Page 10 of Power

“I love you, too. You know you can always come back home to visit whenever you need to, right?”

A vacation sounded amazing, but I really did need to figure out my job situation before planning a trip.

“I do,” I replied. “Thanks, Mom. Bye.”

“Goodbye, sweetie,” she said before hanging up.

I lay back on my pillows and closed my eyes allowing sleep to take over my body.

•••

The next day, I took my mom’s advice and started my job search. I had slept all evening and into the morning, and woke up feeling rejuvenated.

I was determined to find something even better than IP Innovations. I polished up myresuméand updated my LinkedIn profile. I found a few positions and submitted applications to be considered. I was excited about finding a new job. A fresh start.

I was about to take a break and make myself a sandwich when my phone buzzed with a text. I stared at the message in confusion.

Ms. Becker, please plan to arrive at Sethi Tech at 8 a.m. on Monday morning. Show your identification to security at the lobby to check in. – S. Sethi

Chapter IX

Amelia

Sethi Tech was located in one of the most beautiful pieces of architecture in the city. Panels of glass with steel supportstowered high into the sky. So chic and modern. I was in awe as I stepped through the large glass doors.

The heels of my black ankle boots tapped against the black onyx floor of the lobby. I approached the front desk. The security guard asked for my identification as he made a phone call. I assumed he was letting someone know that I was checking in. As he hung up, he handed me a visitor’s badge, which I clipped to the lapel of my blazer. The guard inspected the inside of my laptop bag and its contents before he motioned for me to wait in the large seating area off to the side.

I took a seat on one of the gray leather couches and placed my bag next to me. I watched the men and women who entered the lobby. They were all dressed impeccably, despite working for a tech company. The industry was known for its casual work attire; programmers usually wore jeans and t-shirts to work. The college-student vibe was alive and well in my world. Employers valued performance over appearance. Some of our most brilliant minds were dressed in beat-up tennis shoes and hoodies.

Watching the parade of well-dressed people made me aware of how underdressed I was, though in my mind, Ihaddressed up this morning, wearing a burgundy corduroy blazer with a white blouse over black denim leggings and black leather ankle boots. I had even taken a little extra time on my hair and straightened it. My makeup was minimal: pink lip gloss, nude eyeshadow, and a little mascara for a clean and fresh look. I told myself that I had put the extra effort into my appearance because I wanted to make a good first impression, but inside, I knew that I’d most likely run into Shyam, and it was possible I was attempting to make him regret rejecting me. It was petty, but I was still bitter about him leaving me.

When I had gotten his text, I had been angry at how distant his tone sounded—impersonal and cold masked as “professional.” I mean, the man had had his hands down my pants, so I would have thought we were beyond formalities.

I had been about to send a reply of “screw you,” but reconsidered when I’d eyed the resumé on my monitor. It was short. Too short. I had a lot of accomplishments in college, but my post-college section was bare. It only included my job at IP Innovations. It would be difficult to find a better job with just months of experience at a startup. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t even have been considered for a job at a tech giant like Sethi Tech with my limited experience. But here the opportunity was staring me in the face, and I had been about to turn it down.

The industry wasn’t particularly welcoming to women as it was. It was an uphill battle to be taken seriously in interviews by the older men who ran these companies. The industry was a game, and you had to play it smart if you were a woman. It couldn’t hurt to see what Shyam had to offer me at Sethi Tech. Listing this job on my resumé would certainly jumpstart my career.

A tall woman dressed in a crisp white shirt and tight black pencil skirt that hit just below her knees stood in front of the waiting area. “Amelia Becker?” she called out as she glanced at my badge.

“That’s me,” I replied and stood up, bag in hand.

“Nice to meet you, Ms. Becker.” She extended her perfectly manicured hand to me. “I’m Jessica, head of Human Resources, and I will be conducting your orientation today.”

I shook her hand. “Nice to meet you, too.”

“Please, follow me and we’ll get started.” She released my hand and spun around on her four-inch black pumps. She walked with such poise and grace as she led me to a set of elevators. She was a model, and the world was her catwalk.

She tapped her badge to a chip reader on a panel adjacent to the doors. The elevator dinged before the doors opened. I followed Jessica inside and eyed the buttons for the floor numbers. Thirty-eight floors! I was used to working in a single-floor office with shared tables for workspaces.

Jessica pressed the button for floor twenty-five and the doors closed.

I was amazed as I peered out at the view outside of the glass elevator as we ascended. How did one ever get used to working in such a grand building?

“You’ll find that today will mostly be filled with housekeeping tasks. Orientation usually involves filling out paperwork, completing harassment training, and working with the IT department to set up your computer,” Jessica said as the elevator rose to our destination.

“I brought my own laptop, so I can work from that if it would be easier,” I offered.

“I am afraid we do not allow external laptops to be used, for security purposes. You will be given a computer that works on a higher bandwidth to customize to your liking.”

---