Unfading Connection (complete)

The job offer

Eli's POV

My room mate, Anne, is fusing around. She needs to go home to her hometown due to family emergency.
"I will definitely loose my job," she whines. " It has been the best job I ever had in the city. The Montecarlos are rich and kind and gives a very good salary. It will be definitely hard to roam around the city looking for a good job and definitely I will end up with two......triple jobs with demanding time and employers." She sits opposite me thinking. Then she stands again, "Though I am entitled with emergency leaves, it's only allowed for a short period of time. The timing also is very bad. They scheduled their business trip outside the country and definitely they will not cancel that. Definitely they will look for my replacement."

As much as I would like to help I am also having problems on having a good job. Currently I am doing double jobs in a hotel and a restaurant. I am also reviewing for my qualification exam, the key to a more stable job on my degree. I just recently finished a degree in architecture from being a working student and I deserve a breather for all this temporary works. A breather means good working hours, not doing double, triple jobs, and of course a good pay. I am not that ambitious. I just need a stable job that can keep up with my financial needs......and my family needs. Elsa our eldest has been working hard for us.
Good thing she have a good job after she finished in the university. She has been a working student like me. She helped me finance my schooling and is also helping our little brother. As much as possible we don't want him to suffer like us that we have to work to be able to enter university. Next year, he will start in the university and I should have a good job by then. One step at a time, patience, prayers, I know I will get there. I already finished one step. Way to go Eli. Way to go.

I understand my roommate's situation. Being in Brixton city  is a jungle where most employers take advantage of hopeless job seekers like us who work more than two or thee jobs to survive.  Well better than nothing. That's the spirit......that is how to survive. I had been in this game since I can remember and no one is stopping me now. I have my degree now and I know with more patience I can land in a better job.

Suddenly, Anne stops pacing and fidgeting. She is looking at me with a beam in her face. " You can replace me". What? Is she talking to someone else? We are only two in this room as far as I know. Then she nods with my questioning eyes.

"Please, Eli. I can convince the Montecarlos. For two months only. I promise I will be back in snap of a finger." Yeah, tell me. I raise my brows. "It's a good pay, Eli. And the job is not that demanding. You can have ample time for your qualification exam, whatever that is." She's in front of me now kneeling while I am sitting in our couch and her hands on my shoulders trying her best to convince me.
"Hey, girl I know how much you are getting in those two jobs. I had been there. You will get double from what I am offering you with one job, good place and good boss." She stands pointing at me and then waving her hands in the air to get more my attention.

" Just what exactly you are doing in that huge mansion where you have double pay of my two jobs?" Now I am curious. Anne is just with me during weekends, during her off days. Giving me more room of silence as I prepare for my qualification exam. She's not a nosy company. She did not give up the apartment as she wants a better rest during her off days here.

"You are younger but I know I can convince them." She's nodding now with a frown, trying to convince herself. Anne is ten years older thAn me. She is 35, I can see in her eyes that she has been through hardships in life but we never talked about our private life. We have this mutual respect to each other and that is more than enough for me. Intruding in someone elses' life is not my style and I don't ask not unless the other person trust me to tell her life story. And I value that trust that I keep everything to myself as I do not want to judge them as I do not want anybody to do the same to me.