Page 80 of Paradigm

Eline swallowed. She hadn’t wanted to ask, but she’d be lying if she said that she hadn’t thought about it. She’d never been a prideful person, but asking Arlowe to hire her just because they were dating again seemed unfair to Arlowe, her friends, and the company they’d built together.

“Arlowe, I… I don’t know.”

“I know it’s complicated. We talked about the details, and we posted a job today. It’s a manager role, so not director-level, and not the same pay, I’m guessing, but if we go through the interview process and at least show that we tried to hire someone from here, we might be able to hire you. I just don’t know about the timing. I know it can take a while to get this kind of visa approved. I was thinking about it on the way over here, and you might have to go home for a little while at least, but you could come right back as soon as it’s all done, and you’d have three years. By then, you could have your green card.”

“Arlowe, I’d love that, but do you even need the role, or is it–”

“No, we do. We were just going to hire it later. It’s a little complicated because I had to post it internally first and no one expected it, but it’ll be fine.”

“I’d be taking a job from someone who already works there?”

Arlowe unwrapped the silverware that came with their meal from the plastic it came in and said, “No, none of them are eligible or ready for the role. I confirmed that with one of the existing engineering managers. Besides, you know software engineers: most of them don’t want to manage people. I’ll talk to them if any of them end up applying, but none of them would’ve gotten it anyway.”

“Okay, but you, by law, have to show that you looked at candidates who are from here. So, you’re going to do that?”

“Yes, babe. We’ll post it externally next week, and we’ll see what we get. Then, we’ll interview. We will do it right, I promise. I wouldn’t jeopardize your chance of staying or the company.”

“But those people won’t be getting the role. It would be a formality for the government so that I can get the job.”

“Yes, essentially. But I’ll be saving their information, and when I go to hire again, if anyone is a good fit, they’ll fast-track through the process later. I’ll even reach out to them myself.”

“That’s not really fair to them, though, is it?” she asked. “I’d feel bad, assuming this whole thing even works.”

“I know. But what other option do we have? You said you didn’t think you’d get a job quickly enough.”

“I could keep trying from home,” Eline suggested. “I don’t want to have to do that, but I could. I’ve already lived here. Maybe they’ll be more likely to hire me because of that. I’ll have to see how long the extension is for if they grant it.”

“But we can hire you. I know it’s not great for us to interview people and make them–”

“Think that they could get a job that they’re not going to get?”

“Well, yeah,” Arlowe acknowledged. “I know it’s not a good look, but it’s to keep you here, Eline. I want you to stay.”

“I want to stay, too, Arlowe, but–” She opened her food container and glanced down at it. “White sauce?”

“Yeah, you love it.”

“I know. I guess I’m just still surprised how much you remember sometimes.”

“You shouldn’t be.”

“Arlowe, if I went home temporarily, we could stay together until I could get back here.”

“We can, and we would, and if you honestly want that, we’ll do it, but if you want to stay, I think we should at least try this option, Eline. It’s either that, or–”

“Or what?”

“Well…” Arlowe began. “We could do the obvious.”

“The obvious?” she asked.

“We could get married,” Arlowe replied.

Eline’s eyes went wide.

“Did you just–”

“If we get married, you could stay. I don’t know if we have to get another visa for that. I was going to look into it, but then my friends agreed that we could hire you, so I didn’t. Since you’re already here, though, maybe we don’t need one. We could just go down to city hall, get a license, and have the ceremony there, too. Then, we file the paperwork, and you’ll be married to an American citizen, so you can get a green card, and–”