Unleash Me, Vol. 1 (Unleash Me, Annihilate Me Series) (35 page)

I turned and saw a middle-aged woman
standing next to me.

“
No,
I
’
m
Jennifer
—”

“
I
’
m Julie Hopwood,
”
a
pretty brunette sitting next to the fat man said.
 
She was polished and when she stood, I
thought she looked smashing in her dark blue suit.

“
You
’
re here for the
secretarial job?
”

“
I
think we all are,
”
she
said.

The woman smiled tightly.
 
“
Right this way.
 
Ms. Blackwell will see you now.
”

“
Thank
you.
”

As she moved past me, she said,
“
I
’
ve so got this.
”

Seriously?

I looked over at the fat man, who was
staring at me, his lips slightly parted.
 
Why is he looking at me like I
’
m roast beef?
 
I certainly couldn
’
t linger in the
doorway, so I went over to the chair next to his and sat down.
 
I put my briefcase in my lap, and
noticed that his face was turned to mine.
 
I didn
’
t
want to engage him, so I ignored him, snapped open my briefcase, and pretended
to look inside for something until he finally looked away.

Fifteen minutes later, I caught sight
of Julie Hopwood walking past the sitting room
’
s door with a contented smile on her face.
 
Then the older woman who had retrieved
her a moment before asked for a Jennifer Kent.

“
That
’
s me,
”
I
said, standing.

“
Ms.
Blackwell will see you now.
”

“
Thank
you.
”

“
Good
luck,
”
the
fat man said.

I raised a hand in acknowledgement
and continued toward the woman, who brought me down a long hallway to the open
door of a corner office.
 
Inside, I
saw a severe-looking woman in a chic black business suit sitting at a large
desk with the Manhattan skyline shining behind her in the sun.
 
She was talking on the phone, but she
waved me inside, motioned for me to sit in the chair opposite her, and mouthed
but did not say the word
“
resume.
”

I clicked open my briefcase and
retrieved a copy of it for her.
 

“
No,
no,
”
the
woman said into the phone, while reaching out a hand for my resume.
 
“
That
’
s
not how it works, and you know it, Charles.
 
Speak to my lawyer.
 
Don
’
t call here again.
 
And may I offer you a piece of advice?
 
Just sign the damned paperwork so each
of us can move on with our lives.
 
It
’
s been months since I
’
ve filed.
 
I
’
m tired of this.
 
I want you out of my life.
 
So do the children.
 
God!
”

Without another word, she hung up the
phone, looked down at my resume, and then looked back at me, anger clearly
stamped on her face.
 
“
Ms. Kent,
”
she
said.
 
“
Hellohoware?
”

“
I
’
m fine, Ms.
Blackwell.
 
Thank you for seeing me.
”

“
There
’
s no need to thank
me.
 
It
’
s what I do.
 
All day long.
 
Sometimes on weekends.
”
 
She scanned the resume.
 
“
You
’
re
from Maine?
”

“
I
am.
”

“
And
you graduated in May?
”

“
With
my master
’
s
degree, yes.
”

“
In
business?
”

“
That
’
s right.
”

She looked at me.
 
“
Why would you be interested in a secretarial job when you
have an MBA?
”

I tried to keep myself composed.
 
“
I
’
ve
been here since May, and it
’
s
been difficult to find a job.
”

“
You
are aware that the economy is in the toilet, aren
’
t you?
”

“
I
am.
 
I just thought that there would
be more opportunities here than in Maine.
”

“
Which
brings you to me today.
”

“
That
’
s right.
”

“
Here
’
s how I view
this.
 
You want to answer phones
until you can find a better job.
 
Why would I waste my time on that?
 
That will just mean replacing your position sooner rather than later.
”

I could feel myself flush.
 
“
Actually, I was hoping this would be a way to get my foot
in the door.
 
I was hoping that if I
worked hard enough at Wenn, that someone might see something in me that would
allow for other opportunities to open.
”

“
Is
that so?
 
And how long would you
give us for that to happen?
 
A few
weeks?
 
A couple of months?
 
Until you found work elsewhere?
”

“
If
the pay was decent, I
’
d
wait until something good opened up.
”

“
Well,
that
’
s
kind of you.
”

“
Ms.
Blackwell, I
’
m a
good worker.
 
I just need a
chance.
 
If I don
’
t find a job soon, I
’
ll need to move back
to Maine and give up my dreams here.
”

“
And
that concerns me how?
”
 
She tossed the resume back on her
desk.
 
“
Look, Ms. Kent.
 
I
’
m not looking for a short-term hire.
 
I
’
m looking for someone to fill this position for the
long-term so I don
’
t
have to fill it again for another year or so.
 
Does that make sense?
 
You
’
re not in Maine anymore.
 
You
’
re in New York.
 
It
’
s a
big city filled with lots of people just like you who are trying to find
work.
 
Spare me the theatrics about
“
just needing a chance.
”
 
That
’
s already being sold in every show on Broadway.
 
I suggest you get a ticket to a matinee
and soak it up.
”

What was her problem?
 
“
Did I do something to offend you?
”

“
You
’
ve wasted my time.
”

“
Actually,
I think I walked into an argument.
”

“
You
think you walked into a what?
”

“
An
argument.
 
You were arguing when I
walked in.
 
Now, you
’
re taking it out on
me.
 
That
’
s unprofessional.
 
I
’
m not Charles, so please stop acting as if I am.
”

The woman sat back in her chair and
looked amused.
 
“
Well, look at you,
Maine.
 
Maybe you do have what it
takes to make it in the big city.
 
That
’
s quite a mouth you
have on you.
”
 
She leaned forward and a lock of her
black hair fell into her face.
 
“
But we
’
re not going to listen
to it here.
 
Have a nice day.
”

Furious, I stood.
 
Really?
 
A three-minute interview?
 
What had I done to deserve this?
 
How many times was I going to be
dismissed in this city?
 
I felt
another flash of anger, and directed it at this Blackwell bitch just as she had
directed her anger at me.
 
“
Have a swell
divorce.
 
From where I sit, it looks
like Charles got away from a dragon.
”

“
Sweetheart,
you have no idea.
 
And thanks for
your resume.
 
I
’
ll be sure to call all
the headhunters I know around town and warn them about you.
”

“
So,
you
’
d
like another lawsuit?
”

“
Oh,
please.
 
From what you told me, you
couldn
’
t
afford it.
 
Goodbye, Ms. Kent.
 
Goodbye and good luck.
 
Now, go on.
 
Close your mouth.
 
Ms. Blackwell is finished with you.
 
Toodles.
”

CHAPTER FOUR

Shaken by the exchange, I left the
woman
’
s
office and walked blindly down the hallway to the bank of elevators.
 
Dozens of men and women either were
walking toward me, or moving past me, and all of them had jobs.
 
What is wrong with me?
 
Why can
’
t I
land one?
 
I
’
m
almost out of money.
 
If I don
’
t
find something soon, I don
’
t know what I
’
ll
do.
 

I felt tears sting my eyes, but I was
damned if I was going to cry, so I blinked them away.

You
’
re
better than this.
 
This isn
’
t
it for you.
 
That was all her.
 
Listen to Lisa.
 
Think about a waitressing gig.
 
That could give you the time you need to
get the job you want.
 
You
’
ve
got experience waitressing.
 
You
need the money.
 
Focus on that.

I went to one of the elevators and
pressed the down button.
 
Despite
the air conditioning, I felt hotter than I had in my apartment.
 
I stood waiting for the elevator to
come, and couldn
’
t help
but hear my father
’
s
voice in my head.