The Desire

Chapter 1 (back in 2008)

Jessica PoV

Growing up in the orphanage was quite hard for me, specially when I needed to transfer to another high school right after my parents died.

No friends, no family. There was just me and myself, and the schoolteachers who knew my back round.

After I finished high school, I searched for a job right away, wanting to leave the orphanage a soon as possible.

First, I worked as a cashier in the gas station, saving some money and after a view month’s I finally moved in my first apartment. Shaking my head, remembering how I was struggling to pay the rent on time, but after I had an argument with my boss from the gas station, who wanted to give me a better position being his affair, I quit and jobbed as a waitress in different kind of restaurants in New York. At last I ended up at Dean and David’s.

It was normal day at Dean & David’s.

Of course, a lot of people came at lunch time, ordering different kinds of dishes. I needed to be fast, preparing the food, at same time receiving new orders.

Noticing one customer, glancing at me while doing my job was a bit strange. She was an old lady, maybe around her 60's, sitting at the table and drinking her ginger tea with honey which I brought to her before this crowed of hungry people came in. I didn't pay more attention to her, being busy.

After the hungry business people finally lessen up, I could switch with Hank who was working with me at the restaurant.

Hank was a heavy weight person with dark brown greasy hair. He smelled like wet clothes which were in the washing machine for days and also had kind of perverted preferences when it comes to me. Hank always find excuses touching my butt while turning around pretending to pick up something on floor or smelling my hair while he passes me. He also followed me once to my apartment. Hank was a really strange guy but harmless.

I started to clean the tables and noticed the old woman still sitting there, reading her news paper. I came closer to her, wanting to clean up her tea cup. Suddenly she lowered the newspaper and gave me a friendly smile.

As I got the tea cup to place it on my tray, she held my arm to stop for a moment. "Wait... ehm Jessica? Am I right?" looking at my name tag.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"I would like to offer you a job...” scanning the surrounding with an unpleasant look at Hank. “Let say, as my assistant..." meeting my eyes.

I was not sure what she actually wanted from me. "Ma'am... I don't understand? What do you mean, a job?"

"Yes, come tomorrow... mhh… let's say around eleven?" looking at her watch and giving me a warm smile.

I couldn’t say anything, still confused if she really meant this.

She was searching her handbag and pulled out a business card. "Here, I’ll expect you tomorrow at Barneys & Co. okay? And please ask for Mr. Barney at the reception, they will tell you, where to go al right? I need to go now..." she stood up and went out.

Blinking my eyes, still standing on my spot. Who was she? I narrowed my eyes, looking down at the card she gave me, not sure if I should give this all a serious thought.

"Jessica!! Where are the freaking soup boxes!!" I hear Hank shouting from the storeroom.

Finally, I made up my mind. "Hank, find it out on your own!! I quit!!" I throw my uniform on the table in front of me and headed out.

While waiting at the bus stop, I took out the business card she gave me and read her name Mrs. Williams. Wow, she was the head manager of the administration section at Barneys & Co. but she didn’t look like a business woman, dressing more casually, but still being classy.

After riding the bus, I arrived at my apartment. It was around four in the afternoon and I was thinking over and over, if it was really a good idea to go to that Company. It also gave me strange thoughts that maybe that old lady just pranked me.

No, I don't think so, shaking my head. She seemed nice and friendly, not looking like someone, who is pranking strange people.

I went to my kitchen, having my dinner and planning to go early to bed, to be ready for tomorrow's interview.

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Fifteen minutes before eleven, I arrived at Barneys & Co. holding my folder with my CV and other important documents.

The lady at the reception was friendly and told me, that my interview will be healed on the top floor. So, I went to the elevator and could really imagine how Wallstreet might be. There where a lot of people running around with their phones on their ears. Must be a very hectic day.

Not giving it any more attention, I entered the elevator pressing the top floor. I looked at the mirror, facing myself, thinking, "you can do it, it's just an interview".

Reaching the top floor, I entered the office. A scent of Monoi-Oil came straight up my nose, forcing me to close my eyes and beam away, imagining, being in a hidden paradise.

I opened my eyes, continuing my way to the office. There were only two desks in that whole floor, might be an open office or something like that. Except with the restroom, there were no other rooms on the floor.

The whole top floor was surrounded with huge glass windows, filling the room with enough sunlight at day time. I could imagine, having a wonderful panorama view of New York City at night.

I looked around and there was no one in here. Maybe I should just wait.

Making a way further through the office looking around, I saw on my left side a bar, with different kinds of gins, whisky's and many other beverages. Besides there was a huge leather sofa and a glass table in front of it with a big LCD-screen.

Straight ahead, there was a dark brown wooden desk, looking heavy, matching with a leather chair. This was probably the desk of Mr. Barney.

On the other side, was the second desk, just a view steps away from Mr. Barneys. It had a feminine modern touch. Must be the desk of his personal assistant or secretary. It was a glass desk, neat and organized, with a picture frame of two boys on it, maybe around four or three years old, holding a baseball.

Along the wall there were wide bookshelf's with different kind of books stored in it. Some about finances, business strategies, registries of different branches of Company around the world, geographic books, and on the lowest shelf dusty reports of different kind of departments.

On the other bookshelf, there were some family pictures of the Barneys family. He had two sons, and one daughter. She seemed to be the oldest of her siblings. The two grown up man looked very handsome with suits on.

There was picture of the woman with the two kids, I saw on the picture frame awhile ago. So that must be her desk. She had light brown curly hair which framed her beautiful face perfectly, giving her more charisma. She could be a supermodel and probably having a lot of admirers. It was nice to see, that Mr. Barney also kept pictures from his family in his office.

Looking to my right, I found a news papers lying on the floor with the headline "Sophia Barneys lost the battle!".

Oh my god! My eyes widened. Sophia Barneys? She must be the daughter of Mr. Barneys?? How could she be death? On the pictures she was still looking young and healthy... I felt so sad.

Suddenly I heard the elevator door open.

An older man, maybe around his 70's, was rushing to his desk, ordering me to have a seat and started right away "You must be the lady, Mrs. Williams informed me about. So, you can start tomorrow morning at…. let's say eight." He handed me some things. "Here, that’s your ID and your key for your office, it is located at the 16th floor. Please ask for Mrs. Williams tomorrow morning, she will give you your instructions and answer further questions."

"You may go now, I have very important things to handle by now." He was facing his laptop, scrawling through his Mails and typing something.

I was finding it hard to follow him, I did not know what to say. Still stuck with my emotions right now. Feeling happy, for the job, and sad at the same time, for Mr. Barney, losing his daughter at a young age.

Still he needed to appear strong, not vulnerable, showing no emotions, facing the whole situation alone right now.

I stood up, my head down not looking at him. "Thank you, sir…. and... my deepest condolence to you and your family..." I turned around, heading back to the elevator, not daring to turn around. I pressed the key and just as the elevator door opens, I heard Mr. Barneys whispering "Thank you...she was my only princess..."I turned around, catching him how he was gazing at the empty seat of the other desk with sad eyes.

Having struggling with my emotions, I entered the elevator heading back home.

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