Page 20 of Unconventionally, Elle
I opened my eyes and looked back at Tina. "So I guess this isn't wrong, this is a step in the right direction. But if I'm risking financial stability, social validation, and job security, how do I say yes or no to the right opportunities? My mind is so jumbled and disorganized, and I'm getting lost in it." I held my head between my hands and squeezed my eyes together. The conflicting thoughts were confusing and felt like too much.
"Elle, sometimes we don't know what the right choices are for us until we dive in and experience them. If it feels right or beneficial to you, trust yourself and go for it. You have made choices that are allowing you to create a life that is right for you.Every choice you make is an opportunity to learn more about yourself and a step in carving the path to your goals and dreams. The ability to have choices and explore opportunities such as this one was a driving force behind establishing this new life you are currently living, right?"
I nodded slowly in understanding. "This isn't easy," I murmured.
She tilted her head and gave me a reassuring smile. "No one said it would be."
18
Now
It was a morning-run kind of day. Jogging through the Comm Ave Mall was my favorite way to think--or not think, for that matter. The fall leaves were vibrant and stunning, and it was a cool fifty-eight degrees as I jogged into the Boston Common. I felt my wrist vibrate and glanced down at my smartwatch to check the notification. An email.
I'd seen Emma again in class, but she hadn't mentioned anything about her boss or the magazine. In fact, she was complaining about her older brother, who'd missed family dinner again on Friday night. Apparently, he and their father didn't quite see eye to eye. Curious who was emailing me at seven a.m., I slowed down to read the entire message and hoped it was Emma.
"No fucking way!" I yelled and immediately covered my mouth.
A mother pushing her baby in a stroller glared at me when I looked up.Oops, definitely didn't mean to say that out loud.
From: Emma J. Henry
To: Elizabeth Watson
Dear Elle,
I forgot to mention in class yesterday that I spoke with my editor in chief, Olivia Hughes. I read the samples you sent, and she agrees with me that your writing is special! She'd love to set up a meeting with you and even discuss a piece she's been hoping to get into our next issue. Are you available to meet next Tuesday at our office at 10 am? Please let me know at your earliest.
Best regards,
Emma Henry for Olivia Hughes
Tuesday parking was usually scarce on Newbury Street, but my stars were aligned, and a car pulled out of a spot right in front of the magazine building as I was driving up. Across the street was Align, the yoga and Pilates studio where I'd met Emma. I glanced inside and saw Finn, my favorite instructor and the studio's owner, behind the desk. He looked up as if he could sense my stare and gave me a crooked grin. I waved and walked to the crosswalk on the corner. I'd fill him in on the interview at the coffee shop afterward. I was counting down the minutes until I had a lavender latte with oat milk in my hands.
Emma Henry stopped me right as I stepped off the elevator. Her crystal-blue eyes caught me by surprise, and I had the weirdest sense of déjà vu.
"Elle, oh Elle, so glad you could make it." She came right over to me and gave me a warm hug, no professional handshake, no pitiful ass-out hug--a delightful, authentic hug just like she did when she saw me at Align.
"Of course. You said ten o'clock, and I wouldn't miss this opportunity if I had to run a marathon to get here," I joked.
"Oh please, we have enough of those around here." She laughed back. "Okay, Olivia is on the phone right now with a photographer about a shoot for tomorrow, so you can come with me to my desk, and we'll just wait for her to call you in forthe meeting. She knows you're here; Audrey downstairs rang up already. Isn't she the nicest little thing you've ever met?" She shook her head and beckoned for me to follow.
I zigzagged with her between cubicles, all low so that the roomful of creatives could talk to each other whenever they needed to. I saw a group of people gathered around a large table with pictures and fonts spread out before them. A gorgeous petite woman with straight red hair and cat-eye black glasses was in the middle talking to a blonde on her left.
Emma noticed me staring and stopped in front of me. "Ah, I see you've discovered our design and layout team. They are fantastic." Then she pointed to the redheaded woman I'd seen before. "And the woman in the middle, that's Margaret Thompson. She's our art director." Margaret looked our way, and Emma quickly pulled her finger back. Margaret tilted her head down and pulled her frames to the center of her nose. Nervous, I smiled weakly and offered a quick wave. She continued to stare, pushed her glasses back up, and turned away.
"She seems nice," I muttered.
Emma rolled her eyes. "Don't worry about her; you won't have to meet her officially today anyways. Her office is between mine and Olivia's." I nodded slowly and continued to follow Emma.
"Here we are!" Emma opened her arms to display her cozy office. Walking through the glass door, I felt like I was in her personal library. She didn't have a cubicle like the others; she had two walls covered in bookish quotes and magazine covers, and the back wall was a large window overlooking Newbury Street. Her brown oak desk was centered with the view behind her, and two bookshelves full of hardcovers and plants lined the wall on the right with the door.
"Wow..." was all I could muster as I took in her space. "I didn't realize you had a corner office here. Are you sureyoucan't hire me?" I said with an awestruck chuckle.
Her espresso-brown curls bounced as she walked over to her desk and sat down in her chair complete with lumbar support.
"Elle, go ahead and sit down." She motioned to a pink velvet barrel chair in front of her desk.
I took a seat and looked around. "Yale undergrad, that's awesome. I didn't know that." I didn't realize the words had come out of my mouth until she replied.
