Chapter 40

Mr. Carver calls me only once on Monday, to thank me for my work at the country club and to wish me well about my upcoming job. I thank him dearly for the opportunity he gave to me, and extend my offer once more to help fill in on the weekends.

“You are going to be a journalist,” Mr. Carver says to me. “People will be seeing you on the 8 pm news before too long. We can’t have someone of that level of talent handing out drinks, Esther.”

His faith in me fills me with fresh hope, after my dinner with my family washed most of mine away.

But I tell him, “If I ever believe I’m too big or too good to serve drinks, Mr. Carver, please set me straight.”

Everyone has different but equal talents, from those that made the least amount of money to those that made the most. I want to stay humble. I never want to look down on anyone.

“Esther,” Mr. Carver says, with clear affection. “I cannot wait to watch how far you go.”

My first day at my new job, I wake up early to shower, change, and do my makeup. I’m too excited to sleep, so I end up ready for the day a full hour before I have to leave.

I try to abide by my father’s golden rules, saying I shouldn’t arrive neither less than or more than fifteen minutes to any appointment. But I can’t sit still and end up getting to the news company building a full thirty minutes before work is set to start.

When I enter, the receptionist isn’t even here yet so I have to wait in the lobby. All of the other employees have keycards that let them past the locked doors into the heart of the building.

A nearby security guard keeps an eye on me. I try not to look suspicious, though I feel out of place. Awkward and loitering isn’t a good combination in the eyes of a security guard, I imagine.

The security guard must finally make up his mind about me because he starts to come over.

Fortunately, at the same moment, Hugo walks through the front door, looking like he stepped off a photoshoot for a fashion magazine. His crisp suit is well fitted, showing off wide shoulders and a tapered waist. His watchful gaze swoops over the whole room before landing on me.

“Esther! You are early,” Hugo says, approaching.

The security guard immediately stops.

Hugo smiles at me kindly. “I was worried you wouldn’t arrive today.”

“I wouldn’t miss this opportunity,” I tell him.

“I’m glad.” He notices the empty reception desk. “Ah. You don’t have a keycard. Come with me.” Hugo doesn’t touch me, but he stays close as he leads me toward the security checkpoint, then uses his own keycard to get us through the door.

Beyond the security door are lines and lines of cubicles with offices around the outside of the large room. Hugo leads me straight to one of those office now. It has no windows, but there is a poster of a sunny beach framed to the wall instead.

A middle-aged woman in glasses sits behind a desk. She peers at her computer monitor with squinted eyes. Her lens prescription makes her eyes seem larger than they really are.

“Esther, meet Lila. Lila will be your direct supervisor,” Hugo says. “Lila, this is Esther, the one I told you about.”

“Ah.” Lila glances at me briefly, her eyes flicking down the length of me. She doesn’t seem all that impressed, and immediately looks back at the screen. “Welcome to the team,” she says, monotone.

Hugo’s smile remains unchanged. This must be Lila’s usual demeanor. It will take some getting used to, but I can adjust. I’m determined to make this job work, whatever it takes.

“Esther,” Hugo says, fully facing me. “Just follow whatever instructions Lila gives you, and I’m sure you’ll do great.”

“Thank you, Mr. Harbinger,” I say. In the past, we wanted me to call him Hugo, but everything feels changed now. He’s my boss. I should treat him with respect.

He doesn’t correct me this time, though his smile does grow slightly tighter.

“I’ll leave you to it, then,” he says and leaves the room.

Ready and willing, I face Lila and await my first instruction. Lila scrolls on her mouse, continuing to read whatever is on her screen.

I wait for a moment. Did she forget I’m here? I politely clear my throat to remind her.

“Patience is important in the news world,” Lila says.

I know for a fact that isn’t true. Time is one of the most valuable resources to a journalist, simply because it’s so rare. Every moment wasted is a moment a competitor could be getting a scoop.

I keep my mouth shut, though. It would not look good of me to undermine my supervisor on my first day. Especially because she probably already knows it to be the truth.

This… hazing, or whatever this is… is likely her way of reinforcing our power dynamic. She’s the one in charge. I’m the one whose time doesn’t matter.

Maybe these mind games work with younger employees, but I’m no spring chicken. I already know the rules of these situations. I’ve seen this play out so many times already at my brief stint at the country club.

These games waste everyone’s time.

“Lila, if I could help…” I begin.

Her sharp gaze slices back to me. “If you have such trouble waiting, why don’t you go refill the coffee machine? I’m sure our co-workers would appreciate a fresh cup of joe.”

Another power trip. Make the new person brew the coffee instead of doing actual work.

Fine. I can play these games, so long as the sooner they are done, the sooner we can start actual work.

“Where’s the break room?” I ask.

She sighs like I’m the one inconveniencing her. I’ve never stepped foot in the office before! How should I know where to go?

“I’ll find it,” I say and leave the room. Maybe this is another test. Find the break room myself, prove that I’m capable of sniffing out leads.

I’m reaching, I know. But it’s better than the alternative: that my boss doesn’t want to waste her time actually training me.

What exactly did Hugo tell her about me?

Because of the shorter-height cubicles, it’s not all that difficult for me to scan the room and find a corner that, by my best guestimate, is likely the break room. As I approach, the sounds of laughter from within give me another clue.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Amber says, suddenly behind me. I jump at the sound of her voice. God, for one beautiful, wonderful morning, I forgot that Amber works here too. So much for that.

“I’m getting coffee,” I say.

“Not in there, you aren’t,” Amber snaps. “That’s the executive lounge.”

Oh. I glance back at the door. It’s not labeled at all. How was I supposed to know?

“The coffee pot for you and me is over there.” Amber motions her chin toward where a lone coffee pot sits atop a narrow table up against the wall. The break room, it seems, is more a nook than a room.

“Oh.”

“Who is your supervisor?” Amber asks, eyes flashing with annoyance.

My spirits lift for a moment. Despite my differences with Amber, maybe she’s actually about to take my side on this. My supervisor’s negligence nearly lead to an executive disaster, after all.

“Lila,” I say. It’s nice to finally have someone in my corner, even if that someone is –

“Good,” Amber says. “I’m going to go tell her to keep an eye on you. You have no right to be here, and everyone should know it.”