C23 Chapter 23

VIOLA

I can’t believe my luck. I had thought I wasn’t going to hear from Clark soon, if ever again but he calls me a few days after I spoke with him the first time. He sounds unbelievably cheerful.

“Viola,” he finishes my name in a sing-song tone. “I have something I think you’re going to love.”

I get excited just by the tone in his voice. “What is it?” I ask excitedly.

“Well, there is a wedding planner who asked me to find her an assistant before we spoke. I gave her a call and told her about you. She recalls you well and is eager to give you a chance to get back in the game.”

“Okay. So I would be her assistant?”

“Actually no. I spoke to her about you for that job but it turns out she’s got a whole new idea that she wants to launch and she wants to ask you if you’d be interested to head up this project.”

“What is the project?”

“She didn’t say but she wants to discuss it with you directly. She says she thinks you’ll love it. It needs entrepreneurialism, creativity, a self-starter, and she thinks you have all those qualities. She also said the pay is good.”

“Who is it if I may ask?”

“Lara. Lara Townsend?”

“Okay, I’m interested,” I say. “I know Lara. She’s a nice person and I think we could work well together.”

“Great!” Clark says. “So shall I get her to call you?”

“That would be good but I work shifts. It would be better if you give me her number or you give her mine. Then we can message and arrange a time to talk. I don’t want to miss her call. It will be really unprofessional and this sounds like a good opportunity.”

“Okay,” Clark says happily. “I’ll arrange everything.”

“Thanks, Clark.”

When I put the phone down, I can’t stop jumping and screaming for joy. There is a God! I can’t believe my luck. It sounds like it’s a perfect opportunity and I hope it’s going to be just what I want.

I sing in the shower, and there’s a bounce in my step that I haven’t had in a long time. I feel like I’m on top of the world and there is nothing that can ruin my day.

During my shift, I keep checking my phone for a message from Clark but it doesn’t come. These things take time, I tell myself although my excitement begins to wane.

My shift finishes and when I get home, I’ve given up hope on getting a message. It’s late and there’s no chance that I’m going to get a message at this hour. I take a shower and get into bed. I fall asleep full of hope for tomorrow.

Tomorrow doesn’t disappoint. I’m eating breakfast when my phone rings. It’s from an unknown number and normally I don’t answer calls from unknown numbers but this morning I let it go and grab my phone. I know I don’t have Lara’s number and it could be her.

“Hello?” I say immediately after I press the answer icon.

It is Lara and I have to refrain from letting out a scream of joy.

“Good morning Viola. This is Lara.”

My face lights up and splits apart with the hugest smile. I struggle to close my mouth so I can speak properly when I need to.

We make small talk before Lara gets down to business.

“Did Clark tell you what I have in mind?”

“Well, he just said that you have an opportunity and that you think I might be a good fit in respect of being a self-starter, entrepreneur, and creative but he didn’t tell me what the role is.”

“Okay. Well, I want to start a new niche service. It’s for people who want to elope.”

“Elope?” I ask confused.

“Yes,” Lara says.

“Okay,” I say hesitantly. “I thought people who elope just get on a plane or get in a car and do it. They don’t plan to do it.”

“That is true. I’m thinking though that there is an opportunity for people who choose to elope to do it properly. I mean instead of stealing away like thieves in the night, they can do it nicely even if it is at the last minute. We can offer limo rental, jets, hotel bookings, rings, dresses, everything they want at short notice. It will bring a sense of class to people who choose to elope and remove the cheap aura attached to the word ‘elope’. The market is big and people will part with good money to make their special moment special even if it is a spontaneous decision.”

I close my eyes as I listen to Lara explaining and I begin to picture what the service would look like. The more I listen and the more I think, the more I believe it can work. By the time Lara is finished explaining I’ve convinced myself that I am doing this.

“So, what do you say? I have the assistant position if you want. It’s yours but I think this opportunity is more challenging. It’s more … you.”

I hesitate for the briefest moment suppressing the urge to yell into the phone. “I am really grateful that you thought of me for this role. I would be honored to take it on.”

Lara’s happiness is genuine. I can hear her happiness in her voice. “Don’t you want to know how much it pays?”

She has a point but I don’t care. It could pay almost nothing and I would probably take it. “Well of course,” I reply, embarrassed.

She tells me and I mouth OMG! in the mirror. It’s a dream come true. I couldn’t ask for more.

“That’s fine,” I say as calmly as possible.

“Great! When can you start?”

“Well, I need to give notice to my employer here so I can let you know by tomorrow. Will you send me a contract?”

“Sure,” Lara says. I give her my e-mail and she promises she’ll have the contract sent later in the day.

I am over the moon. My shifts seem like a breeze compared to the day before. I meet Charlie and give him the news that I am leaving. He looks disappointed and nods while he chews on a matchstick.

“Well, I wish you all the best,” he says finally. “You can leave when you want. Just let me know when your last day is.”

I thank him for having let me work for him and he waves his hand dismissively. “Danzer’s has survived all these years,” he grumbles. “Do you know why this place will close eventually?”

I shake my head. “No, Charlie.”

“It’ll close not because it doesn’t make money but because I won’t have any waitresses left. They’re either gettin’ too old or they’re leavin’ for the big city. I’ve got more chance of survivin’ if I open a titty bar,” he says. I can tell he’s simply stating what he believes to be the truth. “If times get desperate enough I guess I’ll have to open one.”

“You’ll be fine,” I say to Charlie and smile as I hug him. I tell him when I would like to leave and he nods.

“Got it. Fine by me,” he says.

I leave his office and start my shift after I send a message to Lara confirming my start date. I send Amber a message to tell her I’m headed back to LA and she answers telling me I can crash at her place until I get on my feet.

Everything seems to be falling into place perfectly. I’m headed back to the bright lights and the big city but I have no idea just how small a big city can be. I’m about to find out…