Crossed paths

Early morning after a good hangover Sally woke up with a headache. She had a bath and was about to make a selection from the wardrobe when she got a phone call.

The voice, “Hello… Sally?”

Sally replying, “Yes, who am I speaking to?”

Voice greeting, “It’s me… Orion! I made a deal with you recently, since my company has merged with yours, I want to recommend a candidate who could be helpful to you… I guess?”

Sally getting engaged in talk, “Yeah… Orion your company is working with ours; so even your employs’ are merging, then why this question?

Orion explaining, “True… but she isn’t an employ, she’s my sister. She is done with her courses and wishes to pursue a job in magazine write-ups.”

Sally disagreeing, “She can’t apply now because we’re done interviewing the candidates. She has to apply in midterm. We have a lot of expertise for doing the job she’s looking for in our company.”

Orion convincing, “You don’t underestimate her… she’s very creative. I’ll send you a picture that was published a week ago in your magazine… she has won laurels in that competition held by your company itself!”

Sally with second thought, “Send me… but I’ll crosscheck with my people as well, if that’s fine with you?

Orion with confidence, “Sure… Go ahead and let me know when I can bring her…”

Sally investigated about the girl with her people and then she waited for the girl to arrive. Orion and her sister were waiting for their call in the waiting area and her sister’s turn had come. She left her to Sally’s cabin and moved to complete her part of job.

Meanwhile

The candidate entered the cabin and waited for Sally’s arrival. It was past 1 hour she hadn’t met her. The candidate had a mobile which was on silent mode, turned it off and plugged in hear phones to pass the time till Sally comes.

Elliot, who was passing by, walked in Sally’s cabin to get some files; when he noticed a candidate seated he asked, “Who are you? You are not supposed to enter without permission!”

He asked one of his staff to call the receptionist; he looked at her with not so charming face and asked, “Madam… what is she doing here? You don’t love your job it seems…”

The receptionist was quiet in spite of no fault.

The silent candidate who had ear plugs; removed those and replied on her behalf with a stern look, “Everyone loves their job… Sir, you are asking questions to the wrong person.”

Elliot gave a slight laugh and said, “You know who you’re speaking to?”

The candidate gave a direct look and said, “No.”

Elliot in surprise, “You don’t know me? You are standing in my office and you don’t know me!”

The candidate was about to respond further but seeing Sally come, she shut her mouth. The office staffs were watching the scene with interest.

Sally tried resting down Elliot’s arms from his hip saying, “Elliot, what’s going on?”

Elliot in frustration let her know what happened. Sally requested everyone including the receptionist to get back to their work and pulled the candidate with Elliot to her cabin.

Sally welcomed the candidate and apologized for the delay, “Hi, I’m sorry… had a long meeting you see… I met your sister, she told me about your talent! I’m glad you chose us! You can start your part… you’ll find the others on this floor, to the right of this cabin.”

Elliot who was listening blocked her sentence, “But shouldn’t she be interviewed first?”

Sally explaining, “Elliot, she has won the ‘Creators’ competition arranged by us… and her qualifications are impressive!”

Elliot shrugging off her thought, “So what? She’s no special…! Interview her; or let me do it. Actually, let me do it because you’re already convinced.”

Sally insisting, “You’re embarrassing her, Elliot.”

Elliot acting stubborn, “You’ll embarrass me if you don’t listen.”

Sally looked at both of them and then she stepped towards the candidate and said gently, “Dear, don’t worry… All the best…”

The candidate smiling, “Yeah… thanks.”

Sally left keeping the candidate and Elliot alone for the question hour.

The candidate stood erect and Elliot started flipping the papers to find errors. He took 20 minutes examining her documents. The candidate had spent her 2 hrs with no work done and she wasn’t willing to waste more.

She said, “Sir, can I get a second?” she was planning to sneak out and inform Sally.

Elliot asking his first question, “Tell me… which is supreme love or responsibility?”

Usually he saves this as a last resort to reject but here the case was different; he definitely was ready to reject her.

The candidate appeared a bit dizzy but then she answered, “Me, if I exist I’ll be able to fulfil love and responsibility also valuing oneself is much supreme than those.”

Elliot amusingly, “From where did you hear this?”

The candidate raised her eyebrows and replied, “Myself... I follow my own thoughts and heart.”

Elliot who was staring at her for a long moment while she was answering asked in hesitation, “Which college did you belong? Your college documents are missing…”

“Sir, my college documents are with Miss Sally. Since she had checked them before; she asked me to get my graduation and other details, which are present in these.” She said.

He kept thinking looking at her and then Sally entered, “Elliot you’re done?”

He kept silence, spoke nothing and walked out of the cabin.

Sally in wonder, “What happened to him?”

The candidate in fun, “You should ask me that…”

Sally chuckling, “Come on… you need to get started.”

The candidate went to her staff room, met the other writers, editors, designers and the others.

Allen who was handling the cover page for the autumn, stopped in fix thinking, “What theme to apply?”

The candidate who saw her troubled approached, “If you use Lavender colour with a touch of yellow, the blend will look beautiful and for the image you can show few couples dancing in the shallow snow shower with ice skates and autumn wear.”

Allen and her team were gaping at her, “Nice idea! But will this work with the write-up?”

The candidate, “It will… because I’m working on the write-up.”

Lazar who works as an editor asked placing his hand for a shake, “May I know your name? I’m Lazar.”

The candidate giving a handshake, “Celia, I will be working with the write-up team.”

Lazar offering, “But surely you won’t mind to help us when required.”

Celia gave a smile and said, “Sure”.

She went back to her seat and started getting things noted from the crew.

Discussion hour

Sally came in to check the progress. Hearing the theme for the autumn magazine she doubted Celia, “Celia, how can our write-up earn more than previous?”

Celia handed over the script to Sally and explained, “Miss, autumn magazines basically contain fashion, shopping, kids wear, and other common articles which even others publish, what I’ve laid down is short articles which contain plans for the autumn, like a to-do-list where people can get an idea of how each one can make their autumn days special including the cost free decorating concepts, home sewn wears, creative arrangements and challenges, to enhance the celebration of Christmas. This challenge will get them tour tickets to wherever they desire. I know that section isn’t getting good response but when this adds up to the normal routine of theirs it will soar high.”

Sally in awe, “That’s brilliant but today’s generation has grown smarter than before then don’t you think they’ll know our trip expense strategy?”

Celia with an immediate response, “What if we charge them at discounted rates and secure the bookings with codes for each one to grab an advantage that will come with it? As it is we are having peaceful relations with few expensive hotels, we can get them publicity and feed our pockets as well. They too could earn by reserving some special spots for their visitors and of course services matter… When their staff and ours cooperate we can get good audience! Customers’ profit with ours will be compatible for our company to expand more.”

Sally was mesmerized by her thoughts, the listeners applauded her sense and Sally was happy she chose Celia. But the scene didn’t notice that someone was eavesdropping and spying on Celia.

After a while

Celia was done with the plans and was about to leave when the lights went off. She switched her mobile’s flashlight on and looked for the floor’s fuse box. She went over to the room and saw someone fidgeting with the fuse. She focused the light on the darkened person and saw Elliot.

Elliot in struggle, “What the heck!!! Put that down and help me…”

Celia got busy fixing the fuse box.

Elliot was staring at her constantly and then he exclaimed, “You know to fix the fuse box also…”

Celia in force, “This should work…” The lights turned on. “Worked!” exclaimed Celia.

Celia carried her things and was ready to leave when Elliot hold her wrist and said, “Do we know each other?”

Celia freeing her wrist said, “No.”

She met Sally on the way and Sally offered her a lift which Celia couldn’t resist. Later, Elliot joined in; he was trying to keep a look at her from the mirror. Sally dropped Celia and left.

Sally in happiness, “I love this girl, she’s brilliant and don’t regret giving her a try.”

She looked at Elliot’s disturbing behaviour and asked, “What’s going with you? I know you don’t like her but she’s good. You should’ve listened to her ideas today… what a great start!”

Elliot’s inner thought, “I heard her ideas, in fact I was present there.”

He asked Sally for Celia’s teenage photograph which she got it from Celia.

Elliot didn’t know what to do because his heart and brain were working opposite on Celia’s topic. He couldn’t share his feelings with Sally because he didn’t want to worry her.

He hired a private investigator; that could help him get his job easy.

The other day, Sally announced, “Guys, our sales are reaching a higher amount and on this news I’m planning to keep a party at my house… and all are invited! Be present at 7:00 pm.”