away, suppressing the urge to throw myself across the table, into his arms.
• —
• I tried my best to answer the questions he asked when it got to my turn. I was disorganized, and my heart raced as his eyes followed the movement of my lips when I spoke. It felt as though he was subtly flirting, a ghost of a smirk dancing on his lips - those pink lips I'd once tasted. After he was finished with me he began asking Maya, who was so hyperactive.
• “Miss Ferrara, can I have your resume?” He glanced briefly at me, holding out his hand to collect Maya's CV. “And you too, Miss Matthews. I want to have yours too.”
• I picked out my CV from my folder file and stood, taking a few steps forward to hand it over. He caught my hand just as I was about to retrieve it, muttering darkly. “Don't leave after this.”
• I gulped, turning to flip back on my seat. Avoiding the question in Maya's eyes was difficult. She was so observant of everything that had to do with Mr. Sturm.
• When I couldn't take her subtle glaring any longer, I had to ask. “Is anything the matter, dear?”
• She blinked, then shook her head. “No, no, nothing dear. I was just...lost back there, I guess.”
• I passed her my bottle of water. “Drink this. It'll help.”
• She beamed at me, the smile not reaching her eyes. “Thanks.”
• “You're welcome.”
• —
• “It's been nice meeting you all,” Mr. Sturm said as he stood, and we all rose with him, packing our documents. The past hour had gone by in a blur of questions and perusals. I was downcast. I had been so distracted that I couldn't provide the answers to some of the questions which Cora had studied with me the night before. And I had no backup plans. “Thanks for applying to work with me. The results of the interview will be out in two weeks and those selected will be contacted in no time. Thank you once again.”
• “We're the ones supposed to thank you, Sir Sturm,” Maya sang enthusiastically, flushing scarlet when Mr. Sturm nodded at her words. “You provided the opportunity for us to meet, and even if it's not all of us that get the job, at least we got to familiarise ourselves and make new friends.”
• The other five mumbled their agreement. My phone rang loudly, disrupting the awkward silence that'd followed. “I-I'm so sorry, Sir. I have to take this call.”
• It was Cora. I rushed down the empty corridor, into the women's bathroom before picking up. “Bitch, you wouldn't believe who's gonna be my boss!” I exploded breathlessly.
• “Huh,” there's a sound of chewing on her end before her voice became clear. “Wait, what? What the heck are you going on about?”
• “Finn's father is my boss!”
• I heard a plonk as the phone fell on the bed on her end. Cora always did that whenever I or one of the other girls fed her huge news. “Tell me this is a prank. What the living hell!”
• “My thoughts exactly!” I placed a hand on my chest. It was hammering. “The biggest coincidence of my entire existence.”
• “Did he recognize you?”
• “Yes, he did. He even told me to stay back when the interview is over.”
• “Holy shit, Elaine. What are you going to do?”
• “I don't know, I don't know,” I began pacing the bathroom floor. “It's been five fucking years. He could've found me if he tried hard enough.”
• “True. Are you done with the interview?”
• I scrunched my face. “Yes, but he hasn't told us to leave yet. Your call came him while he was talking and I had to take an excuse to answer it in the bathroom. I'm shaking, Cora. I never thought I could see him again.”
• “Well, go back in there and act natural. Who cares if he's your boss? You need the damn job.”
• “I know but...” I hesitated. “Don't you think I should explore my second alternative? I can't work in the same office as his assistant. A lot of things will go down and he's very popular.”
• “That's true,” Cora chuckled. “You can place your best bets after the results are announced. But for now, get into the fucking room and talk things out a bit with him.”
• “Are you sure? Wouldn't it be best I just...left right now?”
• “Would you want him to come by at your house in search of you?”
• I colored. “God, no,” I couldn't risk letting him see Finn. Their resemblance was uncanny and he would figure everything out. Who would've thought today would be such a disaster? “Alright, fine. I'm going in.”
• “Good girl. I'm heading out now for a lunch break. Don't worry about Finn, I'll pick him up after dismissal.”
• I nodded. “Thanks, Cora.”