WISH ME LUCK

EARLIER IN THE DAY

Valerie woke up in the morning and looked at the time. Today was the day she had been waiting for—the day the result of her interview would arrive. She got up and met her elder brother, Julius, who was in the living room.

"Good morning, Julius," she greeted him.

"Morning, darling," he replied.

She sat on the couch sadly. "What is the problem?" he asked.

"Well, the result will be coming in today. I'm just so anxious and afraid," Valerie explained.

"Why? Come on, you graduated as one of the best in your college. Besides, you aced your interview," Julius reassured her.

"That's what they said," Valerie replied, "but I heard that people who get jobs in that hospital are highly connected. Although it has always been my dream to work at 'Best Diagnostics', I'm afraid it's not just about qualifications and skills."

Julius comforted her, saying, "Don't worry, listen to me, my dear sister. Just do your best and everything will work out in your favor."

"I hope so," Valerie replied. "It should arrive any moment from now. One of my former classmates got her result yesterday, and she was hired."

"Really? Do you see what I said? I told you," Julius exclaimed.

"No, her parents are very wealthy, and her father has some connections with the director at the hospital," Valerie explained.

"Oh?" Julius responded.

"Yeah, of course, she wouldn't admit it to me. She told me it was the result of her hard work, but I know she pulled some strings. And here I am, with no one working there at Best Diagnostics, and I'm just worried."

"Do not worry, okay? Everything will turn out well. If they refuse to hire you, you go over to that hospital and give them a hundred reasons why they should. How can they reject the best?" Julius encouraged her.

"Yeah, you have a point, though. But I think they will take me. I want to believe they will take me. Yes, my hard work will not be in vain," Valerie said optimistically.

"That's the spirit!" Julius replied. "Alright, now go get breakfast ready. I am so hungry, and I have this case I am working on."

"Ohhhhh, Mr. Investigator, breakfast will be ready very soon," Valerie playfully responded. She hurried into the kitchen and began making breakfast. After that, she served her brother, and they ate together.

She rushed to the bathroom, took a quick shower, and got dressed. While she was in the bedroom getting dressed, her brother called out, "Val, the post you're waiting for has arrived."

She ran out of her room like a crazy woman and went to the postman to accept the letter. "Thank you, thank you so much," she said, her hands trembling with excitement.

She quickly tore open the letter that was sent to her, while her brother commented, "I don't even get it. I mean, in this day and age, why send it through the postman? Why not send it to your email?"

"Yeah, it beats my imagination. I was also thinking they would send it through email, but another friend of mine who was rejected said she got it through the postman," Valerie explained.

"Well, I guess whoever is in charge of doing that is just an old-fashioned and analog individual," Julius chuckled.

Valerie opened the letter but was too afraid to look at it. She closed her eyes and gave it to her brother. "Please read it out for me, I'm too scared," she pleaded.

"You're such a coward," he said, taking the letter from her. She crossed her fingers and waited for him to read.

As he went through it, he said, "I'm sorry, Valerie."

Her eyes shot wide open. "No, no, no, that's not possible!" She ran to him and took the letter from his hand. She scanned through it and weakly fell onto a chair. "No, how could this happen, Julius? I feel like I'm going to die."

"Come on, it's not the end of the world. You can always apply again," Julius reassured her.

"No, they won't take me. I should have known. I wish I had someone there," she lamented.

"I'm sorry," Julius said. "Your brother is just... I'm of no use to you."

"No, do not say that, Julius. You have done so much for me. Ever since our parents died when we were little, you began doing all sorts of jobs just to take care of me. You couldn't even go to college when you should have because you were so focused on me.

I mean, at your age, you're going to college now and working, but that was after sending me to medical school. Without you, I wouldn't even be where I am today. I appreciate everything you've done for me, and I will not let you down.

I am going over to that hospital, and I'm going to tell them that by not hiring me, they are making the biggest mistake of their lives," Valerie expressed with determination.

"That is the spirit," Julius said. "Come on, I will drive you there."

"Ah... actually, I'm really scared," Valerie admitted.

Julius laughed. "I know, but let me drive you there, okay?"

"Okay, let me quickly get dressed."

After getting ready, she grabbed the letter and her bag and got into Julius' car. He also got ready and drove her to the hospital.

When they arrived at the gate, he said, "I have to go to work and I have a few classes as well, so I'll just try and see how I can shuffle between the two of them. If you need my help or anything, just call me."

"Okay, I will do that. Wish me luck."

"Don't worry, everything will go well. I promise you will get the job," Julius assured her.

Valerie smiled. "Well, I guess if you had some magical powers, your words would just come true."

"Then just wait for magic," he replied.

After she got out of his car, she waved at him while he drove away. She stared at the gate of the hospital and said, "Today, you're going to hire me, come what may."