C6 Love Again Or No?
Sierra sat across from the interview panel, trying not to let the nervousness show.
She had prepared for this.
She knew her qualifications. She knew her work. She knew what she was capable of.
Still, there was something about being watched by three people while they decided whether she was good enough that made her palms feel warmer than usual.
The woman in the middle looked down at Sierra's résumé.
"You've been working in this field for a while now."
"Yes."
"And you've taken on quite a few responsibilities in your current position."
"I have."
The woman nodded.
"Why do you want this position?"
Sierra thought for a moment.
"Because I want to grow."
She kept her voice steady.
"I've learned a lot where I am now, but I don't want to stay comfortable forever. I want to take on more responsibility, learn from people with more experience, and see what else I can do."
Another interviewer leaned forward.
"And how do you handle pressure?"
"I try not to react immediately."
He raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?"
"I've learned that when something goes wrong, panicking doesn't make it better. I prefer to understand what's happening first, then deal with it."
There were a few more questions.
Some easy.
Some more personal.
One of the final questions caught her off guard.
"How do you think a person's personal life can affect their professional life?"
Sierra paused.
"I think it can affect it a lot."
"Why?"
"Because we're still the same person when we leave work."
She folded her hands together.
"If something is bothering you personally, it's difficult to completely switch it off just because you've walked into an office. But I also think people have a responsibility to learn how to manage those things without allowing them to affect everyone around them."
The interviewer nodded.
"And relationships?"
Sierra smiled faintly.
"Relationships are complicated."
That earned a small laugh from the panel.
She relaxed slightly.
"But I think the right relationship can make someone's life easier, while the wrong one can make everything harder."
The interview continued for a few more minutes before finally coming to an end.
"Thank you for coming in, Sierra."
"Thank you for having me."
She stood, smiled politely, and left the room.
The moment the door closed behind her, she released a quiet breath.
That wasn't so bad.
---
"You're late."
Sierra looked up from her drink.
Emily was sitting across from her at a small café table, looking entirely too pleased with herself.
"I had an interview."
"I know."
"So?"
"So I expected you to arrive earlier."
Sierra rolled her eyes.
"You could've waited."
"I did wait."
"Clearly."
Emily laughed.
Sierra took a sip of her drink.
For a while, they simply talked.
Work.
People they knew.
Small things that didn't matter enough to become serious conversations.
Then Emily's expression changed.
"I've been thinking about kids."
Sierra looked at her.
"Kids?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
Emily leaned back in her chair.
"I've been married for a while now, and lately everyone keeps asking."
Sierra smiled.
"Everyone?"
"Everyone."
She started counting on her fingers.
"My mother. His mother. My aunt. Random women at church."
Sierra laughed.
"Random women?"
"Don't laugh. You don't understand."
"I absolutely understand."
Emily sighed dramatically.
"Sometimes I think people act like marriage automatically means you should have a baby within twelve months."
Sierra smiled.
"And what do you think?"
Emily was quiet for a moment.
"I think I want kids."
"Eventually?"
"Eventually."
She shrugged.
"I just don't know when."
Sierra nodded.
"That's fair."
"Would you want kids?"
The question caught Sierra slightly off guard.
"I don't know."
Emily smiled.
"You really don't?"
"I've never really thought that far ahead."
"Really?"
Sierra shook her head.
"I've always been more focused on getting my life together."
"And now?"
Sierra looked down at her cup.
"Now I'm still figuring things out."
Emily studied her.
"Sometimes I think you're too used to doing everything alone."
Sierra looked up.
"Maybe."
"That's not necessarily a good thing."
"I know."
There was a short silence.
Then Sierra smiled.
"Besides, we're talking about children and you haven't even finished your food."
Emily laughed.
"Don't change the subject."
"I'm not."
"You are."
"Eat."
Emily shook her head, smiling.
"Fine."
The conversation moved on.
But the question stayed somewhere in the back of Sierra's mind.
Would you want kids?
She didn't know.
Maybe she'd never really given herself the chance to think about what she wanted beyond work, independence, and simply moving forward.
---
By the time Joan got home, the sun had already begun to disappear.
She pushed the apartment door open with her shoulder, balancing two grocery bags in her hands.
"Alex?"
"Kitchen."
She walked in.
"I bought everything."
Alex appeared from the hallway.
"You didn't have to."
"I know."
He took one of the bags from her.
"You bought too much."
"I bought enough."
"For what? A restaurant?"
Joan laughed.
"I'm cooking."
Alex looked inside the bag.
"You're cooking?"
"Yes."
"Should I be worried?"
She gave him an offended look.
"Excuse me?"
"I'm just asking."
"I can cook."
"I know."
"Then stop looking at me like that."
He smiled.
"Fine."
Joan began taking things out of the bags.
Vegetables.
Chicken.
Rice.
A few other ingredients.
"You've been at work all day," Alex said. "You don't have to cook."
"I know."
"You keep saying that."
"Because you keep saying I don't have to."
He laughed quietly.
Joan glanced at him.
"How was your day?"
"Fine."
"Just fine?"
"Pretty much."
She nodded and continued unpacking the groceries.
"Mine was exhausting."
"You survived."
"Barely."
She leaned against the counter.
"I think I'm getting used to the hospital."
"Good."
"I still hate waking up early."
"That's because you're young."
Joan stared at him.
"You're not that old."
"I didn't say I was."
"You act like you're forty."
"I'm peaceful."
"You're boring."
"I'm peaceful."
Joan laughed.
"Whatever helps you sleep."
Alex smiled.
She turned back toward the groceries.
"Oh, I got that sauce you like."
He looked over.
"You remembered?"
"Obviously."
He nodded.
"Thanks."
"No problem."
She started preparing dinner while Alex disappeared into the living room.
Later that evening, Joan was in the kitchen when she noticed Alex sitting quietly on the couch with his laptop open in front of him.
She wiped her hands and walked closer.
"What are you watching?"
"An interview."
Joan glanced at the screen.
Then she saw the woman being interviewed.
Sierra.
She looked at Alex.
"You know her?"
Alex didn't answer immediately.
His eyes remained on the screen.
Sierra was answering a question calmly, explaining her experience and why she wanted the position.
Joan looked between the screen and her brother.
"Alex?"
He finally looked at her.
"Yeah."
"You know her."
He closed the laptop halfway.
"We've met."
Joan waited.
He didn't say anything else.
"Okay."
She didn't push.
She simply walked back toward the kitchen.
Alex opened the laptop again.
He watched Sierra for another few seconds.
She smiled at something the interviewer said.
For some reason, that smile stayed with him.
He closed the laptop.
Then he stood and walked toward the balcony.
The night air was cool.
He rested his arms against the railing and looked up at the dark sky.
Inside, he could hear Joan moving around the kitchen.
The apartment felt warm.
Normal.
Safe.
And yet his mind wasn't there.
It was somewhere three years ago.
Somewhere he had spent a long time trying not to return to.
And now Sierra was back in his life.
Not because he'd gone looking for her.
Not because he'd wanted it.
It had simply happened.
Alex looked out into the night.
He knew what he needed to do.
Keep his distance.
Whatever feelings had survived the last three years didn't matter.
They couldn't matter.
He had already made his choice once.
And this time, he wasn't going to let himself get close enough to regret it.
