Rolex Romance

Miss Espanova

FOUR YEARS LATER

My pulse thudded in my ringing ears. Throughout the corporate halls phones beeped and voices flapped in long sentences. The heels I wore clicked down the titled floors loudly. It made me rosy in embarrassment, but gave me a newfound maturity.

I picked at the black binded portfolio and the gold rimmed bottom. With bouncing worries in my mind and sweaty palms I knocked on the glass door. A few seconds later a distorted suit filed forward.

"Miss Espanova ?" A thin make over fifty asked. He flashed me a smile that came off more pained then friendly.

"Karenina," I smiled back a little too much, "Mr Seegaard ?" I asked if he was my new employer. He gave a small amused chuckle and I nearly melted in horror.

"No, I'm his assistant Edward Ford. Not as glamorous as Verne Seegaard."

"My apologies." He led me inside the conference room and waved for me to sit. I took comfort on the office chair overlooking the Dallas strip below me. The bright sun shined on the mid day traffic and the pedestrians walking along the expansive walk of thirty stores.

Mr Seegaard's assistant left me with a glass of water to quench my thirst and nerves. I closed my eyes and attempted at long breaths. 'You got this Karenina. You got this girl.' I whispered to myself with not much reassurance.

'Four years of college prepared you for this. Confidence, courage, and comedy as my mother had imbedded into my brain.' I continued unsuccessfully. A half hour passed before Mr Ford returned emotionally wounded.

"Mr Seegaard is ready for you." I followed him out of the conference room to where I counted as my safe haven. The comfort I had slowly grown in there was wiped.

Below my heels was fancy marble flooring and the walls were a deep mahogany brown. At the end of the endless hall was an older secretary. She was on call as we passed her into the glass doors on her left. More glass doors. Seegaard Publishing was obviously well off. There was no way I would survive here.

Mr Ford left me at the door abruptly. He had simply disappeared back out just as quick as he had let me in. I stood still at the beautiful sight in front of me. Modern coffee couches and chairs. Oak wood tables and desk. Lamps brighter than the sun itself illuminated the beautiful art on the walls. The view from behind Mr Seegaard's desk was of the distant, hot roads that led out of the city. Did I just walk into a parody of Fifty Shades of Grey ?

"Miss Karenina Magdalena Espanova ?" His stern voice asked from the large and precisely clean desk.

"Yes sir." I smiled and walked towards him with a firm handshake. We both sat and he looked at a file.

"You're here for a position on the Junior Program for Aspiring Journalists and Writers ?"

"Yes sir."

"You're a recent graduate of the University of Houston and you attended Our Holy Sister's of Christ in San Antonio ?" His eyes were burning holes into a copy off resume.

"Yes sir."

"You were on Honor Society, in the Sisterhood, and the debate team. And what is your greatest aspiration ?"

"I wish to write an article in every section of the paper at least once and I want to work my way up to editor." He chuckled and sat up on his thick chair. This man was even older than his assistant and more gray. I couldn't tell if he was laughing at me or my dreams.

"You wanna take my job too ?" I looked like deer caught in headlights. Right there I ruined the interview. Was he joking ? I awkwardly shifted on my hard metal seat.