Chapter 1

Alexia’s POV

‘Breathe. Just Breathe.’ I thought to myself as I started getting ready for my day. This was going to be one of those days that could either be one of the best days of my life, or one of the worst.

I slowly made my way into my bathroom to take a shower. I had no clue what I was going to wear or what I was going to do with my long auburn hair. I was determined to make an impression that was going to last a lifetime.

I finished my shower, wrapped a towel around my hair, put on my robe, and then headed towards my closet. As I was looking at my lackluster clothing options, I decided to wear my black pinstriped pant-suit, emerald green silk blouse, and my black kitten heels. After curling my hair, putting on a little bit of makeup, and getting dressed, I checked out my appearance in my full-length mirror.

“Wow.” I mumbled out loud. I hardly even recognized the woman looking back at me. My auburn locks looked like a waterfall cascading down and stopping just above the small of my back. My emerald blouse made my green eyes seem more vibrant somehow and the pinstripe suit gave me an air of professionalism that I didn’t imagine that I could accomplish. All-in-all, I looked like I was ready to take on the world.

Just then, my phone started ringing. My mom’s picture popped up on the screen. I answered it with a smile on my face.

“Hey, momma. What’s up?” I greeted her.

“I just wanted to see if you have left for your interview yet.” She replied.

“I’m getting ready to head there now. I’m so nervous. I know that I’m going to blow it.” I told her. My mom and I have one of those relationships where we can talk about anything. It wasn’t always that way, but after I graduated high school things began to change for us.

She scoffed and said, “I don’t want to hear you talk like that. You are going to be great, and it will be their loss if they don’t give you the job.”

I sighed. “I hope I do get it. This company, and their mission, is the reason I chose the field that I did.”

“I have faith in you, dear. Call me later and let me know how it went. I love you.” My mom said with the hint of a smile in her voice.

“I will. Love you, too.” I said before hanging up the phone.

I am a Biologist, and I specialize in virology and immunology. I am interviewing at a company called Advancing Life, Inc. They are a company that creates life-saving medicines using naturally sourced microbes. They are currently one of the major contributors in the fight against things like diabetes, breast cancer, lung cancer, and HIV. Getting this job could make my career as a biologist more than just studying bacteria and viruses, but it could allow it to be something that has the potential to help create something that is beneficial to all mankind.

I head downstairs to the parking garage, and try to focus on my breathing to calm the nerves that are making my stomach do somersaults. The last time I had been this nervous was at my senior prom. I didn’t get asked out by anyone so my best friend at the time said we would go together. I could barely contain my excitement. Officially he was only my best friend, but I was secretly head-over-heels for him. Even now, after everything that happened between us, I was still hopelessly in love with him. I don’t think that there will ever be a time when I’m not.

I snap back to the present and put my car in reverse to back out of my parking spot and head towards the next chapter in my life. No matter what happened today, I would know that I did my best. I will continue moving forward no matter what.

The company headquarters wasn’t overly large but still large enough that one could easily get turned around in it. The front of the building had very few windows, which makes sense with the type of work that is done there. I was almost overwhelmed with both excitement and nervousness.

“Hello. May I help you ma’am?” The receptionist asked me as I walked up to her desk.

I swallowed and took a deep breath to try and steady my nerves before I said, “My name is Dr Alexia Montgomery. I’m here to interview for the Microbiologist position.”

“I will let them know that you are here, Dr. Montgomery, and then I’ll take you to the conference room.” She told me with a kind smile.

I returned her smile. “Thank you. I would appreciate that very much.”

The receptionist got up from her chair after announcing my arrival and said, “You’re welcome. My name is Bri by the way. You can follow me this way.”

As I followed Bri to the elevator, I tried once again to calm the nerves that were trying to make me sick. As we stepped onto the elevator, I had a feeling deep down that this was somehow going to be more than just a job interview.

“You don’t have anything to be nervous about, miss. You are by far the best applicant that I have seen come in for an interview thus far.” Bri told me.

I looked at her curiously and asked, “What do you mean?”

She chuckled a little. “The other three applicants didn’t even bother to make an effort in their appearance. You on the other hand. You dressed for success.”

I wasn’t sure how to respond to her, so I just said, “Thank you.”

I was answered with a kind and understanding smile.

Bri was one of those women who there was more to than meets the eye. She was probably in her early thirties with a blonde bob and crystal blue eyes and was a few inches shorter than my 5’10” frame. She was absolutely gorgeous as well, but she wasn’t full of herself. Her eyes had the look of intelligence that let you know that she didn’t miss much. I immediately liked her, even after only spending a few moments with her.

“Here we are, Dr. Montgomery. The conference room is the second door on the left, just down that hallway.” Bri motioned down the hallway to our left.

“Good luck.” I heard her say as the elevator doors closed once more.

I started down the hallway focusing on my breathing as I went. I stopped outside the door and straightened out my blazer and pants before knocking.

“Come in.” I hear someone say from the other side.

After another deep breath I plastered the most confident smile that I could muster on my face and opened the door.

There were three people sitting at the table in the middle of the room: a woman and two men. The woman was a friendly looking lady, most likely in her late forties. She had brown hair that was starting to grey, but in a manner that was flattering, and hazel eyes. The man to her left was a grey-haired man with blue eyes that danced from the years of wisdom and memories. The man to her right was looking down at the papers in front of him. He seemed to be consumed with whatever it was that he was reading because he hadn’t even glanced my way since I walked in the room.

“Miss Montgomery, I am Dr. Ava Brown. The lead biologist in the research department.” Said the woman before motioning to the man at her left.

“This is Dr. Max Hollingsworth. He is our lead pharmaceutical scientist.”

As she was about to introduce the man sitting to her right, he looked up at me. My heart skipped a beat when his grey eyes met mine. I didn’t miss the moment that recognition flitted across his face. A face that I hadn’t seen in fifteen years.

Dr. Brown didn’t seem to notice the look that was passing between the two of us as she introduced her other partner. “This is Dr. Brandon Johnson. He is our bioengineer, and one of the founders of this corporation.”

Brandon and I looked at each other for what seemed like a lifetime before he finally spoke. “Montgomery? Did you get married?”

Both Dr. Brown and Dr. Hollingsworth looked at Brandon with an odd expression on their faces, but neither one said anything. Instead, they turned their attention towards me and waited for my reply.

“When dad got diagnosed with lung cancer, I didn’t want him passing away before I was legally his daughter. I officially became a Montgomery three months before he died.” I said quietly without taking my eyes off of the man who was once such a large part of my life.

I could see the gears turning behind those soul-searching eyes. He was looking for the right words to say, but there weren’t any to be found. There was nothing that he could say to take away the past fifteen years, after he left me behind without a backwards glance.

The man that sat before me looked older, but he was even more handsome than I remember. His hair was a little longer than it used to be but was still the same rich golden brown. His grey eyes looked more haunted and sadder than the eyes of the boy I once knew. He was no longer the meek and insecure teenage boy that got picked on, but a man that exuded power and confidence.

After a few minutes of awkward silence. Dr. Brown cleared her throat and said, “I would assume that it is safe to say that the two of you know each other?”

I waited to give Brandon an opportunity to answer her before I nodded my head. “We used to know each other.”

I didn’t miss the fact that Brandon flinched a little at my words.

I continued on, never taking my eyes off of Brandon. “It was a long time ago, but if it is all right with the three of you, I would really love to start my interview.”

Dr. Brown nodded her head and started with her questions. “What made you decide to become a biologist?”

I didn’t even hesitate with telling them that my dad was the sole reason that I chose to follow the path that I did. I know that if he hadn’t passed away from cancer, I wouldn’t have become a biologist.

Both, Dr. Brown and Dr. Hollingsworth, wrote down some notes, but Brandon hadn’t taken his eyes off of me. I could feel my pulse rise under his intense gaze.

“Do you think that you will be able to fight past the failures that come along with this career instead of letting it defeat you?” I finally looked away from Brandon and let my focus move to Dr. Hollingsworth as I thought about his question.

I looked back at Brandon before replying with the most honest answer that I could. I knew that I wouldn’t remember my answers tomorrow, but I was determined to make my answer leave an impression on the three doctors sitting in front of me.

Brandon couldn’t hide the look of regret that flitted across his face. I knew he understood what I was talking about even without me elaborating on it.

“We don’t really need to go over your experience. You are by far the most qualified applicant that we have interviewed, just based on your education. I didn’t really need to read your letters of recommendation, but I am glad that I did. I can’t speak for Dr. Hollingsworth or Dr. Johnson, but my vote is to write up a contract today for you to go over.” Dr. Brown said with more enthusiasm than I expected.

Dr. Hollingsworth nodded his head in agreement. “I agree, Dr. Brown. Dr. Montgomery is the right person for this job.”

The three of us turned our gaze to Brandon once again, waiting for him to say something.

Brandon sat in silence looking through what I can only assume was my resume before he finally looked up at me.

“I will go write up a contract and have it to you by lunch. If you could, look it over and let me know what you think about it. Then I can get my partners together and we can have you sign it. Dr. Brown and Dr. Hollingsworth will be there as well. If we are able to agree on the terms of your contract by Friday, you would start work on Monday morning. Does that sound satisfactory to you, Dr. Montgomery?”

I couldn’t hide my shock as I looked between the three people sitting in front of me. “That sounds great, Bran, I mean Dr. Johnson.”

“Great. I will email you the draft as soon as I write it up.” Brandon stated as he stood up from his chair.

I nodded to the three of them. “Thank you.”

As I started to turn towards the door to leave, my eyes met Brandon’s once more. I could see so many questions swirling around in his head, but he refused to ask them. I could feel his gaze follow me as I walked out the door and headed towards the elevator. As soon as the doors closed in front of me, the tears silently fell down my cheeks. These tears were for the loss of the kids we once were and for the future that would never be.

I made my way out of the building and headed toward the parking lot where I had parked my car. I was lost in my thoughts and memories and didn’t notice the man that was coming up behind me.

“Lex.” I stopped in the middle of the sidewalk at the sound of the name I hadn’t heard in fifteen years.

I turned around and looked up into the piercing grey eyes of the man standing before me. The searching look that I was getting did something to me that I wasn’t prepared for. It made me angry. Not just the kind of anger that stops at the surface, but the kind of anger that starts a fire deep within. I felt all the anger that I had pushed down into the deepest parts of my mind for the last fifteen years, rise to the surface. I tried to force it back down, but it raged with a fierceness that I have never experienced before.

I honestly couldn’t tell you what I said to him in that moment. I knew I was probably way harsher than I ever wanted to be, but I needed to say something, anything to squelch the raging inferno happening inside me. I just couldn’t keep it in any longer, and I didn’t really want to. Brandon looked wounded by my words, but I didn’t let that stop me.

I didn’t even give him the chance to say anything else to me before I turned around and headed to my car. I didn’t see the tears falling from his eyes or the haunted look that flashed in them. The only thing on my mind was getting to the safety of my car before my own tears started to fall.

As soon as I shut the door to my Chevy the tears fell without any remorse. I pulled my cellphone out of my purse and called my mom through the tears. When I heard her voice on the other end of the line, I started crying even harder.

She didn’t even wait for me to say anything before she was consoling me. “Honey, try to calm down. You can’t drive if you can’t see. I will be at your apartment before you get back home. Try and breathe, Alexia. Everything will be okay. I’m here, baby, and I love you.” Those are the words that I heard before she hung up the phone.

I was able to calm down enough to make the drive back to my apartment. It was a twenty-five-minute drive with midday traffic. After parking in my spot in the parking garage, I made my way up to my apartment. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to tell my mom everything that happened today or not. How could I tell her how I was if I honestly had no clue?