Chapter 5 - The Phone Call HomeThe numbers on the contract seemed to float off the page, dancing before Claire’s eyes like a mirage.
One hundred and eighty thousand dollars.
Ten-thousand-dollar emergency hardship bonus.
In Berwyn, that wasn't just a salary; that was an escape velocity. That was the foreclosure notice torn to pieces and thrown into the wind. That was Rose’s heart medication paid for five years in advance, with money left over for groceries, home repairs, and peace of mind.
Claire’s hands shook as she picked up the heavy gold pen.
"I... I don't know what to say," Claire whispered, a tear finally escaping the corner of her eye and tracking down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away with the back of her hand, feeling foolish for crying in front of a dozen corporate executives.
"Say yes," Thomas Hartwell rumbled gently from his seat, his slate-blue eyes twinkling with quiet satisfaction. "And then go home and tell your grandmother she doesn't have to worry about the roof over her head anymore."
Claire signed her name at the bottom of the document. The ink flowed smoothly, dark and permanent against the crisp white paper.
When she handed the contract back to Arthur, the billionaire CEO stood up, and across the walnut table, he extended his hand.
"Welcome to the family, Claire," Arthur said warmly.
The meeting adjourned a few minutes later, with department heads lining up to introduce themselves, eager to curry favor with the young woman who had just walked off the street and into the inner sanctum of the Hartwell empire. But Claire barely registered their names or handshakes.
Her mind was entirely on the phone in her purse.
Ten minutes later, she excused herself and stepped into the quiet sanctuary of a private alcove overlooking the Chicago skyline. The rain had stopped, and bright afternoon sunlight was cutting through the clouds, reflecting off the glass towers of the Loop.
Her fingers trembled as she pulled out her phone and dialed her grandmother's number.
It rang twice before a familiar, tired voice answered.
"Hello?" Rose asked, sounding slightly out of breath. "Claire, sweetheart? Is everything okay? Did the interview—"
"Gram," Claire interrupted, her voice breaking with emotion. "Sit down."
There was a brief pause on the other end of the line. Rose’s tone immediately shifted to maternal panic. "Claire? What happened? Did something go wrong? Are you alright?"
"Everything is alright, Gram," Claire said, a watery laugh escaping her lips. "In fact... everything is better than alright."
"What are you talking about?"
"I got the job," Claire said, tears streaming freely down her cheeks now. "Not the junior position. They made me the Director of Sustainable Packaging. And... and they gave me a signing bonus. Ten thousand dollars, cash advance."
Silence stretched across the phone line for three full seconds.
Then, softly: "Ten thousand... Oh, sweetheart. Are you sure? That's... that's enough to pay off the bank..."
"It's enough to pay off the bank twice, Gram," Claire sobbed happily. "And we're going to buy all the medication you need, and we're going to fix the front porch, and you are never, ever going to worry about bills again."
"Thank God," Rose whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "Oh, thank God. Who... who interviewed you, honey? How did it happen?"
May you like
Claire looked back through the glass partition toward the grand boardroom where Arthur and Thomas Hartwell were still reviewing documents.
"It's a long story, Gram," Claire smiled, wiping her eyes. "I'll tell you all about it on the drive home. But let's just say... I met an old man in the lobby today."
