Marriage Contract - Gael's Secret

Evy.

"Your name, please!"

"Evy Dixon."

"Alright, Evy! We have an opening in the pantry. It's quite different from what your resume showcases, but..." I inhale deeply. The truth is, I've pounded the pavement and sent resumes all over this city, and nothing. And the worst part? I can't afford to wait any longer. I need a job, and I needed it yesterday!

"Okay, I'll take it!"

"Are you sure?"

"Unfortunately, I don't have much choice. I urgently need a job and a paycheck." I muster a smile for the woman behind the employment agency counter.

"Alright! I'll jot down the address for you and notify D'Angelo that you'll be filling the position."

"Thank you, Dany!" After she records the details, I exit the building and head straight for D'Angelo Corporation.

A position at one of the country's premier accounting and management firms would be an unparalleled opportunity for my career. Serving coffee, tidying counters, and tables weren't what I had envisioned, but for today, it works wonders. Life hasn't been easy since my father, Andrew Dixon, passed away in a car accident. It's like he was the linchpin holding everything together. Since then, my older brother John Dixon left home seeking his adventures, and my mother, Judy Dixon, hasn't found much joy in life lately. Then came the debts that nearly left us homeless and hungry, or both. In the end, serving coffee will sustain us as best as possible for now. With a deep breath, I lift my head, staring at the towering skyscraper, forcing myself to step inside. Unavoidably, I take in the opulence throughout the lobby and approach the expansive counter made of sleek black marble, introducing myself to the young woman behind it.

"Good morning, my name is Evy Dixon. The employment agency sent me for the pantry position." I hand her the paper, and she reads it silently, then flashes a professional smile.

"I'll inform them you've arrived, Miss Dixon." I simply nod as she picks up the phone to make a call. "All set. Head to the employee elevator and press the button for the third floor. Someone will be waiting."

"Thank you!" I never imagined entering a place like this through the service area. After all the studying and years of dedication, I had hoped at least to enter through the front door and occupy a room of my own. Dreams, can't rely on them! The elevator's chime signals my arrival on the desired floor, and as the doors slide open, a man around thirty, sporting an inexpensive suit, greets me with an exuberant smile.

" You must be Miss Dixon. I'm Dylan Thompson, and I'm in charge of this department."

" Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Thompson!" I extend my hand with a cordial smile to the man who will probably be my boss from now on, as I step out of the elevator."

" Please, just call me Dylan. Come this way." He gestures, leading me down a wide and long corridor, and we head towards the last door. In the pantry, there are a few ladies wearing a dark blue uniform with white aprons and caps, bearing the logo of a company I'm not familiar with. Probably, D’Angelo outsources this kind of service. "Put this on; I need you ready to start." Caught off guard, I raise an eyebrow as I gaze at the tall man handing me the uniform.

" Oh... now?" I stutter because I didn't expect to start my first day today, especially not now. I mean, I didn't tell anyone, and Mom is alone at home. Darn!

" Any problem, Miss?"

" Oh, no, it's fine! Where can I change?"

"There's a restroom for employees down that corridor, third door."

I grab the uniform and leave the pantry to change. When I return to the kitchen, Dylan introduces me to dozens of employees lined up before him. Soon enough, I discover that my first task of the day is to set up a breakfast in one of the meeting rooms on the twenty-sixth floor. Everything seems very fast-paced and pragmatic here, and in the blink of an eye, I have a silver cart in front of me containing trays with toast, cookies, croissants, a coffee pot and another with water, a teapot, some cups and glasses, and a pitcher of juice. The meeting room is completely empty, which makes me more at ease as I arrange everything neatly in a corner near a huge window boasting the most beautiful view of New York City. As soon as I finish, I leave, closing the double doors behind me, and immediately head back to my department to follow the next orders.

" How's your first day going?" Anne, one of the employees, asks as she sits beside me during lunchtime. She opens a plastic container, and the scent of homemade food fills the air instantly. I shrug at her question.

" Not bad," I retort, unwrapping a cereal bar I had in my bag.

" It's not so bad here. We have a salary, health insurance, meal cards, and we earn some extra if we need to work overtime."

" Overtime?" She nods, indicating a yes, and takes a forkful of food.

"Sometimes I make almost two thousand a month just from overtime."

" Wow," I say, trying to hide my concern. Two grand a month won't even begin to cover the debts my dad left. Not to mention the rent and daily bills. Mentally, I sigh. And then there's my mom, who can't be left alone. I'll have to figure out where to leave her during the day while I'm working.

" Did you only bring that for lunch?" Anne asks, bringing me back.

" Actually, I didn't know I'd start today."

" I see. If you want, I can share mine with you."

"You don't have to, Anne, thanks! I'm not very hungry right now."

During the second shift, it was hard to concentrate. I was worried about Mrs. Judy, about her being alone at home, and I couldn't even call Mary, our neighbor, to ask her to look after her until I got back. However, I could distance myself from the problems that keep me awake every night since everything turned upside down. The creditors knocking on my door demanding the money my dad owes them, or the last letter from the bank giving me an ultimatum to pay off the mortgage on the house. Since I couldn't pay anything, we were evicted, and everything of value was seized. Except for my savings, which are almost depleted.

" Wow, you look amazing!" I marvel at Wendy, who appeared in my line of sight wearing a tight black dress that accentuated her sensual figure and makeup that highlighted her deep, pulled-back black eyes. She runs her hands through her voluminous curly hair, shaking the strands.

" She's going to Tecno's Kiss nightclub. Wendy dances there at night," Anne explains, as the brunette applies a purple-red lipstick.

" Oh!" It's all I manage to say."

" Yeah, you can't live off just a maid's salary," Wendy grumbles, adjusting a shiny shoulder bag. I just think she's absolutely right, but I had no idea. Throughout my adolescence and young adulthood, I always had everything in my hands, and my family was happy, so I was content with that. How did everything change so radically overnight? That's a question I ask myself every day.

" I'm off!" I announce after changing clothes, and the girls wave me a finger goodbye.