have things like those luxury steering wheel wraps?”
“Give me a budget of five hundred, and I can add some bling to your interior so it matches your exterior.”
I would own a glittery masterpiece, and I’d never been so excited in my life. Was a midlife crisis supposed to be so fun? “I am also really sorry for keeping you late.”
“When a polite young lady comes into the shop with a good job I can do and a budget, I’m always willing to play ball. Business has been light lately, so your timing couldn’t be more perfect for a rush job. I’ll even get started tonight so it’s ready as soon as possible.”
“I hope you’re charging me a rush fee for that.”
“It won’t be much. I appreciate a challenge, and figuring out how to make your car sparkle elegantly will be a good challenge. Your color combination is a good choice, though. The silver should work well with the blue. I only have one question for you.”
“What is it?”
“Do you want a standard silver or a metallic silver?”
“I’m not sure I understand the difference.”
The shop owner reached behind the counter and pulled out paint samples. He set a silver square in front of me, the color I expected on a car in a lot. “This is standard silver.” Then he set another square down, which looked remarkably like molten silver but a lot shinier. “This is the metallic shade; it’s a little darker but has a lot better luster and turns heads. The glitter will make it look like there’s gemstones encrusted all over the vehicle.”
“I don’t care what it costs, but I want that,” I replied, pointing at the metallic sample. I set my credit card on the counter and shoved it towards him. “Please. I’m not above begging.”
He laughed and took my credit card to his register. He set a price list in front of me and explained the charges, adding them to his machine as he did so. Seven thousand dollars later, and I’d have a very sparkly car with some interior surprises. All in all, I viewed it as a most excellent start to my midlife crisis.
Once I wasn’t so pissed at my idiot brother, I’d have to thank him. I needed a brand new me, one that wasn’t tied to my brother at the hip and involved him nosing about in my daily life anyway.
He had a life to live, and so did I.
It was up to me to make my new life a good one, and it began with putting me first for a change.
As expected from my job hunt, the first two days brought in zero results, but I dedicated every free moment to casting a wide net over the entirety of New York City. I also began the tedious search for a new apartment. After paying Washington prices for rent, the cost of living in New York didn’t put me off as much as I thought it would, although I’d have to hope I landed one of the better jobs if I wanted to be able to have a decent living. I held some hope.
Accounting work could pay off in the right place and the right time.
To expand my options, I delved into the banking world, something I’d generally avoided due to the insane regulations and its cutthroat nature.
The morning my Mercedes was scheduled to be finished, my new cell rang, and the display informed me someone called me from a New York number.
I viewed the call as a good sign; the last time I’d hunted for a new job, the employers opted for email until they wanted me to show up in a hurry. I answered, “Hope Kensingvale speaking.”
“Good morning, Miss Kensingvale. My name is Garret, and I’m calling on behalf of Cercson Investment Group. You submitted a resumé with us several days ago. We have an interview opening on Friday afternoon at two. Are you available?”
“Please give me a moment to check my calendar,” I replied, knowing full well I had absolutely nothing scheduled at the time of the interview and would enjoy taking my new car on a long drive if it was ready and opportunity allowed. I headed to my desk and tapped at my laptop to offer the illusion of handling the task. “Yes, I’m available. Can you tell me more about the position, please?”
“It’s an unusual one, but you have the skills and certifications we need. While we’re typically an investment firm, one of our offices does,