Page 34 of Mr. Principal

It felt good to have a plan, but my first order of business needed to be finding a job.

I’d already submitted at least fifty job applications over the past few days and I hadn’t received one call back. But I knew that was the norm. I just needed to work harder or network. Whatever it was people did to find a job. I felt so foolish. I didn’t even know how to find a job because my husband had just taken care of me. And once he stopped taking care of me, I had to find out how to do all of this on my own. It made me feel so ridiculous.

But enough about my own insecurities, I needed to just suck it up and ask for help. I found a number to a temp agency that was hiring and immediately submitted an application online. To my surprise, I got a call an hour later.

“Hi, Can I speak to Dana Duran?”

“Yes, this is Dana,” I said nervously jumping off the couch where I’d been binging on Netflix while continuing to fill out various applications.

I paced the floor, hoping that I sounded professional. I also happened to have a mouth full of dark chocolate almonds in my mouth. Dark chocolate was the only treat I allowed myself to have often. I told myself it was okay because dark chocolate was rumored to be healthy and well, almonds were healthy too… just covered in yumminess.

“We have an administrative assistant position available in the downtown area. We’re trying to fill the position immediately. If you would be interested in interviewing for it, we have a spot available for you at four pm today.”

Four? I had to pick up Meredith at four.

“Is four the only time available?”

“Hold for me. I’ll check.”

I started pacing the floor again while I waited on the line. The hold music was 80’s pop. I started singing along to “Oh Mickey,” when the secretary came back on the line.

“I’m sorry, four o’clock is the only time Michelle has available.”

I had to think quickly. I chewed on my lip. Our savings were already running dry. I needed a new job and I needed one stat or I would have to start selling my body on the street corner for oatmeal and chocolate covered almonds.

“I’ll be there. Can I get the address?”

Five minutes later, I was off the phone, but I had no idea what I was going to do about Meredith’s pick-up time.

I didn’t want to call Tom. And there was no way I was going to explain to Becca that I was going to a job interview. I knew she would immediately feel sorry for me and ask me if I was poor.

Instead, I reached for the phone and called the one person I knew would have no problem with my last-minute request.

* * *

Hours later,I pulled up to a small craftsman style home that stood out from the rest of the neighborhood just because of its size. It seemed that the neighborhood was being regentrified. Giant townhomes that clearly didn’t belong on such small plots of land dotted the neighborhood on either side. And across from the giant three-story townhomes were McMansions.

Carter’s place was clearly one of the original homes and if the outside was any indication, it seemed as if it had been recently remolded and renovated.

I opened the quaint gate that was covered in lovely ivy vines and noted the smell of midnight blooming jasmines in the air. I wondered briefly if Carter had planted them himself. There were rows of flowers on one side of his home and it was clear that they were lovingly maintained. I didn’t know Carter was into gardening, I thought, but there was probably a lot I didn’t know about the man that I’d considered my best friend. And who on two occasions already had been my lover.

I pushed those thoughts away as I rang his doorbell. It was dark, and the porch light shot on immediately.

“Who is it?” I heard him call through the door before he looked out the peephole.

I gave him a wane smile and said, “It’s me, Dana.”

I heard the doors unlocking and then finally he opened it.

“Sorry,” he said with a shrug. “Can never be too careful.”

“Yeah, an alien could have invaded my body and who knows what would have happened if you opened the door.”

He laughed. “Still into sci-fi, I see?”

“You would be right.” I looked around his home, seeking out Meredith.

“She passed out on the floor over there after I won a few games of Candyland.”