Sarah was in a happy daze. Gazing around the room, she barely registered the office art, the huge oak desk, the couch and chair in the opposite corner. She had the job! She was never so happy to fill out forms before. Carefully inking in her name and address onto the payroll registration form and signing copies of the ‘non-compete’ agreement, she wriggled in her chair, excitement bubbling through her veins like the cheap fizzy wine Alicia had opened to toast her success.
Leaning back in the desk chair, she fiddled idly with the tie to the spa robe Alicia had draped around her as they left Mr. Kerr’s office, Sarah basked in fact that, in a few weeks, her first paycheque would be deposited into her bank account and there would be one every two weeks after that! She breathed deeply, feeling the oxygen down to her toes, stress from the interview and from the overwhelming money worries running off of her like rain.
Across the desk, in a matching robe, Alicia sat and watched her, amused at her obviously elevated mood. “You look happy, “ she said, smiling at Sarah.
“Oh, I am!” Sarah said. “I’m really looking forward to working here.” Flushing slightly as Alicia’s grin broadened, she added, “The writing. I’m looking forward to writing full-time.”
“You didn’t just sign on for writing, you know.”
Sarah took a deep sip of the wine. “I know.” She looked directly at Alicia, then away. “I’ll do everything I signed up for. I’m no quitter.”
Alicia laughed throatily. “Quitter! Oh, honey, this isn’t exactly going to be a chore, you know. And it looked like you enjoyed what you were doing with Mr. Kerr. He certainly did! You’ll be very popular.” Her eyes roamed the deep vee of terrycloth cinched by the robe’s tie. ‘Very popular!’
Sarah’s blush deepened and spread down her throat. “Alicia, I don’t want you to think that I’m, well,....indiscriminate.”
