Shonee’s POV
The intrepid sound of my alarm rudely cut through my sleep, and I immediately let out a groan before swatting the device to the ground.
I just wasn’t in the mood to face reality yet.
Pulling back my arm, I turned in my bed, readjusting myself for another round of sleep when my ringtone blared into my ears.
“Arrgh!” I snatched the device from the nightstand. “What!” I barked without even glancing at the caller ID.
“And a good morning to you too!” Jordin’s voice wafts out of the speaker.
“What’s so good about this morning?” I whined. “It sucks. Life sucks.”
“Yeah, as much as I would like to agree with you on that, I think we have more pressing issues to discuss. Do you remember what day it is?” My best friend quipped.
“Is it Carlos’ Taco Shop Grand Opening?”
“Uh no. It’s the Nanny Interview Day. You know, the one I risked my job recommending you for.”
“Shoot!” I jerked out of bed. “I completely forgot!”
“Oh Shon,” She mumbled, and I could picture her rubbing her forehead like she always does when she’s worried. “Just get your butt down here. Avril is gonna be around in the next thirty minutes.”
“Ok, ok, I’m on my way.”
Ending the call, I quickly tumbled out of bed and headed straight for the bathroom. “This is what I get for working extra hours at the bar,” I mumbled under my breath before launching into the usual bath and dress-up routine.
I could not afford to miss this interview. It was the first good thing that had come my way months after graduating from college with a towering student loan threatening to drown me in debt. Jordie had risked a lot getting my name on that interview list and I didn’t want to let her down. She was the only one who had stuck by my side since our high school years.
Hightailing out of the bathroom, I slapped on the only professional-looking outfit that I could find on such short notice, which was a black sleeveless dress with a white and black patterned blazer. I pulled my braids into a high ponytail and slathered on some mild makeup before stuffing my feet into a pair of black flats. The last items I grabbed were my phone, handbag, and keys then I was out the door.
Racing down the stairs, I was just in time to catch the bus. I hopped in and perched myself on the closest empty seat before breathing out a sigh of relief. I don’t think I’ve ever gotten ready this fast before.
I pulled my phone out of my bag and opened Google, typing in the name of my potential employer—Avril Payne, fashionista extraordinaire and the supposed future wife of billionaire and business mogul, Vincent Beckham.
The Payne and Beckham families were basically New York Royalty. They owned the biggest marketing companies in the city. Beckham Incorporated possessed the largest chain of hotels across the globe while Payne Travel and Tours owned ninety percent of all resort destinations in America. They were practically on top of the business food chain, so it didn’t come as a surprise when the two families released an announcement that their sole heirs were set to become husband and wife.
According to the website I’d just opened on my screen, Avril Payne and Vincent Beckham have already started making plans for their engagement party, which is said to be the biggest event of the year.
As I scrolled through the article, I couldn’t help but sigh. While some people were born into wealth and social status, others had to scramble and scramble hard for it. Life definitely wasn’t fair.
The bus soon came to a halt at my stop, and I got down, coming face to face with the giant five-story building. ‘Avril’s Fragrances’ the sign at the top read. This was a company Avril started to help her father’s company branch out into other business avenues for more lucrative deals.
I texted Jordin that I’d arrived and stepped into the plush reception area. Everything was sleek and modern. The titles on the floor held a polished gleam, reflecting the golden chandelier hanging from the stucco ceiling. The receptionist’s desk was made of glass with parts of it having golden edges. This was totally the type of place I dreamed of working in back when I was in college.
“Well, it’s about time you showed up.”
At the sound of the familiar voice, I turned, eyes landing on Jordin’s frame. She was a bit taller than I was, light-skinned, and had that slim-fit figure most models had even though she wasn’t one. Sometimes I think that’s what landed her the job here as a junior project manager.
“Hey, stranger.” I pulled my best friend of ten years into a warm hug. “You’re looking good,” I complimented the hot pink wrap-around dress she was wearing.
“So do you.” She smiled and then hooked her arm in mine. “Have you had breakfast yet?”
The moment she mentioned that word, my stomach let out a growl and my face morphed into total embarrassment.
“I guess that’s a definite no,” Jordin laughed. “C’mon let’s head over to the cafeteria. That way we can eat, and I can give you some pointers on how to handle the interview.”
What Jordin called a cafeteria was actually a classy in-door restaurant. They had everything. Fried marlin, kingfish, flapjacks, pancakes, bacon and eggs, breadfruit, jerked chicken, rice and peas, macaroni pie, coleslaw, green bananas, fried plantain, cucumber salad, the list goes on and on. You name it. This restaurant had it all which wasn’t a surprise. Avril probably ordered the best of the best for all her employees.
Taking a bite out of my macaroni pie, I relished the savoury and flavorful taste on my tongue. “Mm, I think I want to marry this pie.”
Jordin chuckled, “I’d love to see you after that union. You’d probably weigh a thousand pounds.”
“At least I’ll be happy and enjoying my meal, unlike that flat salad in front of you.”
Shaking her head, Jordin ate up more of her cucumber salad. “I have a meeting with finance right after here so I can’t afford to eat heavy.” The moment she was done, she cleared her throat and adjusted her glasses. “Back to the issue at hand. You are going to be interviewed by the most demanding, challenging, and the most difficult woman I have ever met, Avril Payne. So you better be on your best behaviour and bring in your ‘A’ game.”
“Mm, wait.” I took a sip of my water to wash everything down. “Avril is conducting the interview? I thought you said her personal assistant was going to be handling it.”
“She was until Avril fired her yesterday for mistakenly giving her the wrong coffee order.”
I blinked in amazement. “Wow, is she that intense?”
“Very. That’s why you need to listen and do exactly as I say.” Jordin dug into her bag and pulled out her tablet. “Avril and her fiancé, Vincent Beckham have been living together for a month now with Vincent’s five-year-old daughter, Mirasol. This is her.”
Jordin passed me the tablet. A little girl with pigtails sat in an ornamented chair, wearing her Sunday’s best. But the look on her face was…gloomy. I scrolled to the next picture and the next. In all of them, she had the same blank expression.
“This girl means a lot to Vincent, she’s his heart and soul.” Jordin continued.
“Then why does she look like she’s living my life?” I asked with a chuckle. “I mean any kid would be happy to have a billionaire dad, I know I would.” I continued to swipe, pausing at a picture she took with her dad.
“That’s the thing, Mirasol wasn’t always like this. She was a cherry, fun, happy little girl until two years ago when her mum passed away in a tragic car accident. After that, she just changed. Avril has been trying to connect with her ever since she moved in, but she’s made zero progress. One time, I heard her describe Mirasol as the living, breathing version of Wednesday Addams; aloof, rude, and very reserved.” Jordin said. “That’s why Avril is going through the tedious process of hiring a nanny, so she doesn’t have to worry about taking care of her future stepdaughter.” 
“Hmm.” I nodded. “Ok, so what do I need to nab this job?”
“You need to prove that you can handle this girl no matter what. Seriously, Avril isn’t looking for quitters or whiners. She’ll scrutinize everything you do and say in that office, so be very careful and confident. People have gone in thinking that this is just any other regular interview, but it’s not. If she senses even a hint of anxiety or uncertainty, she will not hesitate to turn you into a mess. Show her that you are bold and ready for the challenge ahead. Show her that you will do anything to keep this job.”
A ping echoed out of Jordin’s tablet, and I passed it back to her.
“I’ve gotta go.” She pushed herself up from her seat. “My meeting is starting at ten.”
“Alright, Jordie. Thank you so much for your help.” I got up from my seat too and pulled her into a hug.
“Don’t mention it, Shon.” Jordin patted me on the back. “Oh, one more thing.” She quickly drew out of our embrace and brought out an apple-shaped perfume bottle from her bag.
Before I could ask what that was for, she began to spritz the content on me.
“This is Avril’s latest release called Lovely Freesia. If you’re going to convince her to hire you, you might as well splurge on how much you love her products. Avril is a huge lover of compliments.”
“Right, thanks again Jordie.”
She gave me a salute before turning on her heel. “Call me when you’re done, ok?”
“Sure.”