“So why would you want to leave them to come to work for us? I know you’re very well qualified, but we’re not planning to get into salary bidding wars.”
“I’d be satisfied working here for less. My needs aren’t great.”
Arya’s eyes narrowed. “And why would that be?” The young woman hesitated, and Arya got an abrupt sensation that she was struggling to control her emotions. Then her face firmed up. Arya thought, She’s probably had to get good at controlling her emotions, working in a macho field like engineering.
Lanis softly said, “I saw Mr. Seba’s talk on the internet. “I, um, want to be at the forefront of the engineering revolution that’s coming down the pike after the introduction of Stade.”
Arya studied the pretty young blonde a moment, then gave a nod. “That’s the kind of answer we’re looking for.” She asked a few more questions, warming more and more to Lanis. She learned Lanis had grown up poor. Like Kaem and myself, Arya thought, with an even stronger feeling that Lanis would be a good fit. I hope I’m not just projecting my own biases on her, Arya thought. Growing up poor doesn’t necessarily make you a better person. But there was no doubt Arya liked her a lot. She said, “Do you have any questions for me?”
Lanis didn’t ask about salary, or vacation, or sick leave, or benefits. What she wanted to know was what kinds of projects she might be working on. Not as if it would be a deal-breaker if the projects weren’t to her liking, but as if she were so eager to start working on them, she wanted to get a head start.
Arya laughed. “Those aren’t questions I can answer, but you’re going to have a quick talk with Kaem, um, Mr. Seba. He might be persuaded to tell you something about what we’re working on and planning for.” She looked over at Kaem, seeing he’d finished talking to Lee. “Let me take you over to see him now.”
They got up and walked to the table Kaem was sitting at. “Kaem, this is Ms. Lanis, from Ledger and Ledger, interviewing for the civil engineering job. Do you have a few minutes to talk to her?”
Kaem was focused on his screen. He held up a finger for them to wait, saved his work, then looked up. “Ms. Lanis…” A range of expressions swept over his face. “Dezzy?”
Lanis nodded, suddenly seeming shy. “Hi, Kaem… I, ah, prefer Dez nowadays.”
Kaem swayed to his feet, looking as if he’d just seen a ghost. He stepped closer to Lanis and tears suddenly started down his cheeks. He held out his arms. Lanis stepped into them and they were suddenly clinging to one another as if their lives depended on it.
When this had gone on for more than a minute, Arya glanced around the room to see how everyone else was taking it. She saw startled expressions for the most part.
Lee was frowning.
Arya could understand why. Arya felt jealous of the woman and she didn’t have any romantic notions about Kaem.
Arya looked back at Kaem and the young woman. They’d separated and were wordlessly looking into one another’s eyes, both crying now.
Arya stepped over and got a box of tissues, bringing it back and holding it out to them. They each took a tissue, Kaem wiping at his eyes and Dez dabbing at hers. “Lunch?” Kaem asked suddenly.
Lanis nodded.
~~~
Dez silently followed Kaem out of the building and onto the sidewalk. As they started down the street, he looked over at her. “I feel like I’m seeing a ghost.”
She snorted, “Imagine how I felt when one of the other engineers said I should watch a video from UVA…” there was a catch in her voice, “and I saw it was you.”
“How long have you been working at Ledger and Ledger?”
“Four years, Ever since I graduated.”
“Don’t I feel mentally challenged! I haven’t even graduated yet and my old classmate’s been working for four years!”
“Seems like you’ve accomplished some pretty important stuff though,” Dez said.
Kaem waved it off. “I got a lucky break.”
I hope it wasn’t just a lucky break, Dez thought, but even if it was, you deserved it.
“If you’d gone straight through you would’ve graduated two years ago,” Kaem said, “How’d you get so far ahead?”
“Um,” she said reluctant to boast, “I did pretty well on some tests and was offered admission a year early, then placed out of most of my first year because of the AP classes I’d taken.” She shrugged, “I took a little heavier load to let me finish in three years.”
Kaem spoke slowly, “Impressive. I always thought you were a lot smarter than you let on in school.”
She waggled her head noncommittally, “I was afraid to speak up.”
Kaem stopped and turned to face her. “I’ve always felt horrible about…” He looked away, seeming embarrassed, “I should’ve done something.”
Softly, she said, “I could tell you wanted to, just seeing the looks in your eyes.”
He shook his head. “‘Wanting to’ wasn’t enough. I should’ve had the courage to offer friendship.”
Tears welled in her eyes again. “I… I felt like you were my friend. My only friend. That somehow, even though you never said a word, you shared my misery.” She dabbed at her eyes with a sleeve.
His own eyes watery, he gave her a weak grin, “We should get to the restaurant. There’re napkins there.”
They turned and continued on their way. After a few steps, Kaem got out his phone, saying, “Wait. I’ll call an Uber so we can go someplace nice.”
Dez pointed at Dimitri’s sign. “Were we going to that little Greek restaurant? ’Cause I love Greek food.”
Kaem looked at it longingly. “It is really good food. But it’s not the kind
