ESTHER

Chapter two

    My day of rest ended up being a day of drafting a job application form. There were so many things that I needed to draft down as this was no ordinary job interview. According to our sources, they are looking for people who have class. People who can dress and talk well. Anyone who gets out-listed comes to the company to receive a twelve-day training, after which the interview then starts for Jack Rhodes, the next personal assistant.

     My uncle did his part by praying for me and helping me draft my résumé. After a while, we sat down on the dining table for dinner. I had made a huge bowl of the chicken casserole so there will be leftovers for tomorrow.

     "I hope they test you on cooking skills too. You just might win this thing." I rolled my eyes at my uncle's teasing.

     "Might as well fill an application form for marriage applicant." I retorted back.

     "Oh come on. It will help to boost your points if it was part of the interview." He said back.

     "Uncle, you talk like I'm already going to win this thing. Let's not give ourselves hope and besides, I'm doing this just for you and the supposed salary. Don't be sad that I won't win when the time comes." I placed both our dishes on the table and dragged a seat out for myself. My uncle had already settled on his side of the table. After saying our prayers, we dug into our food.

     "I know who I raised and I'm pretty sure that it will be close to impossible for her not to be noticed." He said, smiling teasingly.

     "Uncle, it isn't good to brag," I said dryly. He chuckled in response.

     Once we finished our food, I washed the dishes as uncle helped to submit my résumé to the GOULDERS company email. We were told that we will receive our response today as several people were working on looking at the applicants.

     Later that evening, as we both sat down to binge-watch a movie, I noticed that my uncle was on the edge. I looked at him from the side. He looked nervous.

     "Uncle? What's wrong?" I asked him.

     "Nothing. I'm just nervous for you." He replied.

     "Oh come on uncle," I said while rolling my eyes at him. "I'm the one who will be interviewed and I'm not even shaking. Why is this even bothering you by the way?" I asked him. He looked at me strangely.

     "What?" I asked, confused.

     "Haven't you noticed, girl?" He said.

     "Noticed what?"

     "You need a life." We both stared at each other while I resisted the urge to smack my uncle on his balding head.

     "Do you so badly want to send me out of your house?" I asked him.

     "Girl, your twenty-six. No boyfriend, no job, like hell you haven't even been kissed. I can almost see my dream of having small kids around the house disappearing."

     "God uncle!" I threw my hands up, frustrated. "Why does an old man like you talk like that?"

     "Like what? You don't have friends someone has got to play the part." He retorted back.

     "You will rue this day uncle," I said, faking annoyance. "When I finally have a life, you will be the one begging me to come back home."

     "Bah. That's all bullsh*t." I gasped at his response.

     "Uncle!" My voice was higher than I intended.

     "What?"

     "Old people don't curse," I told him.

     "Who are you calling old?" He raised his voice. Before I  could reply to him, the telephone which was on the table by the side of the couch we were sitting on, rang. We stopped our little dispute immediately. We looked at ourselves, then my uncle reached out to take the phone.

     "Hello?" He asked the person at the other end.

     "I'm her uncle," he said after a while. He hummed his response throughout the call before he said his goodbye and hung up. Then he sat up straight and faced at me. I looked at him also, waiting for him to tell me the outcome of the call. His face was blank.

     "Well?" I pushed. He gave me a huge smile and I knew what was coming.

     "You got in honey!" He pounced on me giving me a huge hug.

     "Uncle! Uncle, please stop hugging me! I can't b-breathe!" He finally released me and I sucked all the needed air into my lungs. After I got my bearing, I smiled back at him. His happiness was addictive.

     "Well let's celebrate then. This is a new beginning in your life." He said, rushing from the couch towards our wine cabinet.

     "It is not like I even passed the interview," I said rolling my eyes. Although I was still smiling foolishly.

Well, let's see where we go from here. I thought.