Unexpected (bayern munich)

Chapter 1

Dear Ms. Klein,

Thank you for submitting your request for employment to the Bundesliga, German Football League. We are grateful for the amount of applications submitted for the position of personal nutritionist. While you are not permanently assigned to a team and should be prepared to move at any time, you have been currently assigned to the Bavarian team Bayern Munich.

Your interview and credentials proved to be more than sufficient to earn this prestigious position with the team. Attached you will find more information regarding your expected date of arrival, flight and transportation information and living accommodations.

We look forward to finally meeting you in person.

Warmest regards,

Naomi Kreutz

Reading over this letter quickly, Natalia felt a smile grow on her face. Finally-after six months of an exhausting job hunt she landed a position she was comfortable with accepting. She graduated with a degree in Nutritional Studies from Sheffield University, but was not ready to pursue the Masters degree that many of her classmates started directly studying for. She was more than happy to accept a nutritionist position-let alone at a football club where her work would be meaningful and challenging.

While this wasn't the ideal position to accept, Natalia knew that this was an excellent position to have and would likely open many doors and provide her with many contacts.

She immediately contacted her parents and told them about the news-they of course were happy for her but for the first time their youngest daughter was going to be more than a train ride away.

"So you packed everything? Bedding? Toiletries? Towels?" Natalia's older sister Tanya asked over the sounds of her baby cooing. Tanya was an "established" adult-she married her long-time boyfriend Marco out of college and since then had grown exponentially in her career, and had given birth to her first son Jamie, 4 months earlier. Tanya was sharp, witty and driven-three qualities Natalia envied and strived to pronounce in her own character. While Tanya was always praised in school for her quick mastery of knowledge, Natalia took longer. Natalia liked people and got along with everyone. She was also intelligent, but the kind of intelligence that couldn't be learned from books. They were completely different people but they were as close as ever.

"Well I'm buying a lot of the bigger things there-it doesn't make sense for me to lug a comforter to Munich," she said holding her cellphone in place with her shoulder trying to zip the last of her suitcases. Her room was packed, her roommates had found a replacement tenant who was arriving later in the afternoon, this move was happening.

Natalia couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of joy in the pit of her stomach. Yes, she was nervous, but she couldn't help but feel like this was a great thing for her. She worked as a temp in a doctor's office and felt progressively more stuck as the months after graduation dragged on. This job was a blessing, and she simultaneously thrilled and nervous to be leaving everything familiar behind.

Only in time would she learn what life had in store for her.

Natalia's first day as nutritionist and she was running late. Grabbing an apple and to-go cup for her tea, she checked her reflection in the mirror one last time. Her blue button down was tucked into her black pencil skirt, and her feet were already aching from her shoes-despite their advertised comfort. Her brown hair was stubbornly uncooperative and her brown eyes stared back at her, displeasure reflected in them. Well, this is as good as its gonna get.

Natalia jogged, rather waddled down the stairs in her unfamiliar wardrobe toting along a black faux-leather bag (picked up from the neighborhood discount store), ready for a brisk walk to the nearest bus station. She arrived at her boss' office five minutes early for orientation and found that she was one of two new employees.

"Hi, you must be Natalia," a shorter blonde girl smiled at her, her Bavarian accent apparent through her toothy smile, "They told me you were English. I'm Cat," she explained shaking her hand.

"Nice to meet you Cat," Natalia said smiling back at her. Cat was petite and small-and not nearly as dressed up as Natalia. Natalia internally cringed, I'm overdressed...crap.