Shadows of the Spotlight

Chapter 3

I eased my car onto the road, the morning sun casting a warm glow over the city. I checked the GPS—I'd planned my timing perfectly, aiming to reach The Plaza Hotel with a comfortable twenty-minute buffer before the meeting. But as I merged onto 5th Avenue, the road turned into a river of brake lights, and my heart sank. I hadn't expected traffic to be this bad.

My mother's voice came through the Bluetooth, soft and familiar, though tinged with concern. "So, you're really doing this? Meeting the client today?"

"Yep, today's the big day," I replied, forcing cheerfulness into my voice as I watched the GPS estimate creep upward. "I'm on my way to The Plaza to sign the contract."

"Lila, honey," my mom's voice took on that familiar worried tone, "I don't understand why you've had to jump through so many hoops for a temporary translator job. Background checks, multiple interviews... seems like overkill."

"Mom, it's a high-profile client," I explained, keeping my tone steady despite my frustration with the endless line of cars. "They need to be sure everyone around them is safe and trustworthy."

"But traveling all over with people you've never met... it just worries me." I could picture her frowning.I exhaled, my fingers tapping the steering wheel in a rhythm of impatience. "Mom, I know you're worried. But I've traveled with strangers for years with the NGO—even to remote villages with no cell towers."

Her concern didn't ease. "It's different, though."

"It is," I admitted, taking a deep breath. "But it's a fantastic opportunity to use all the languages I've studied. And honestly? I'm excited now—this feels like an adventure."

A brief silence passed, broken only by the occasional honking around me. My GPS pinged with a new traffic alert, showing a roadblock ahead and stretching my arrival time even further. I groaned under my breath, feeling the minutes slip away.

Mom's voice came back, soft but resigned. "I know you've thought it through, and I know you'll be safe. But it just feels... risky, not having met the client yet."

"It's actually common for high-profile clients," I replied, trying to keep my frustration in check as my car inched forward. "They prefer privacy. Ms. Park—the person who interviewed me—has worked with them for five years."

"Why is she leaving, again?", my mom asked

"Ms. Park is pregnant. She's been really helpful and will guide me through the first two weeks." I glanced at my phone, noting with dread that my buffer had evaporated. I only had five minutes left, yet the GPS showed me at least twenty minutes away. "If this traffic doesn't ease up, I might not even make it to my 'great adventure' on time."

"Oh, come on," I muttered to myself, clenching the wheel as the lights changed, inching me forward by mere feet. "Mom, New York traffic was designed to test saints."

Mom chuckled softly. "See? It's already getting to you."

"Not helping, Mom," I groaned, edging forward as yet another light turned red. I could almost see the grand entrance of The Plaza Hotel up ahead, though at this rate, I'd be late before I even hit the parking lot.

"Well, be careful, honey," Mom said, her tone warm and steadying. "Remember, no matter how high-profile this client is, you don't have to be intimidated."

"I know, Mom," I replied, my determination hardening. "I'll call you right after I'm done, okay?" I hung up, focusing entirely on my next challenge: surviving New York's traffic to make it on time.

I glanced around, the surrounding chaos of honking horns and frustrated drivers weighing heavily on my already frayed nerves. I squinted at the GPS again, mentally calculating my options. If I could just get out of this mess, I could reach the hotel in five minutes on foot. A sudden surge of determination pushed me to act. Spotting a small parking garage up ahead, I turned my blinker on and maneuvered my way into the lot.