fifty-shades-of-grey

My flight is booked; my mother is in seventh heaven that I am visiting; I am packed,and Kate has agreed to drive me to the airport. Christian has ordered me to take my Black-Berry and the Mac. I roll my eyes at the memory of his overbearing bossiness, but I realizenow that’s just the way he is. He likes control over everything, including me. Yet he’sso unpredictably and disarmingly agreeable too. He can be tender, good-humored, evensweet. And when he is, it’s so left field and unexpected. He insisted on accompanying meall the way down to my car in the garage. Jeez, I’m only going for a few days, he’s actinglike I’m going for weeks. He keeps me on the back foot permanently.“Ana Steele?” A woman with long, black, pre-Raphaelite hair standing by the receptiondesk distracts me from my introspection. She has the same bohemian, floaty look asthe receptionist. She could be in her late thirties, maybe in her forties. It’s so difficult totell with older women.“Yes,” I reply, standing awkwardly.She gives me a polite smile, her cool hazel eyes assessing me. I am wearing one ofKate’s dresses, a black pinafore over a white blouse, and my black pumps. Very interview,I think. My hair is restrained in a ponytail, and for once the tendrils are behaving themselves…she holds her hand out to me.“Hello, Ana, my name’s Elizabeth Morgan. I’m head of Human Resources here atSIP.”“How do you do?” I shake her hand. She looks very casual to be the head of HR.“Please follow me.”We go through the double doors behind the reception area, into a large brightly decoratedopen plan office, and from there, head into a small meeting room. The walls are palegreen, lined with pictures of book covers. At the head of the Maplewood conference tablesits a young man with red hair tied in a ponytail. Small, silver, hooped earrings glint inboth his ears. He wears a pale blue shirt, no tie, and grey flannel trousers. As I approachhim, he stands and gazes at me with fathomless dark blue eyes.“Ana Steele, I’m Jack Hyde, the commissioning editor here at SIP, and I’m verypleased to meet you.”We shake hands, and his dark expression is unreadable, though friendly enough, Ithink.“Have you traveled far?” he asks pleasantly.“No, I’ve recently moved to the Pike Street Market area.”“Oh, not far at all then. Please, take a seat.”I sit, and Elizabeth takes a seat beside him.“So why would you like to intern for us at SIP, Ana?” he asks.He says my name softly and cocks his head to one side, like someone I know – it’sunnerving. Doing my best to ignore the irrational wariness he inspires, I launch into mycarefully prepared speech, conscious that a rosy flush is spreading across my cheeks. I lookat both of them, remembering The Katherine Kavanagh Successful Interviewing Techniquelecture – maintain eye contact, Ana! Boy, that woman can be bossy too, sometimes. Jackand Elizabeth both listen attentively.“You have a very impressive GPA. What extra-curricular activities did you indulge inat WSU?”