Marriage Contract

- Your name, please!

- Isadora Dixon.

- Right, Isadora! We have a vacancy available for a pantry. It's a long way from what your resume offers us, but.... - I take a deep breath. The truth is that I've been around so much and I've spread my resume all over this city and nothing. And the worst part is that I can't wait any longer. I need a job and I need it yesterday!

- All right, I'll take this one!

- Are you sure?

- Unfortunately I don't have much choice. I need a job and a salary urgently. - I force a smile at the girl on the other side of the counter at the employment agency.

- That's fine! I'll write down the address for you and call D'Angelo to let them know you'll be taking this position.

- Thanks, Dany! - I wait for the girl to make the notes and as soon as I leave the building, I go straight to D'Angelo Corporation.

A job in one of the largest administration and accounting companies in the country would be a unique opportunity for my career. Serving coffee, cleaning counters and tables was not what I had in mind, however, for today it serves me well. My life has not been very easy since Andrew Dixon, my father passed away in a car accident. It's like he was the axis that held everything in place. Since then John Dixon, my older brother has left home in search of his adventures and my mother Sara Dixon hasn't had much of a will to live lately. Then came the debts that almost left us without a roof over our heads and without food, or both. Anyway, serving coffee is what will keep us going as best we can for a while. With a deep breath, I raise my head and look up at the sumptuous skyscraper, forcing myself to enter it. Inevitably I observe the luxury throughout the hall and walk up to the huge counter of a sleek black marble and introduce myself to the young woman behind it.

- Good morning, my name is Isadora Dixon. The employment agency sent me for the position in the scullery. - I hand her the paper and she reads it silently, giving me a professional smile.

- 'I'll let you know you're here, Miss Dixon. - I just nod a yes to the girl as she picks up the phone and speaks to someone. - 'Okay, head to the employee elevator and press the third floor button. Someone will be waiting for you.

- Thank you! - I couldn't imagine going into a place like this through the service area, after all, I studied so hard and dedicated myself for years on end that I expected to at least walk in the front door and occupy a room of my own. Dreams, you can't believe them! The elevator's TIM alerts me that I have arrived on my floor and as soon as the doors open a man in his thirties wearing a cheap suit flashes me a gaudy smile.

- You must be Miss Dixon. I'm Peter Thompson and I'm in charge of this sector.

- It's a pleasure, Mr. Thompson! - I extend a hand with a cordial smile to the man who will probably be my boss from now on, as I step out of the elevator.

- Please, just call me Peter. Now, come this way. - He asks, leading me down a long, wide corridor, and we go to the last door. In the scullery there are some girls wearing dark blue uniforms with white aprons and caps, with the logo of a company I don't know. Probably D'Angelo outsources this kind of service. - Put that on, I need you to be ready for us to start. - Taken aback, I just arch my eyebrows as I stare at the tall man holding out the uniform.

- Ah... like, now?! - I stutter as I had no idea I would be starting my first day today, let alone now. I mean, I didn't say anything to anyone and mom stayed home alone. Damn!

- Is there a problem, Miss?

- Oh, no, it's fine! Where can I change?

- There's an employee restroom back down the hall, the third door.

I grab my uniform and leave the scullery to change, and when I return to the kitchen, Peter introduces me to the dozens of staff standing in a row before him. Before long, I discover that my first task of the day is to organize a breakfast in one of the meeting rooms on the 26th floor. Everything seems to be very quick and pragmatic here, and in the blink of an eye I have a silver trolley in front of me containing some trays with toast, cookies, croissants, a bottle of coffee and another with water, a teapot with tea, some cups and glasses, and a jug of juice. The meeting room is completely empty and it makes me feel more comfortable to leave everything organized in a corner of the wall next to a huge window that has the most beautiful view of New York City. As soon as I'm done, I leave, leaving the double doors closed, and immediately go back to my sector to follow the next orders.

- How do you like your first day? - Anne, one of the employees asks sitting next to me at lunchtime. She opens a plastic container and the smell of home-cooked food spreads through the air in the same instant. I shrug at her question.

- "Not bad," I laugh, opening the wrapper of a cereal bar I had in my bag.

- "It's not so bad here. We have a salary, health insurance, a food card and we get some extras in case we need to go overtime.

- Overtime? - She nods her head yes and takes a bite of food into her mouth.

- 'Sometimes I make almost two thousand a month in overtime alone.

- Wow! - I say with disdain. I'm not sneering, but two thousand a month doesn't even begin to pay off the debts my father left behind. Not to mention rent and everyday bills. I mentally snort. And then there's my mother, who can't be left alone. I'll have to think about where to leave her during the day while I'm at work.

- 'Did you only bring this for lunch? - Anne asks, waking me up.

- 'Actually, I didn't know you were starting today.

- Got it. If you want I can share mine with you.

- No need, Anne, thank you! Actually, I'm not very hungry at the moment.

In the second shift it was hard to keep my concentration. I was worried about Dona Sara, the fact that I was alone at home and I couldn't even call Mila our neighbor to ask her to watch her until I got back. However, I was able to distance myself from the problems that have taken my sleep every night since everything turned upside down. The creditors knocking on my door wanting to collect the money my father owes them, or the latest letter from the bank giving me an ultimatum to pay off the mortgage on the house. As I couldn't pay anything we were evicted and they confiscated everything of value I had. Except my savings, which is almost gone.

- Wow, you look wonderful! - I hiss in awe at Emma who has emerged into my field of vision wearing a black dress that clings to her body in a sensual way and makeup that highlights her dark eyes. She runs her hands under her thick, curly hair and shakes it out.

- She's heading to Tecno's Kiss nightclub. Emma is a dancer at night. - Anne explains, as the brunette slaps on some purple-red lipstick.

- Ah!" is all I can say.

- "Yeah, you can't live on a scullery maid's salary. - Emma grumbles and slings a shiny shoulder bag over her shoulder. I just think she's right, though, I had no idea. Throughout my teens and early twenties I always had everything in my hands and my family was happy, so I was content with that. How did everything change so radically overnight? That's a question I ask myself every day.

- I'm coming! - I say after changing clothes and the girls wave a finger wave to me.