From: “Nicholas Wilder” <[email protected]> To: “Evi Halle” <[email protected]> Date: September 4, 2014 9:10 a.m. PST
Subject: Interview
Dear Ms. Halle,
Thank you for sending what happened to be the three most entertaining emails of my workday thus far. We’d be happy to bring you in for an interview. I promise you, there is no fecal matter involved in your day-to-day responsibilities. My mother-in-law will be interviewing you, as she’s the one who’s been looking after Bria, my four-year-old daughter, for the last year.
You’re lucky–I happen to love cupcakes. And you happen to sound non-boring.
Don’t even get me started on the “Cloud.”
Nick Wilder
P.S. Your ex sounds like a tool.
Three.
Evianna
“I don’t care what Dan does in his free time, Vi. He can screw whomever he pleases. I just hope he gets genital warts.”
Violet chuckles over the phone, and I try to ignore the feeling of dread whenever I talk about Dan.
“I don’t know what I saw, Ev. It could’ve been anyone…” Her silence on the other end suggests that she did actually see him with her.
I don’t care.
I don’t care.
I don’t care.
The mantra replays in my head, and I swallow loudly. I can’t talk about this anymore.
“Vi, I have to go. Can I call you after my interview?”
“Yeah. When is it again?”
“Eight.”
“Isn’t that a little late for an interview?”
“I thought so too, but maybe they’re conducting it after Bria goes to bed…” Violet laughs lightly. “What?”
“Nothing. I mean… it’s just… you? Looking after a child?”
“Excuse me,” I say accusingly. “I am perfectly capable of looking after Elijah, so I have no doubts I will shine as a caretaker to a stranger.”
“He’s your brother. And he’s twelve. It doesn’t count if you two sit around and play video games all day. That’s not exactly babysitting.”
I glare at her over the phone.
“You’re wrong.”
“Whatever, Evi. Call me when you’re done. Where do they live again?”
“West Bellevue.”
Vi blows out a long, slow whistle. “They’re rich?”
“I don’t know,” I say, slightly annoyed. “I don’t know anything about them, other than the fact that Mr. Wilder likes cupcakes.”
“What about the mom?”
“Dunno. He just said I’d be interviewing with his mother-in-law.”
“Hmm.” I know her sounds of disapproval, and this is definitely one of them. “Want me to go with you?”
I sigh. “No. Thank you. I’ll be fine.”
“Okay. Be safe, Ev. Don’t get into any strange cars.” She’s so paranoid about the most illogical things. In her mind, everyone is out to get us, and if they’re not, they’re thinking about it.
“Promise,” I whisper before ending the call.
I set my phone face down on my nightstand and look around the sparsely decorated room. It’s still weird to be back here, even though I’ve been living back with my parents since the night three months ago.
At twenty-five, it’s slightly embarrassing to admit I live with my parents again. I sit up and stretch, pulling my arms over my head and moving from side to side. One of my hands hits the wall. It’s definitely smaller in here than I remember.
Elijah bangs on my door.
“Dinner’s ready!”
It startles me, and when I go to open the door, he’s already gone.
Twelve-year-olds have no patience.
I skip down the carpeted stairs, taking two at a time.
“Evianna, you’re going to fall and break your neck one of these days,” my mom chastises from the bottom of the stairs.
“No, I’m not,” I counter. “It’s carpet. It’s soft. Besides, I’m not going to be living here for very much longer,” I say as I make my way to the dinner table. My mother just clucks her tongue condemningly.
“Need a ride to your interview?” my dad asks while chewing his asparagus loudly.