Begin Again novel Chapter 24

"Ms McBride," A low, raspy voice jolted Eden out of her daze. She turned to see a tall woman with a greying afro staring at her with curiosity.

She looked familiar, but Eden couldn't remember where she'd seen her.

"I'm Yvonne Gibson, but everyone calls me Gibby," she smiled and held out her wrinkly hand.

When Eden took it, she expected it to be as frail as it looked, but she was amazed by the strength in the older woman's handshake.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Eden said effusively, stopping short of bowing.

"Please follow me," Gibby said as she turned on her heel.

She was surprisingly agile for someone elderly, and Eden had to keep up with her quick steps and her life story in the five minutes it took to get to the interview room on the same floor.

Eden only managed to grasp that Gibby's in charge of the administration office. All the secretaries, personal assistants and office support personnel reported to her. She made the 'hiring and firing' decisions.

Best be on her good side, Eden thought as she took the egg office chair the older woman offered her—despite the very long glass table, there were only two chairs in the room, hers and Gibby's and they sat across from each other.

"Would you like something to drink, hot or cold? We've got everything," Gibby offered.

Of course, they have everything, Eden smiled. If they had enough room to fit a plane in here, tons of orange juice and gallons of hot chocolate were nothing.

"So?" Gibby asked, and Eden shook her head, she didn't want to inconvenience her future boss; this was an interview, not a social call.

"Very well then let's begin." The head honcho of all personal assistants nodded and opened the personnel file in front of her. "Why do you want to work for Anderson Logistics? You don't have much experience in office support."

Eden was frank in her response. Yes, she was inexperienced, but she was a quick learner and would work twice as hard as her peers because this job was her lifeline.

And she also wants to meet her baby's father. But she kept this part to herself.

"How so?" Gibby asked, her eyes shining with curiosity.

"Well," Eden began as she pushed up her glasses, a clear sign she's nervous as fuck. "I'm a single parent and recently bought a house. I need a permanent job to support my son and keep a roof over our heads."

"How old is your little one?"

"Eighteen months," Eden replied.

Gibby nodded thoughtfully and leaned back in her seat, "I'll be honest with you, you don't have a lot of experience, and the role is extremely demanding."

"I'm not afraid of hard work," Eden said quickly.

"It's not entirely the work I'm worried about," Gibby said. "It's the executive you'll be working closely with. He's demanding, sometimes unreasonable, your life has to revolve around him. When he calls you don't question, you show up. No more brunch with your friends, or Sunday afternoon weddings or spa days. You have to eat, sleep and breathe the job."

Eden gulped. He didn't sound like a very nice person, whoever this executive is.

"He has a fiery temper; as a result staff call him the 'Dragon' because when he's unhappy, he breathes fire," Gibby smiled.

"He sounds terrifying," Eden said in a small voice.

"He is," Gibby nodded. "But he's also a generous man."

She pulled out a sheet of paper from the file and slid it across the table.

"That's how much he's offering for the role."

As she stared at the figure scribbled on the page, Eden's eyes were so big she thought they were going to pop out of their sockets.

Sure she wouldn't get it all in one go. But R650K over twelve months, minus the pension fund, etc., was still a lot of money in her bank account. It was more than she could ever hope to make with her illustrations.

She'd be able to pay off her mortgage and car in no time, get cracking on her major renovations much sooner than she'd anticipated, and also start a modest trust fund for Aiden.

"I don't know what to say," Eden said at last.

"Don't thank me yet," Gibby carried on. "Because you are inexperienced, and you have so much to learn still—"

Eden smelled a 'but' coming and saw all the big dreams she had seconds ago vanish in a puff of smoke. No more trust fund for Aiden.

"—There'll be two of you," Gibby explained. "So the offer will be split."

She slid another piece of paper in Eden's direction. "This is what you'll walk away with annually if you sign the contract today."

Eden glanced at the paper, willing herself not to smile like an idiot.

Half wasn't bad. It was still a lot, considering she wasn't expecting such a generous offer.

She was starting to like the Dragon. He can breathe fire all he wants, and she will gladly shine his shoes, too, if that's what he needs.

"There's also a bonus based on the company's performance. You'll have all the staff benefits, medical insurance, twenty-eight annual leave days, fifty sick leave days in a three-year cycle and family responsibility leave. You get staff discounts at some of our eCommerce partners. You'll get to travel a lot too. And there's also the daycare for your son. Of course, that's not free. But you can pop in on your lunch breaks to see him."

Gibby didn't need to sell her the dream. The interactive map Eden had played with earlier had sealed the deal, and she already had her at R325K.

But there was one thing that bothered her.

"Why?" Eden asked.

"Why what?"

"You said so yourself, I don't have the experience, why would you want me and on top of that compensate me so well?"

"I'll be honest with you, Ms McBride," Gibby said. "There were far more experienced candidates, but I have a good feeling about you."

"It still doesn't make sense—" Eden whispered, her eyes glued to the numbers on the piece of paper. The offer was too good to be true, but she wanted it to be real so bad, for Aiden's sake.

"Your lack of experience is not an issue. I'll train you. With my guidance you'll be soaring in no time, and if that fails your new boss will send you on the best training program."

Who is this man? Generous to boot and patient too. Why would anyone call him the Dragon? He should be more like St. Gracious or something, Eden thought.

"Can I think about it?"

"I'm afraid not," Gibby shook her head and pulled out five sets of contracts all with different names, hers included.

"There are four other candidates we've shortlisted. We want you, but as you can see, we have options."

Eden thought for a second, her heart skidding out of control as she rubbed her clammy hands on her skirt. Four other people were trying to steal Aiden's trust fund and her clawfoot tub. No way in hell she'd let them take her fat salary away from her.

"I'm sold!" She clasped her hands with excitement, almost bobbing up and down her chair. "I'll sign it!"

"Excellent decision," Gibby said as she handed her two sets of contracts to sign and initial on every page.

Without reading the terms and any other fine print, Eden signed both copies.

"Welcome to our little family," Gibby said with a huge grin on her face as she scribbled her signature on the documents.

Eden returned her smile, praying she's not making a dreadful mistake.

It was official, she was now an Anderson Logistics employee, and her baby's father is her boss. Well not immediate boss, but still her boss.

"Who is the executive I'll be assisting? Can I meet him today?" Eden asked as she and Gibby shook hands once more.

"You'll meet him soon enough," Gibby said and handed her a copy of the contract. "That's for your records."

Eden thanked her again for her time and left Anderson Logistics in a daze, convinced she'd dreamed everything up, from Gibby, her new fairy godmother, to the R325K salary. But as she peered at the contract in her hands, she knew she wasn't dreaming, her annual package was there, in black and white.

"I'm not poor anymore!" She screamed with joy as she threw her hands in the air. "I'm getting a clawfoot tub!"

The same security guard who'd spoiled her photo fun earlier came to escort her out —Apparently, people at Anderson Logistics were not allowed to be happy, and she was making a scene—.

Eden didn't take offence, though; she was too happy to let the grumpy guard piss on her good fortune and ruin her day.

She belted out Katy Perry's Firework as she skipped to her car.