Page 2 of It's Only Make Believe

“Thanks Mel,” I say, and I continue on to my office, wondering what Enrique might want that is so urgent.

Enrique Sanchez is the highest shareholder in Sold after me and he’s the chairman of the board of directors. He very rarely interferes in the day to day running of the business, and it’s unusual for him to call me like this out of the blue.

I get to my office, go inside and take my jacket off. I take my cell phone from the pocket and then hang it on one of the coat hooks on the wall behind my door. I move across my spacious office and sit down behind the large oak desk. I fire up my computer out of habit because usually my first task is checking the stock value of the company, but today, my first task is calling Enrique back.

I scroll through my cell phone and find his number which I type into my office phone. I put my cell phone in my top drawer while I listen to the ringing sound down my ear. I don’t have long to wait before Enrique answers my call with a gruff hello.

“Enrique? Hi, it’s Luke Jackson returning your call,” I say.

“Ah. Good morning, Luke. How are you?” he asks. His words carry the slightest hint of his Spanish accent, but he speaks English as well as anyone I’ve ever met.

“I’m good thanks. How are you?” I ask.

His voice is giving nothing away as to the reason for his call, although he doesn’t sound pissed off, so I guess that’s a good thing.

“I’ll be better in a moment if you agree to do me a small personal favor,” he says.

“Go on,” I say.

I’m not stupid enough to agree to the favor before I know what it is, but I will certainly hear him out, and if it’s something I can do, I will do it. Enrique holds a lot of sway when it comes to company votes and a lot of the smaller shareholders just vote whichever way he does, so it’s always a good idea to keep him on my side.

“I need you to give my daughter, Louisa, an internship,” Enrique says.

My heart sinks at his words. When he said a personal favor, I thought maybe he wanted to borrow my driver for a few days, or something like that. Not something that involves the company. I want to help Enrique, but I won’t let the company carry dead weight. My employees have enough to do at the moment, especially now that Diane has left the web development team, and the last thing the staff needs is to have to babysit Enrique’s daughter. He must sense some of my thoughts from my silence, because he goes on before I get a chance to say no.

“Although I’m asking as a favor, Louisa is qualified. She’s just graduated from NYU with a degree in web development and she has an offer from a tech company here, but one of the conditions of employment is that she has three months experience,” Enrique says.

That definitely changes things slightly and I find myself agreeing to take Louisa on. She sounds like she will help the web development team rather than get in the way and it’s a nice solution to our short staff problem. It also means I have three months to find a permanent replacement for Diane instead of having to rush into taking the first person who fits the bill.

“I won’t ask my daughter to do something I wouldn’t do myself, so the internship can’t be unpaid,” Enrique says to me. “But I understand from a business standpoint that the company needs to do that. I will pay Louisa a wage, but she needs to be under the impression it comes from the company. She knowsbetter than to discuss salary with other employees so it’s not like anyone will know.”

“Ok,” I agree.

“And lastly. Don’t treat her like my daughter. Treat her like any other intern. Louisa is a bright girl, and I’m confident she can do anything you ask of her, but she’s … er…. lazy is the wrong word. Unmotivated I think is maybe better,” Enrique says. “I hate to use the word spoiled or entitled, but she seems to think she can lie about the experience needed and the company won’t find out. Honestly, I don’t think she cares much if they do. She seems to think she can coast through life on my dime and it’s time for her to see that’s not going to wash anymore.”

He might not like the words spoiled or entitled, but it doesn’t change the fact that based on the description he has just given me, his daughter is definitely one of those things. Maybe even both.

“So, you’re sending me a lazy, entitled girl who technically doesn’t need a job. Thanks for that,” I say, half joking. “I’m sure she’ll be a valuable asset.”

Enrique laughs.

“Something like that. But as I said, she’s a bright girl and I have no doubt that underneath that spoiled exterior, there’s a woman who can make it in this field or any other field she chooses. I think she just needs to experience the real world a little bit more, you know, where she is answerable to someone other than her mom and me and is expected to perform just like everyone else,” Enrique says.

“Don’t worry,” I say. “I’ll kick her ass and make her employable.”

“That’s what I wanted to hear. Thanks Luke. I owe you one. I’ll tell her she starts at nine am sharp on Monday morning,” Enrique says.

I agree and he hangs up. I replace the receiver and sit for a moment. I hope I can keep the promise I’ve just made, because having Enrique owe me one is exactly what I need right now, because I have a big idea that I’m working on and it will be ready to pitch to the board by the end of the year, and I really want Enrique’s support on it.

Chapter

Two

TIA

Louisa stands up as I walk across the bar towards her. I reach the table, and we hug.

“I’m so sorry I’m late,” I say as we sit down. “Honestly, I know like two people in Chicago, and I’m late to meet one of them because the other one called, and I lost track of time.”

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