The woman sat in the office Friday, biding their time as they watched the clock. Things just weren't the same with Jane not around. They knew she was having another interview at the corporate office that day, and it was difficult for them to focus on anything else.
"Do you think she's going to take the position?" Monica asked.
"I just don't know," Veronica answered. "I guess it depends on what they actually offer her.
"How about that other company?" Ashley asked. "That was a real surprise, wasn't it?"
"It sure is. I really wasn't expecting that. I didn't think she was interested in any other companies," said Veronica.
"It makes sense though. She's really smart," Monica said.
"Does Maria have any more insight?" Ashley asked.
"I don't think so," Veronica answered. "But I'll go ask, again."
Maria was sitting in her office playing on her phone. She was having a hard time getting anything done, knowing that Jane was driving up for her second interview with corporate office.
Veronica suddenly let herself in. "Maria?"
"Oh, Veronica."
"Are you okay?"
"I'm okay. Just nervous about Jane's meeting. How about you? How are you holding up?"
"I am really nervous and anxious. But I guess we all are. What do you think is going to happen?"
"I really don't know, but I just have a weird feeling that they are trying to lowball her. I hope I am wrong."
"Lowball her?"
"I just really thought they were going to offer her more. I think they might be trying to get her to accept a much lower paying position. Too many things just don't make sense."
"Well whatever it is, I just hope for the best for her."
"I think we all do."
Jane showed up to her second meeting with corporate. She was hoping for more clarity and a better job offer than she received the last time. Unfortunately, when she was in the meeting room with Jennifer and Mark, it seemed as if nothing had changed.
"So, Jane, have you made a decision yet?"
"I'm sorry, made a decision on what?"
"The job offer. Remember? That's why you're here."
"I was actually hoping for more clarity," Jane responded. "I still don't understand what my exact path to promotion would be. And you also said you would explain the benefits to me."
Jennifer and Mark happily went over the benefits package, excited to tell her about the exceptional insurance and retirement plans. But when it came to the path to promotion, the water started to get a bit murky, once again.
"And like I said, about the promotions, you will be working for Mark. He is the COO of the company. I cannot stress how important that is. You will learn a lot by working for him and it will eventually lead to better positions."
"But what kind of positions could it lead to?"
"The possibilities are endless, really."
"Could it be something like an assistant coordinator?"
"Well, yeah. If you really work hard. Someday you could be eligible for that position, in the future."
"I was actually hoping to get that kind of position pretty soon."
"Well Jane, that kind of position takes a lot of working up to. Nobody is going offer someone with your lack of experience a position any time soon."
"Are you sure about that?" Jane asked.
"Well, not a company as big as ours."
"Well, I was actually offered that position at another company. I was offered a co-assistant coordinator position for one of their branches."
"You were?!" Mark and Jennifer both replied. "It was probably some small company, wasn't it? Yeah, an up incoming company without a track record like ours might offer you a position like that."
"They are actually much bigger than our company," Jane responded.
Jennifer and Mark both looked at each other before concluding that she was bluffing.
"Look Jane. I know what you're doing," Jennifer said. "I spoke with Maria earlier, and she seems to think we are lowballing you. I am sure she told you to come in here and try to bargain for more money."
"You know, it's fine to try to negotiate," said Mark. "But to lie and say that you have a job offer from some nameless company is a terrible idea."
"I am not lying," Jane firmly responded.
"If you're not lying then who exactly is this company that offered you a coordinating position?"
"The offer is from Sunshine Industries," Jane said, as she interrupted them both. After a moment of brief silence, she handed her cell phone over. "I can even show you the email, right here. It shows everything they are offering me and even says the title of the position."
They franticly looked through the email on her phone, trying to confirm the validity.
"What's wrong?" Jane asked.
"Well, we just want to make sure that this is really from Sunshine. What if this is some kind of scam?"
"So, first you thought I was lying and now you think I don't know who I was talking to?"
"No! We're not saying that."
"I had a video interview with them on Tuesday night. That's when they offered the job."
"Who did you interview with?"
Once Jane told them, they immediately recognized Miranda and Cynthia's names. They also confirmed Camilla through the Sunshine Industries website. There was no more denying it. They both realized that Jane had a real offer from the prestigious company.
"They are headquartered all the way in New York," Mark pointed out.
"They would be moving me out there and getting me a hotel for a while", Jane responded. "We already discussed some of that. But if I take the offer, my next conversation with them will just be about ironing out the details of my move."
The realization was suddenly hitting the interviewers as they scrambled for the right response. Unfortunately, they weren't on the same page as both of them tried to take different approaches.
"Okay...that is a really interesting," said Jennifer. That's a real curveball you threw at us. Obviously, we don't want to lose you so let's see if we can find a way to make the offer more compelling."
"Well, wait a second, Maria," Mark interrupted. "If you compare our benefits package to theirs and you look at the projection you would be on, I still think our offer is better. Also, you need to factor in the cost to live in New York. There are definitely a lot of advantages to taking the position we are offering you."
Jane and Jennifer became even more confused. Jennifer started looking at Mark and thinking to herself, "What the hell are you doing?"
"Umm, Mark. Can I speak with you, privately?"
They stepped out together where they immediately started disputing each other's plans of action.
"Mark! You heard what she said. Why are you still trying to push the original offer?"
"I heard what she said but I think we can still convince her to take that position, if we really try."
"No! She is going to leave for New York if we don't do something!"
"And what do you expect us to do? Give her whatever she wants, just because she says Sunshine offered her?"
"Look, we had a plan, but it's obviously not going to work. We need to offer her something or we are going to lose her!"
Jennifer and Mark reentered the room as they met back with their patient interviewee.
"So, Jane, we obviously don't want to lose you. We are going to try to swing a few things for you. First of all, your title isn't going to be an intern. It was never actually meant to be in intern. We were just using that word for lack of a better title."
"Oh, really?"
"We haven't finalized anything yet, but it will be an associate coordinating position. And you will have the some of the responsibilities in our design projects."
"Really? That sounds great!"
"As far as your pay, we are still working things out," said Mark. "Why don't we have another meeting on Tuesday? By then, we will have all the details ironed out."
"I have to drive all the way back up here?" Jane asked.
"Well, yes. This is where our office is. And this is where we do all our official business."
"It's just kind of a far drive. And it would be my third time driving up here in a span of seven days."
"I understand," Mark responded. "But hopefully, the offer will make you want to stay up here. And you won't have to make that drive so much anymore. Am I right?"
"Okay...am I still only getting a fifteen percent raise?"
"Well fifteen percent is still pretty good," Mark started.
"Mark and I will try to find a better deal for you," Jennifer interrupted.
"And if we don't come up with anything, just remember that there is a direct path to a promotion," Mark tried to assure.
"That's...nice..." Jane responded, hesitantly. She left the meeting at that as she made the long drive home. She knew by the time she got back home it was already going to be dark outside.
The drive back and forth was starting to take a toll on her. She was completely stressed now and really didn't have an outlet. Unfortunately for her, Veronica was out of town for the weekend. She talked to Maria on her way home, but her supervisor was left just as confused as she was.
"Why is it so hard for my own company to be clear with me. They were the ones that started this whole mess. And why do I have to keep driving up there? Sunshine has been so compensating. The only time they ever inconvenienced me, they did it on purpose! But that was just part of their test."
"Miranda and Cynthia have been so helpful and understanding. Even Camilla has been so nice. And I'm supposed to be in direct competition with her for the next promotion!"
"If Jennifer and Mark could be even half as clear and compensating as Sunshine Industries, I would really have something to work with. Today was the only time I've even seen them crack. Maybe it was a good thing I told them about the Sunshine's offer."
The more she thought about it, the more she realized the panic she saw in Jennifer's eyes. Thinking about the differences in Jennifer and Mark's body language after she told them, she started to realize how positive the meeting went AFTER she broke the news.
"They wouldn't even be offering me this third meeting if I didn't tell them about Sunshine."
As much as she desired vision and clarity, she realized that she wasn't being clear with herself. She still had not figured out what she really wanted to do. She needed to make decisions fast and get down to the bottom of what she really wanted.
Jane decided to take some time to herself. She went down to a small bar that was walking distance from her apartment. She had never been there before but decided to give it a try. She took a pen and pad so she could write down her thoughts while having a few drinks.
---
Later that night, hours after Jane came back home from the bar, she was in bed, about to fall asleep when, she received a phone call. To her excitement, it was from Veronica.
"Hey!"
"Hey, mami!"
