The phone rang in the living room parlor.
Olivia rushed to receive it. It was the call she had eagerly been waiting for since the previous week.
"Hello? This is Mr. Arnold Parker; Hiring Manager at Global TechKicker Company. Am I speaking to Ma'am Olivia Lopez?"
The voice inquired.
"Hello."
She began enthusiastically,
"Yes. I'm Olivia Lopez. How may I help you?" She asked only to sound official.
"Following the interview you turned up for last, week...."
"Yeeeees?"
She prolonged her pronunciation as if to cheer him on into saying what she was expecting to hear.
"I'd like to meet up with you." The manager said.
"Meet up with me?" Olivia queried him.
"Yes, for official purposes." He highlighted.
"Okay. Tell me the place and time and I'll meet you there." She retorted.
"Peeble's Café at 2:40 pm." He informed her.
"There are about three Peeble Cafes in town." She voiced.
"Take your pick." He was trying to be a gentleman enough.
"Since you asked; I chose the one at Monphroe Avenue."
"It's decided then." He hung up the phone.
Olivia glanced at the wall clock; it was 1:30. She looked at how she was dressed and shook her head. She shut her eyes for exactly five seconds; afterward, she went to prepare herself for the meeting. It was 2:05 when she left the house.
She was dressed in a White Bell Bottom Pants Suit with a white Puffed Sleeve Blazer. Her white stud earrings and white block heels complemented her attire.
She drove off in her Red Coupe; the KIA Picanto type, but was stuck in traffic at 2:13. She didn't panic; from her prior calculations, she'd known she'd get stuck in traffic for a maximum of 20 minutes -but she was stuck in traffic for 15 minutes.
Afterward, she took a shortcut through Power Lane and drove southward for 10 minutes; when she reached Monphroe Avenue. She looked at her wristwatch, it was 2:38. She heaved a sigh of relief then adjusted her white Full Frame wayfarer eyeglasses and alighted from the coupe. She walked into Peeble's Café and directly to table number 7 where Mr. Arnold Parker was seated, swiping his phone.
"Hello, Mr. Parker."
"Hello." He responded as he stood up from his seat. He pulled out the chair for Oliver and she sat as he pushed it in. She then crossed her legs and,
"Thank you."
She glanced at her watch again. It was 2:43.
"You're just in time." Mr. Parker voiced and Oliver nodded her head in agreement.
"Let me get straight to the point, Ma'am Lopez."
He began after sitting down, "Are you considering other positions in other companies?"
"I have had two interviews during the past week with companies in Realtech and Innovators Mind industries.
However, as I'm very passionate about both your industry and the work you have done during the past several years, I am more inclined toward working for you."
"I see... Does that mean you're willing to accept any position offered to you?" He inquired of her.
"I'm focused on applying for jobs that allow me to use the strengths that I listed in my application. I think I would be a great addition to the team in the original role that was listed. However, I thank you for thinking of me for an alternate role in the company."
"I went through your CV and I learned that you also majored in accounting as a fresher. You even have a Bachelor's Degree in accounting. Am I right?" He asked.
"Well that is what my father pressured me into studying, but that's not where my passion is. Trust me." They both laughed.
"Unfortunately, there turned up a more competent person for the role of a programmer analyst and data processing systems analyst."
Olivia's expression suddenly changed.
"He's got a bachelor's degree in computer science, management information systems, and information science. This means he's got an added advantage as he's also an information systems analyst." He concluded.
"He is more equipped in this field. If I may ask... what's his name?"
"Oliver Wyatt. That's his name"
"Oh!" She raised her left eyebrow. "I see."
"Here's the good news. Your degree in accounting earned you the role of the company's accounting administrator."
She smiled affiliatively to show her contentment. However, there was something behind that smile that only she knew about.
"I'll give you time to think about the position; (He proposed this concerning the interviews in other companies as Olivia had told him.)
"No...no, no, no. I'm content with the position you've offered me in your company."
"Are you sure you don't want to think this through?... I mean... Realtech and Innovators Mind industries could be hiring you at a higher position or... who knows? Maybe even paying you better!"
"I'm not turning back. I've decided."
"Okay. Chapter closed." He exhaled deeply and leaned on he backrest of his chair. "We should have some refection now. What do you say?" He said to her as he signaled a waiter to take their order.
"It's on the house." He said when Olivia appeared quite unsure.
"If you insist." She smiled
"Good afternoon, sir, ma'am. May I take your order?" An amiable male youth courteously asked them.
"I'll have red-eye espresso." Mr. Parker ordered.
"What will the lady have?" The waiter inquired.
"I'll have black coffee."
"Brewed coffee or Americano, ma'am?"
"I prefer brewed coffee, please."