Falling For My Contract Husband

Strange 'job' interview

Just what in God's name have I gotten myself into? I ask myself, looking at this beautiful space. Whoever owns this place or the person who did the decor likes the colour grey. The chairs, couches and ottomans are grey with grey and white walls. There are expensive-looking paintings on the wall.

This is a huge company owned by one of the country's young millionaires. My 16-year-old twin brothers are crazy about this man. Sizwe wanted to ditch school and accompany me here just to meet the guy. Unfortunately, my parents refused. Not that I could take him with me.

1. Name(s):

2. Surname:

3. Age:

4. Are you single?

5. Are you married? If yes, please give back the questionnaire to the receptionist. Thank you for coming.

6. Have you ever been married? If yes, for how long? When did you get divorced? The reason for the divorce.

7. What makes a perfect wife? Okay, maybe they meant a good wife.

8. What makes a perfect husband?

9. How do you feel about being a housewife?

10. If you were given a hundred grand a month for 12 months. What would you do with the money?

At first they took our phones, then they made us sign a non-disclosure agreement swearing not to repeat the questions to anyone. If we do, we'll pay a fine of 10 grand. And now this?

I look at my questionnaire and I look around. All the females who came here for the first round of the interview filled in the questionnaire. When the girl next to me sees me trying to read her questionnaire, she moves to another seat. I get nasty looks from her and the others. I don't even bother to tell her why I looked at her questionnaire. It looks like they won't believe me. Every possible Q&A my brothers and I practiced aren't here. We practiced for almost a week when I got an email inviting me to this interview.

Why would they ask these questions when the job post said they are urgently looking for a PA. Why would they ask a possible candidate about being a housewife?

Just what have I gotten myself into?

I stood up from the grey ottoman and walked towards the receptionist. Maybe they gave me the wrong questionnaire. When I show the receptionist the questionnaire she smiles and tells me I got the right one. I go back to my seat and I fill it in. It sounds like they are desperate for a PA and I'm also desperate for money.

The ladies in tight skirts and shirts with stilettos leave when I'm halfway through. They all look at me and snicker. Maybe they saw my phone or they thought I was copying their answers. Which is dumb. If only they knew I was not even affected. Some things are better than buying a phone.

Five minutes later, I'm done but I still go through the questions and answers. The receptionist walks over. She asks me if I'm done. My time is up. I must have taken longer. When I nod. She smiles and tells me not to worry too much. I smiled back, a bit embarrassed, and then I stood to leave.

I wonder if they will call me. Right now I'm not even sure I want to be called back.

When I'm outside of the building, I get a feeling somebody's watching me. I looked around. I didn't see anyone. I even looked up at the building. That person must be inside.

I take a taxi home. Going home lately has been stressful. As if losing my job hasn't been stressful enough, my dad's business isn't doing well. Makes me wonder if it's all a test everyone keeps telling us about. On top of that, we still have to pay back 15 grand we didn't know about. We kept asking ourselves what my mom did with the money. My brothers and I even rummaged through her personal stuff, suspecting that she was a gambler. We found nothing there. The gangsters she borrowed money from threatened to take our house. The police aren't helping. We have run out of options.

My dad has been trying to get a loan, but each time his loan application was denied. I don't think it's fair. My dad always makes sure that loans are paid on time. Sometimes he finishes them off before the agreed date. But right now they won't help him because his business is not doing well enough.

We then tried to lend money from every family member and friend we could think of. But honestly, times are tough and everyone has their own struggles. Who has 15 grand just lying around?

When I got money from my old company after being retrenched, I bought building materials so we could extend the house. We even tried taking back the material but the company declined. We have tried with no luck. That strange company had better give me a job or we'll be homeless in a week.

When I get home, I go straight to the little room I share with my 2 teenage brothers. I really hope my parents were lucky wherever they went.