Yours, Eternally

Two

"It's beautiful." The young couple exchanged approving looks upon examining the draft for their tailored rings.

"Thank you so much! The lady said, "we look forward to wearing it."

"You're welcome! Unfortunately, I'm ending my internship today, so I won't be able to personally construct and deliver your rings, but I guarantee that the final product will be nothing short from perfection."

"We understand, and we are grateful to have you design the rings for us. We wish you the best of luck in your career." The lady chimed.

"Please have a drink on us." The man offered.

"Oh no, I couldn't."

"Please, I insist. It's just a small gratitude from us for the hard work you've done." She urged. Looking at the display of sincerity by this couple, I relented.

Before I knew it, the day went by in a blur. Despite the events for today, from the exchange of documents to meeting multiple clients, seeing the smiles and satisfaction from my customers has been and always will be my ultimate reward.

With my passion for science, I've always thought that I would end up somewhere along the lines of the healthcare industry. But ever since that encounter 5 years ago, I felt a newfound fascination with the arts, especially on the side of jewelry. When I first told my parents about this, my mom reacted just the way I'd imagined. Supportive and understanding. And as for my dad, though a little convincing was needed, the victor was ultimately you-know-who.

It was about 3.30pm when I finally reached the office. Plopping down in my office chair, I savored the respite that I could finally obtain after an exhaustive day.

"Ava!" My short break was crushed at the sound of Ms. Paisley's voice. "Could you come in for just a sec."

No.

As I sobbed internally, I forced myself to my feet, entering the office with a dreaded feeling that she might push a few final assignments to fill up the remainder of my final hours.

"Please have a seat."

It took every effort not to sigh as I braced myself for the oncoming tasks.

"I am really satisfied with your performance for the past six months, Ava."

Woah. That was not what I was expecting.

"It appears that not only your clients were exceedingly pleased with your designs and service, but also the other staff members who have also come to appreciate your working attitude."

I did not know how to respond. It felt weird for Ms. Paisely to praise me to such an extent, especially after my fair share of her criticism. In truth, I have always thought that Ms. Paisley was overly critical of my work ethics. It was no doubt that the constant fault-finding in my drawings has left me in constant sleep deprivation. But I knew that this was a necessary phase to hone my professionalism.

Peering at my dumbfounded expression, a chuckle was heard from her lips which left me in greater shock.

She laughed!

"I apologize if I have been really hard on you these past few months. And indeed, you have lived up to my expectations. So, I would like to offer you a position in this company." Her words hit me as I recalled the job offer from Estelle.

"Uhmm...about that. I sort of happened to receive a job offer from Estelle during the document swap." I mumbled, feeling a little awkward after her attempt to offer me a job. Her eyes glimmered with joy and unbelief. Anyone in this industry knew fully well about the competition, a grueling battle, that must take place before one could even get a job interview.