Unemployed Hearts

Prologue

April 26, 2012 (11:30pm)
United States of America
New York City

"I am broke," he said in an annoying drawling voice. "I’ve nothing left." He added with the sense of defeat written all over his drunk face. He was CEO of CRATS Pvt. Ltd, the company for which I started working about two month ago. Was he crying?

Of course he was crying. He had lost all his money and was left with nothing but his soon to be miserable life. Although I couldn’t totally relate to his predicament and the fact that he’s contemplating to end his life, I just find it stupid and idiotic.
Come on, I’m not rich. Never was and would probably take me two lifetimes to be one. But I didn’t make it a habit to kill myself every time I'm reminded of it.
But despite the fact that my heart went out to him and his misery, it wasn’t my main concern.
"Please step down. You're drunk." He was dancing fearlessly within the thirty-three centimeter edge of the building with a bottle of alcohol glorified in his hand. "Please don’t do it here. I would be the main suspect and this entire suicide thing will turn into a conspiracy to murder and I will be turned in for no reason. Please.” I begged. I knew the cops would have every reason to consider me to be the main suspect. I had lost my job because of this guy. But it was nothing new. “I’m too young to spend rest of my life in a dark gloomy prison cell." I was shouting my throat out as if he was going to pay attention to anything I was saying.
He just took another couple of sips of his drink. Really?!
I was taking my time in analyzing what I had just said to my boss and how he reacted to it. Well, it wasn’t like he was my boss anymore. But I only lost my job not too long so I guess I still had some information to be registered.
"I have no home, no job, and no money. Now, I don’t even have a family. My father has disowned me.” he said. “He thinks I am the reason behind all this. I am the one to be blamed for this mess. It is all because of me." I felt sad for him.  And I know this was so out of place, but I had to admit, he looked cute when he’s upset. Just like a baby crying over a toy. “You must be blaming me too.” His sad voice snapped be back from thinking how cute he was. My mouth closed now and erased that lame expression off my face. Blame him? You bet! “Like all other employees who lost their jobs.” He let his head hung on his shoulder and dropped his arms to his side. “I really want to make things right again. I wish I could. I shouldn't have believed that asshole. How can I be so stupid?" The remorse in his voice was palpable. However, I was glad he had finally realized the truth that he was stupid.
He stood right there looking at the dark sky on top of the CRATS TOWER with the bright lights of New York City and sirens indicating arrival of police in the background. It was dramatic like a movie. But instead of enjoying the thrill of this movie I was too scared to do anything. That was a human life at risk. It’s not like him being human really matters to me. If it would have been an animal, I wouldn't have been any less scared.
“Liana?” Brandon called my name softly without looking in my direction.
“What?” I forced to take out a little voice out of my throat.
He turned his head to look in my direction and gave his signature response.
“Nothing.” But this time it was a mere whisper which was accompanied with, not a grin, but a genuine sad smile. Still it reminded me of the pain I had to suffer while working for him. This made me want to do something really bad. Something like ...
Something like pushing him off the building with my own beautiful hands. But something prevented me from doing that.
I stood there motionless feeling bad for the person standing in front of me on the top of the 'Once-one -of-the-best 'CRATS Pvt. Ltd.
                                                              ***


April 27, 2012 (09:00pm)

It was now some sort of ritual for me to visit my parents every time I lost a job.
"What was it this time? Mean colleagues, messy work load, or was it the pedophilic boss again?" asked dad. His grey hair gives him a George Clooney type look.  But there are two things about dad I really don’t like.
First: he loves Billy more than me. I can bet on that. It’s so clear, right in front of my eyes. He started showing the symptoms of 'not-liking-me' disorder when I took law instead of medical.
Second: I really doubt its blood following through his veins. I sense sarcasm instead of that.
"Dad!" I protested.
“Ohh! no honey, it was the one before the previous one. She told me he was a man of bad character." said mom. If my dad looks like Clooney then my mum is no less than Julia Roberts. But the thing I really admired about her was her politeness and her down to earth attitude. I don’t think I can ever be like her.
"Mom, you’re talking about the wrong guy. Jason Woods was much younger. It was that horrible Johnny, Dad is talking about."
"Baby, you don't get it. The problem wasn't Johnny was showing interest in her. The real thing is he isn't young and good looking. Otherwise our daughter would have loved the kind of attention she was getting"
"Geez. Dad! He is married, has seven grand children and I don’t have such low standards." I told him “and by the way, this time the company got blown off. Not because of me." This reminded me of the event that took place the night before.
I was trying to avoid the embarrassment by focusing on my pasta. I noticed Rummy and Chubby, my kittens playing with each other near the unlit fireplace. Did I mention how incredibly cute they were looking?
“I know I’m not supposed to say such a thing about my own blood but Liana, my child, you are like the unluckiest thing that can ever happen to a business firm." He and Bill, my ten year old adopted brother started laughing like idiots. I guess I had to remind Bill of his origin again and again.
I think mom should add it to the rule board that ‘it is necessary to embarrass liana in order to live peacefully in this house because it seemed like it would be very appealing to dad and Billy.
“Mom! That’s so mean." Then I pointed at my Red Indian brother.  “And what are you laughing at? I’m sure your ancestors wouldn’t have disowned you if they didn’t believe in fate."
“But this time I am sure that your ancestors would be glad to kick your ass out of their clan for breaking all the records for being unemployed." Bill shot back smugly. That little brat obviously got extra candies again. I really had to do something about his sweet tooth. When Mom-dad took me to adoption center along with them to get me a sibling, I was hoping I could get a sister with whom I could share my clothes, with whom I could talk about anything, and you know paint each other’s nails and slumber party kind of stuff.
But what did I get? A brother. A brother who 24-7 pulled my leg with my not so polite dad.
"Bill! Language. Rule #2." Mom scolded him and pointed at the rule board which read ‘Use of foul language prohibited in house premises’, but no one noticed.
Everyone was so busy discussing my career that no one paid attention.
"Why do you people make such a big deal out of it? I am experimenting. I know time has not been in my favor lately but I am sure one day I’ll find my dream job. That day you'll get to know my real value."
“Did she say lately?” Dad faked a surprised expression and Billy giggled like a teenage girl. I stuck out my tongue at him. I know- way too immature but that’s how I felt with Billy. There was a gap of fourteen years between our ages but when I’m with him it shrinks to nothing. I forget my 24 year old self.
“Okay that's it. Let’s avoid any further argument and have our dinner." Mom ended the cold war between the two unequally divided super powers within my family.
That was normal. I know it wouldn't exactly be normal for any other person but in my family this how we showed love for each other.
"Anna, your phone is ringing." Bill handed me my iPhone, which was obviously gifted to me by my Grandma.
I picked up the phone, “Hello. Who is this?”
“Hey! Thank god you picked! Liana, it’s me Brandon. I...um I need your help.” the voice on the other side answered which left me into a state of partial paralysis.

There was a moment of shock that it took me sometime to chew in what he just said. My former boss needed my help. Why? He must be drunk again and was ready to jump off the building. Please god! Don’t let this happen to poor me, again. I’ve already been the unluckiest in the professional side of my life. Please don’t take my sanity this time. Like seriously? He had to call me so I could hear his last scream before he died. If that happened, my body would seriously take a voluntary food standoff and I’d die. I’d die ugly because I’d be all bones and skin and my eyes bulging. And there wouldn’t be a guy who’d cry over me because I had been so busy keeping a job that my love life was next to nothing.

“Hello? Liana, are you still there?”
I snapped back from my ridiculous mental argument. But I didn’t say anything.
“Liana, I know you’re there, so if you’re trying to avoid me then just spill it out. It’s not like I can force you to help me, now that you don’t work for me and I am the one responsible for that.” I could easily point out disappointment in his voice.
There was embarrassed mixed with frustration in his deep voice. After what he did to me during the course of employment I was already mad at him. Not what he did only added to my anger towards him.
I didn’t know how to reply to what he just said so I just replied as arrogantly as I could. “Where are you right now? W-what do you want?”
“Nothing you can’t give. I just need a place to stay. And then maybe you could help me a bit more... please.”
Did he just ask me for a place to say?! And did he just say PLEASE to me!?!
How on earth did I, out of 476,936 international employees, get stuck into this mess? I guess I was just a fill-in on temporary basis. But what made me even more curious was what changed Brandon Grate’s attitude towards me?


                                               
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