Page 15 of Christian Clause

“Go up to the third floor. Someone from HR will interview you.”

“Thank you.”

I briskly walk to the elevator, eager to get the interview over with. I’m joined by two other ladies who get off at the second floor.

Letting out a deep breath when the door finally opens on the third floor, I find myself in a tastefully furnished reception where a woman is waiting for me. Apparently, the receptionist called to inform her I was on my way up.

“Miss Grady?” the middle-aged woman asks with a small smile.

I nod.

“Please come with me.”

She leads me into a nicely furnished office.

“Please take a seat.”

“Thank you.” Carefully, I slide into the chair.

She settles down on a swivel chair and I tug at my earlobe.

“Don’t be nervous, Miss Grady. You have quite an impressive resume.”

“Thank you.”

“How was Thanksgiving?”

My eyes lift with surprise at the question.

“It was lovely. I spent it with my sister and her family.”

“That’s wonderful. Some of my folks came from Denver and we had a splendid time.”

I like the woman interviewing me. She’s friendly and her smile never wavers.

“What do you know about Clause Enterprises?”

I smile and answer, “I know the company deals in electronics, cosmetics, hotel, and restaurant businesses.”

“Good. What makes you think you will be a good fit for this company, Miss Grady?”

“I believe with my wealth of experience, which I’ll bring to the table, I’ll be able to fit perfectly for the job. As stated in my resume, I have worked in such an environment before, only smaller. So, it’s just like continuing from where I stopped.”

“Do you realize that we may put you in the position of doing a lot of traveling from time to time?”

I nod. “Yes. It was part of the job description.”

“Do you have any obligations or encumbrances to prohibit you from doing so?”

“Certainly not. I’m single and happy.”

I hope she believes me because I actually enjoy traveling and I look forward to it. Well, that’s if I get the job, anyway.

“Could you please wait for a few minutes while I consult with my boss? I don’t normally handle the interviews, but because of a lack of competent employees these days, they called me to do it.”

Her words send a frenzy of anxiety running through me. I don’t know what to say as she rises and goes into an inner office. Would I have preferred the unknown former interviewer to her? Since she’s so warm and friendly, I can’t really say.

My mind goes over what getting the job will mean to me. Going back to Atlanta will no longer be an option, and Cedar Crest will become my home again. I don’t know how I feel about that. I love being around my sister and these past few days, we’ve drawn closer. I can only hope that we get back the closeness we used to have before I went away to college.

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