8 years in the life

Chapter 2. June 4th 2008

Rory texted Paris

R- On my way to the Globe.

P- I'll finish my shift at 2 pm, but I have to pick some samples at the Harvard Science Center for my research lab. Meet me at Starbucks on Harvard Square at 3:30?

R- Okay I'll be there.

Rory arrived at the Globe just 5 minutes before 11 am and headed for the reception.

"Good morning, I'm Rory Gilmore. Bill Avery is expecting me."

"Yes Miss Gilmore, 2nd floor. His assistant will be waiting for you."

In the elevator, she breathed deeply to focus her brain. Maybe it will be the following step to her journalist life. When the doors opened, she retook a deep breath, came out of the elevator and went to the nearest information desk.

"Good morning, I have an appointment with Bill Avery," she said politely.

"His office is right at the end of the hall, on the left," the woman answered.

"Thank you very much."

Following the directions, she found the office and was informed by his secretary that he was still in a meeting. She sat there struggling to cool her nerves so she could make a good impression. Suddenly, a tall blond guy stormed out of the office with a desperate expression. He looked frantically all over the place when their eyes met.

"Good luck," he said and walked away in the hallway. Taking her eyes away from the guy she saw a man in his fifties, little taller than her, with some gray hair, definitely charming, standing in the door frame. She guessed it was Bill, the editor-in-chief. She had never met him in person. He started walking towards her, and she got up to greet him properly. 

"Hi, Rory, nice to finally meet you in person. Hugo had a lot of nice things to say about you," Bill said smiling with a handshake. "Please enter and have a seat."

"I'm also very pleased to meet you," Rory replied.

"As I told you on the phone, we would like to hire you for a metro reporter position to cover politics. You did a great job for us while filling in for Syl when she was on maternity leave. Nevertheless, in the meantime, the editorial board wanted to do a special summer series of more in-depth articles of comparative politics. We want to begin with the European Union. Then, if it works, it would mean Israel, Canada, Australia, South Africa. So, this will require traveling all around Europe first. We don't have a European correspondent so you will be by yourself over there. I know that you don't have any experience abroad, but you are used to traveling with the campaign trail. Such a series of articles would be a significant impulse for your career. Now, if you think that you're not cut for such an overseas experience we can still offer you the original position as a metropolitical reporter," he finished and smiled at her waiting for her answer.

She couldn't believe her ears; she was offered an opportunity to report from overseas. Of course, it was temporary, but it was a chance that she was willing to seize.

"Thank you, Bill, that's an incredible opportunity. I'd love to," she finally answered. "Just a question, once the series is done, will that metro reporter position will still be available for me?"

"Well, maybe not this precise one, but depending on how these articles will be received, we'll induce other series of that kind but not necessarily overseas. I know it sounds vague in the long-term just keep in mind that it's a reporter position. So, could you be interested?"

"Absolutely, I'm interested in either position with a huge preference with the European one of course."

"Great, I still have to see another candidate, but as I told you, you're definitely are my favorite. I just have to run my conclusions through the board tomorrow morning, and then I'll be able to give you a contract so that you can have your lawyer to look over if it's alright with you. Are you applying for other jobs?"