“Dress is business casual, no open-toed shoes. There’s nothing worse than dropping a box of quarters on an exposed toe.”
“Ouch,” I respond because that actually sounds horrible.
“Yeah. It’s not a fun thing to experience.” Her eyes look back down at the folder. “You may be required to work a Saturday every once in a while.”
“That’s fine.” I’m nearly giddy with the prospect of actually getting a Saturday off. They’re few and far between right now.
“How are your organizational skills?”
“I like everything in order. Messes make me twitchy.”
“That’s good.” The folder closes, and she looks back up at me as she places it back on the desk. “Can you start next Monday?”
“I’m sorry?” This is the weirdest interview I’ve ever sat through. Of course, when Jake hired me years ago, he just looked up and down, asked if I knew how to read and if I was an alcoholic. After answering yes to the first question and no to the second, I was hired.
“The job, dear. Can you take the job?”
She goes on talking about the salary—it’s more than I make at Jake’s with tips—and the benefit package, which includes more advantages than I could ever hope for.
“Are you interested?”
“Of course,” I tell her as calmly as I can manage with my pulse racing so loud in my ears it makes me wonder if she can hear it from the other side of her desk.
“Do you have time to complete the new-hire paperwork?”
“I have all day.”
We spend the next hour and a half filling out so much paperwork that by the time I’m done, my hand is cramping. It doesn’t even come close to wiping the smile off my face.
“And this is your temporary insurance card. You’ll get the other in the mail in about two weeks. I’ve marked down your hire date as today, so if you need it at any time, you’re covered.”
“What?” I glare up from the card she just handed me.
“Your benefits dear, they’re now active. Your information is in the system.”
She worked on her computer, logging my data after I completed each form, but I’m still a little shocked.
“I have medical insurance?”
“Of course, dear. Everyone here does.”
“I’m pregnant,” I blurt.
I know it’s against the law to not hire someone because they’re pregnant, and it happens every day, but I feel like I’m being deceptive by not mentioning it yet.
“I know.” Her smile is soft. There’s no judgment, and her eyes don’t sweep down to my ring finger like I’ve seen countless people do when they notice I’m pregnant.
“Now, past bills won’t be honored, but anything going forward is covered, and we have an excellent maternity leave program.”
I’m nearly in tears when I walk out of her office with my employee handbook and insurance card in my hand. I won’t have two weeks’ notice to give Jake, but I don’t think that he’ll care. He’s asked me more than once when I was going to find something more suitable for a mother. I smile as I climb into my old car, able to hear the sound of his gruff voice in my ear as I crank it and turn up the air conditioner full blast.
I want to head straight home and celebrate my good luck with the guys, but I also don’t want to waste a minute on getting my newly insured information to the hospital. I’ll have to dig a little deeper to see if my counseling visits to Dr. Alverez are covered, but if the package is as good as Robin declared it to be, then affording those appointments shouldn’t be a problem.
I hate to turn the car off because it’ll only take a few minutes for it to heat up again, but leaving it running requires leaving the keys, and it’ll be gone before I make it back out.
With an unstoppable grin on my face, I make my way to the medical center’s business office.
“How can I help you?” The girl behind the glass looks less than impressed with my appearance.
“I’d like to complete an insurance form.”
I smile sweetly. She doesn’t.
“Is it for prior service?”
“No.”
She frowns, as if I’ve just confirmed that I’m wasting her time.
“But I’d like to go ahead and get it on file for future services.”
“Do you have the card?”
I drop the paper card in the dip in the counter.
“I’d also like to set up a payment plan for the bills I owe.”