Job Interview
1436 Words
"Ah, you must be Mr. Maxwell," the woman said as she extended her hand. Her voice was warm and inviting, Unlike what I remembered from our phone conversation.
As I looked at her, I couldn't help but feel surprised. In my mind, I had pictured a middle-aged woman with grey hair and thick glasses, resembling a stern librarian from old school movies. Yet standing before me was a stunning woman in her twenties, with long blonde hair cascading down her back.
Why did she sound so cold over the phone?
"Please, allow me to escort you to the terrace. Mr. Laverne is eagerly awaiting your arrival," she said with a graceful gesture, beckoning me to follow her.
As I stepped onto the marble floors of this opulent mansion, I couldn't help but feel like I was in a different world entirely. The grandiose chandeliers cast shimmering light across every corner, and the aroma of freshly cut flowers filled the air.
Despite my efforts to show confidence, I couldn't shake off the feeling of being out of place. My palms were slick with sweat under my tailored suit, and I regretted wearing a jacket in this warm weather.
When we reached the terrace, I saw Mr. Laverne sitting in a plush chair overlooking the sprawling gardens. His sharp features gave him an air of seriousness, yet his welcoming gaze put me at ease. Relaxing slightly, I realized he wasn't as intimidating as I had imagined him to be.
"Mr. Maxwell is here for his interview," Linda said, her eyes darting back and forth between Mr. Laverne and myself.
My nerves were immediately calmed when I caught a glimpse of Mr. Laverne's warm smile directed at me. His presence exuded confidence and wisdom, instantly putting me at ease. All of my doubts and fears about the interview melted away in his comforting gaze.
"Please, have a seat, Liam," he gestured towards the chair in front of his desk. "May I call you Liam?"
"Yes sir, absolutely," I replied eagerly. "It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Laverne."
"Please call me William," he said kindly. "No need for formalities."
"Yes sir, I mean William," I quickly corrected myself with a nod of understanding and respect. As I took in his welcoming smile and soothing voice, I couldn't help but feel at ease in his presence.
"Liam, you appear quite young. Younger than the majority of my applicants," he turned to Linda.
"Yes, that's true," Linda nodded in agreement.
"I assure you, my age does not reflect my qualifications, sir. But for reference, I am thirty years old," I chuckled. "I have my resume with me if you would like to review it," I said and handed him the document.
"I see..." Mr. Lavern examined my resume closely.
I hope he doesn't judge me for having held various jobs. Some employers view it as a commitment issue.
"You have quite a extensive work history. And at such a young age!" he exclaimed. "And yes, thirty is still considered young to an elder like myself," he joked.
"Yes, sir...I mean William. I've been working since I turned fifteen years old. I have to support my family by myself, so I needed to earn as much money as possible," I said quietly.
A warm smile spread across Mr. Laverne's face as he looked at me. "Life experience, just what we are looking for," he said, his voice filled with genuine interest and excitement.
A rush of relief flooded through me - this interview was going well, I could feel it.
"Would you like a tour of this place? I am afraid it's hard for me to sit in one place for too long," he said, standing up from his desk.
"Oh, yes please," I replied eagerly, also standing up. At this point, I was willing to do anything he asked of me.
He led me down a long hallway and into a spacious room that took my breath away. It was clearly a living room, but it felt more like a grand palace chamber.
The high ceilings were adorned with intricate crown molding and sparkling chandeliers hung from above. Plush velvet couches and chairs were arranged around the room, along with beautiful artwork and antique furniture. It reminded me of the lavish parties described in The Great Gatsby.
"Your house is stunning, Mr. Lave...William," I stammered, trying my best to appear composed.
"Thank you. I worked very hard to accumulate this much wealth. I assume a young man like you will be able to get here at some point.
I wish, old man! I thought.
My eyes wandered around the room. I saw a few picture frames on the mantle, so I decided to check them out. Mr. Laverne didn't say anything and let me conduct my own observation.
A picture caught my eyes. It was a picture of a young woman about my age or maybe younger. She was breathtakingly beautiful. She had long hair that was as black as midnight. Her eyes were green, like two sparkling emeralds. Her full lips curled into a smile in the picture, and my heart skipped a beat just by looking at the photograph.
She couldn't be real. A girl like that only existed in fairy tales. I stood there staring at the picture like an i***t, completely awestruck.
"Beautiful, isn't she?" Mr. Laverne said behind me, and I almost gasped. I forgot he was in the room with me for a moment.
"Yes, she is gorgeous. Who is she?" I had to ask.
"My granddaughter, Rose Laverne. My only granddaughter, in fact," he smiled. "What is your impression when you look at her photograph? Give me an honest answer," he added.
Shoot. He really did not want my honest answer because my thoughts about her weren't entirely pure at the moment.
"Ah...she seems like a lovely young woman. And friendly?" I said. It wasn't possible to judge someone just by looking at their photograph.
"You would think with a face like that, wouldn't you?" Mr. Laverne said distractedly. I wasn't sure where he was going with this conversation. I thought this was an interview to select me to take care of him! So why are we discussing his granddaughter?
"Well, I am afraid, young lad, you are completely wrong about her," Mr. Laverne said.
"S..sorry?" I was confused.
"She is a horrible child. Completely wicked and an absolute brat," Mr. Laverne said grimly. He wasn't smiling anymore.
Oh boy, we got ourselves a rich and spoiled princess, I guess. But why was he telling me all this? Maybe she will be visiting him a lot, and I'll have to confront her? Yeah, I am sure that's it.
"I like you, Liam. I wasn't sure at first, but something about you just sits right with me. However, you seem like a nice and timid young man. Would you ever be able to act rude and tough? Also extremely stern if need be?"
I snapped into my business mode. I am Liam Maxwell, and I can be anything I want to be, especially if it's to succeed at my job.
"William, I may look young and friendly right now, but I can be ruthless if a job demands it," I said and gave him a hard look. It wasn't easy since I had a young-looking face, but his question made me think that's what this job demands.
"And judging from your looks, you seem to be physically strong?" Mr. Lavern asked.
"Yes sir," I said quietly. I was no Chris Hemsworth in terms of muscle weight but the years of hard manual labor did give me sturdy built. My arms and chest were toned from countless hours of heavy lifting and my body was lean and muscular. I may not have been "jacked", but I certainly didn't resemble a scrawny kid either.
"Very well. How about we get your information, and we do a quick background check. Then we will let you know if you are hired by tomorrow," Mr. Lavern said.
"That sounds great," I nodded in agreement.
"Before we do all that, I want to apologize to you," he said and smiled.
"Huh? I don't understand," I looked at him quizzically.
"We falsely advertised the job. Your position isn't to take care of me," he said.
"Then what is the position for?" I asked.
"It is for my unruly granddaughter. You are to be her personal assistant and bodyguard. I hope you are ready for that," Mr. Lavern smirked.
I get to be close to this absolute goddess? Sign me the f**k up!
- Writer
