ESTHER

Chapter one

     I went out to spread the laundry I had spent all day washing on the lawn. The sun shone harshly beside the greyish sky, so I decided it was a good day for laundry. 

     When I was done, I went back into the house to keep my washing equipment in the laundry room. Uncle James was a little tired and with the weather being hot, I brought him a bottle of chilled yoghurt.

     "Hmm. Thank you." He said. I nodded my head.

     Later that evening, we were both seated in the living room. The TV was on and the picture of a bald reporter who goes by the name John Smith was showing on the screen as he gave the evening news.  The topics were boring, mostly about stock prices and politics, so I indulged myself in a book.

     I was about to turn to the next chapter of my book as James Smith reported the news that caught my attention.

     "The CEO of GOULDERS Jack Rhodes, who is known for his strange mannerisms and opinions, has broken off the engagement with his fiancée. The multimillionaire -"  the news continued.

     "Well isn't this strange?" I expressed. "They were like two peas in a pod. It was as if they were stuck with glue with how they followed each other around. I even got jealous of them after a while. Turns out that not all that glitters is gold." I said, moving back to continue my book.

     Jack Rhodes is the youngest multi-millionaire in the US. His company, GOULDERS specializes in the manufacturing of gold-related products. They import gold from other countries and turn them into the most beautiful pieces of jewellery one has ever seen. It is rumoured that the people working there are so rich, you can almost classify them under the upper class. Even those with the most basic jobs.

     His now ex-fiancée, Vashti Wilmer, is also from the upper class. Her father owns a luxury fashion company that is popular amongst different countries. From what I had read about her, she seemed like a good and respective girl but is known to be strong headed at times. I suspected that this may be the reason for their relationship ending.

     "Esther honey, "

     "Hmm, uncle?" I look up from my book to face him. He continues.

     "You know, you can apply for it."

     "Apply for what?" I asked.

     "Weren't you listening to the news?" I faced the TV. The weather for the following week was being forecasted.

     "Naah. I wasn't paying attention." My uncle sighed.

     "Jack Rhodes is putting on a fashion show to select his new PA.". I looked at him strangely.

     "Now that has to be the weirdest one above all his strange decisions. What does it have to do with me?"

     "Can't you apply for it?" He asked.

     "What? No!  Can't you see uncle, who the hell will feel good about this kind of thing? Those with plus size bodies will lose interest immediately. It kinda seems like body shaming." I said, facing my book again.

     "I don't know, they did say it will be different from other fashion shows. I doubt it will be body shaming."

     "You don't know that," I tell him without looking up. I'm proud of my looks. God has blessed me with the middle eastern waist long dark brown hair, greyish-blue eyes and olive skin. With a sharp nose and pointed chin, with full pouting lips, I'm sure that I can be part of the semi-finals of that competition, if not the finals itself.  But going to a fashion competition just to apply as a personal assistant, seems a little weird, if not wrong.

    "You should just try it out, at least to get the job in the end. It's not as if you have anything going on for you right now."

     "Uncle..." I said, dropping my book to scoot over to where he sat.

     "That's why I have you, the best uncle in the world." I put my arms around his shoulder and snuggle to him, my face on his chest.

     "Acting cute won't get you out of this. Your not ten anymore." I pouted and removed myself from him.

     "Just think about it. You already know how much the people working in GOULDERS earn, not to talk of his assistant. You can be able to save enough money to go back to Iran if you win this." I kept silent as I thought of it.

     I had always wanted to see Iran. According to my uncle, the war isn't as bad it used to be before. There was the occasional scuffle here and there, but its nothing serious, though that doesn't mean one should let down his guard.

     I have always wanted to see my other family members I had left behind when I migrated to the US.  My uncle, although he never talked about it, I could tell that he also wanted to go back. We missed home. We planned on going for a visit then coming back, not staying for too long.

     "Hmm? So what do you think?" Uncle asked me again. I sighed.

     "Fine," I replied reluctantly.