Need You

Chapter 18

We got there in time - right before the last person went in. After Amanda introduced me to Frank, the friend of hers who had gotten me the interview, I sat and waited at the reception.

After telling Amanda I didn't have a copy of my CV, she asked Frank to let me use his computer to create one.

Thinking of possible questions I'd be asked and how I'd answer them, a thought crossed my mind. "Don't tell them you were in jail." I was reminded of Derrick laughing at me for my stupid honesty which cost me two jobs. If telling them I had been in jail would decrease my chances of getting the job, then I'd rather not mention it.

Being told to go in a few moments after the lady who went in before me had left, I entered and was happily surprised by an old collegue, Tom.

The grin on his face made it clear that he remembered me. "Harry." He mentioned.

"You know him?" The man sitting next to him asked.

"Yes. We worked together about five years ago." He sighed. "It's been so long."

I chuckled.

"Please have a seat."

As I sat I gave them my CV. We started by they asking me some questions about accounting and my work experience; which accounting software programs am I familiar with? Which accounting process have I developed or improved?

I was feeling very good about the interview after I had answered all the questions they had asked so far.

"It says on you CV that you worked at Ethel's Diner." Tom stated. "What did you do there?"

"My title was financial controller and I was put in charge of analysing the restaurant's finances." I answered.

"How long did you work there?"

"One month."

"One month?" The other interviewer said. "What happened? Were you fired or did you quit?"

I was going to tell them I was fired but I didn't think that would leave a good impression so I said, "Neither. I was contracted to work there for one month". It was true.

"Alright. We'll let you know by the end of today if you have been hired or not." The other interviewer said. "You may leave."

"Thank you." I said as I got up and before I got out, Tom told me to wait for him outside.

Frank stood sat at his desk at the reception and asked me how the interview was.

Telling him that it was good, I sat and waited for Tom. "Where's Amanda?" I asked.

"She's in a meeting." He replied.

I stood when Tom came out of the office. "Frank, are there any more people to be interviewed?" He asked.

"No sir."

I laughed. "You're now addressed as sir?"

"It comes with the job." He laughed as we pulled each other into a bro-hug. "It's good to see you Harry."

"Good to see you too. You seem to be doing well."

"I am. How have you been?"

"I've been good."

"I have to get back to work but I'll contact you later."

I nodded. My number was on the CV.

"I'll see you tomorrow." He said and went back into the office.

Because Amanda was in a meeting, I decided to get back to the restaurant. I said bye to Frank and left feeling great from the interview.

Tom and I worked together for about two years. He left the job a year before I was jailed. I doubted he knew about that. Even though he was assistant manager of the finance department and older, we were very good friends but we stayed in touch for only a short while after he left.

When I got back to the restaurant, I saw Derrick seated at a table, talking to Leo. The empty plate on the table told me showed he had finished eating; probably not long ago since he was talking to Leo.

I went to the table and sat. I expected Leo to take the plate away when we started talking but he didn't.

"I'm sorry Harry about the contract. I was just doing my job." Derrick said.

I wasn't upset about it anymore. "It's fine. I just returned from a job interview which went very well."

"Wow."

With a grin, I replied, "I'll hear from them by the end of today."

"That's good. I hope you didn't tell them you were in jail." He blurted with a laugh just as Leo took the plate away.

I decided to ignore however Leo would respond to that information. "No, I didn't."

"Then you just got a new job bro." He said as he stood, saying that he had to get going.

I made my way to the back of the restaurant and got worried when I saw Leo in what seemed like a serious conversation with Nikki.

What if he was telling her what Derrick said?

Waiting for them to finish, I stood there worried. If he told her about me going to jail I wouldn't know what I was going to say to her.

Nikki approached me with a smile when they were done. "Hey Harry."

"Hi." I smiled.

I guessed he didn't tell her about it. She looked very happy when I told her about how well the interview went and so did Ethel.

I didn't see Leo for the rest of the day until his shift was over. I was in the dining area waiting for Nikki; we were going to go home.

Initially, I had thought of approaching Leo and trying to convince him to disregard what Derrick said, but that would only confirm that what he heard was true.

As he got closer to the door, he looked at me and smirked.

It was obvious that Leo didn't like me and with this information I had been trying to hide, he could ruin me now that he knew. He could have told Nikki or Ethel as soon as he heard it but he didn't - he was definitely planning something.

Hearing the sound of my phone's notification, I checked it and saw that I had received an email from YouShip - the company I had been interviewed at.

Despite feeling good about the interview earlier, I was quite nervous as I opened the email.

I read thd heading of the email and knew instantly that I had been hired. Now grinning, I finished reading the email right before Nikki came.

I started work tomorrow.

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