Acheros Co.

Chapter 1 - Aurora

Though the waiting room had an AC, I couldn't help but feel sweat rolling down my forehead... Figuratively. No matter how many times I applied for a job, the nervousness never left me, yet it also fueled my excitement. It didn't help that we'd been in this room for more than an hour.

A man in a grey suit beside me glanced at my bouncing knee which made me instantly cease the movement and smile at him apologetically. He introduced himself as George. I'd seen him speaking to all the other candidates. My guess was that he was either really extroverted or trying to size up his competition. Who knew there would be such fierce competition to be a secretary? Not me.

"So, Aila, what previous experience do you have?" Ah, we were at the interrogation part of the conversation.

"Well, George, after finishing my BSBA from WashU St. Louis, I worked at Boeing and Google as an intern. I'm planning on doing my MBA, but I wanted to get a bit of experience under my belt first."

"I see. Not to offend you, but why go for a secretary position if you're going to do a Master degree in Business? Why not a manager or something?" Fair question. I had known this would come up sometime, so I was prepared for it.

"I want to work with CEOs before my MBA to observe how they work and such. Learning from the pros, you know?" George nodded in understanding. "Though, I feel like I'm in the job interview right now."

George laughed. "I'm sorry. It's just always been my dream to work for Mr. Acheros. I'm his biggest fan." He blushed.

"That's dedication." He chuckled. His attention shifted to someone behind me. His eyes met the glare of a woman with strawberry blonde hair who'd just entered the other end of the lobby. She was holding the hand of a little girl with brown hair and blue eyes. George got up and shook my hand. "That's my cue. It was a pleasure to meet you, Aila. I hope we meet again sometime."

"Likewise." He walked over to the woman and picked up the little girl, coddling her, as the woman said something to him. Could it be his wife and daughter? Suddenly, Noah, the man at the desk who had asked everyone to wait once we entered, stood up and announced, "Charlotte Williams, Mr. Acheros will see you now." 

A tall, slender woman two chairs away exclaimed in indignation, "Sir, I arrived here before all the other candidates. I've been waiting for three hours! Couldn't I go first?" Noah looked startled. "I apologize, ma'am. Mr. Acheros has given me this list and I must follow it. You will be sent in soon. Kindly wait your turn." She sat down with a huff. It was clear that Noah looked up to Mr. Acheros with obeisance. Three hours? This could take a while. I decided that I might as well pass the time by playing with the cute ball of energy whom George was holding. I went over to George and his family. 

"Hey, who is this?" George and his wife seemed surprised. "Aila, this is Maia. Maia, say hi to Aila." He picked up Maia's right hand and waved to me. "May I hold her?" George's wife looked at him disapprovingly as he gave Maia to me. "If it's not okay with your wife, I don't want to cause any discord."

"My wife?" George look at the woman beside him and burst into laughter. "Bea's not my wife." He said between gasps. Bea looked horrified. "Is Maia your daughter?" I asked. George shook his head and became more serious. "She's my best friend's daughter. He's busy at work so we're watching her for now."

I smiled as Maia started twirling my hair in her hands. She seemed entertained when I used my high-pitched "baby voice" and giggled uncontrollably if I tickled her. "Do you guys mind if I play with her for a while?" Bea's smile was trusting. "If you can handle her, by all means. I could use a break, ha." I sat down, putting Maia in a chair beside me. A few of the ladies in the room walked over to coo at her with me. After a while, Noah called my name. I took Maia to Bea and thanked her before walking toward Mr. Acheros' office. Emma, the woman who had arrived first and gone in before me, walked out looking pleased with herself. I took a deep breath and pushed open the solid wood door.

Mr. Acheros was busy writing something down and he glanced up as I closed the door behind me. "Aila Redmond? Please, have a seat. How are you doing?"

"I'm well." I said with a smile. "How about yourself?"

"Good, good. Alright, I have your resume here. A bachelor's degree in business administration, internships at some good companies, you could be a great employee here. Why do you want to be my secretary?" He arched one eyebrow. I was always amazed at people who could do that.

"I am planning to do my Master's degree in Business, Mr. Acheros, and after that, my career goal would probably be to reach a C-suite position, such as yours. I would like to help you with your responsibilities so that I can understand what it takes to be a CEO and see if I'm making the right decision with my studies. Since this is a one-year contract, I would then be able to come to a conclusion as well as train a new secretary for my role before returning to my studies." He nodded and looked at my resume again.

"You know a secretary's responsibilities, Ms. Redmond, handling my schedule, making sure I attend events, noting down everything I say, maybe even doing personal favors such as bringing me coffee. How do you think you are qualified for this job?" He asked.

"Sir, I am fluent at shorthand so I can take quick notes. I was on the student board at Washington University, which allowed me to gain a lot of practice with creating and managing effective schedules, coordinating with my peers and higher management, and ensuring my peers attended important meetings. Furthermore, I am disciplined, dedicated and determined, and I will put my heart and soul into my job."

He hummed in agreement. "And finally, are you sure you want this job?" He asked slowly.

"Yes, Mr. Acheros, I want this job. It would be an amazing experience for me." I maintained eye contact confidently. He smiled once more and called out, "Jabari, you can come in." 

A door that I hadn't noticed to the side opened and in walked... George? No wonder he was nowhere in sight in the lobby. "Jabari?" He chuckled. "Sorry about that, Aila, I have to conceal my identity while interviewing candidates." 

Aha! So he was interrogating me for this.

"Ms. Redmond," Mr. Acheros said, "Jabari is my most trusted advisor, and he has told me positive things about you. It was a pleasure to interact with you. My manager, Bea, will contact you in a few business days to let you know the outcome of your application. Thank you for coming."

I thanked Mr. Acheros, returning Jabari's smile as I exited the room. For the CEO of one of the most powerful companies in the world, Mr. Acheros was surprisingly kind and humble. 

I waved to Bea and Maia, and thanked Noah before I left the Acheros Co, building. The only thing left to do was wait for Bea's call.

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BSBA = Bachelor of Science in Business Administration

WashU St. Louis = Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, USA

indignation = anger or annoyance provoked by what is perceived as unfair treatment.

obeisance = deep respect; dutiful or submissive behavior with respect to another person.

discord = disagreement