magazine?â
â Spirit Magazine has been the only magazine Iâve worked for, yes. But you can see that Iâve held manyââ
Cassidy held up her hand.
âI can read, Mariah.â
âMrs. Stevens,â I corrected.
Cassidy stopped reading and held my gaze. âExcuse me?â
âMy name is Mrs. Stevens. Youâve called me that for three years.â
âMariah, Iâve called you Mrs. Stevens when I was your assistant. Do I look like your assistant now?â
âNo.â
âWhat?â
âNo.â
âSo I will address you as Mariah, and you will address me as Mrs. Sommers. Is that clear?â
âCrystal.â
âGood. Now, Iâm well aware of your qualifications, but I think youâre a little over-qualified for this position.â
âAs an entertainment editor? How so?â
âIâm sorry, is that what you thought the position was? No, Iâm the entertainment editor for YOUTH magazine. If you got the job you would be my assistant.â
âAssistant?â
âYes. But thatâs if you get the job.â
âBut I thought you have an assistant already?â
âSheilaâs getting married and is relocating with her husband. You wouldnât have that problem, now would you?â
I stiffened. âI hardly think my marital status is any of your business.â
âYou mean your lack of a marital status, donât you?â She chuckled to herself and then finished reading.
âYouâre enjoying yourself, arenât you?â
âExcuse me?â
âYou enjoy seeing me in here groveling for a job.â
Cassidy sat back in here chair. âYou know what, Mariah? I do. I enjoy the fact that someone like you would be in here needing a job.â
âSomeone like me?â
âYes. Someone who loves to make other people miserable. Someone who thinks that having a high-paying job and a college degree automatically make them better than everyone else. Someone who does this,â she said, flicking her wrist, âto signal to someone that itâs time for them to leave her presence.â
âI donât do that.â
âYou donât anymore. Because you donât have the power to do that to someone, the power to remove their dignity when youâre supposed to train them to become better workers, better people, even. No, you didnât do that. But you know what? I learned anyway. I worked my butt off for you, and not once did you compliment me, not once did you say one nice thing to me. I was nothing but a waste of space to you.â
âI never said thatââ
âPlease, Mariah. Spare me. You might not remember, but I do. And I wonât forget it. But you know what? You did teach me one thing. You taught me how not to treat people. None of my staff will ever endure the humiliation you put me through. Never. So if you come in here thinking you could ever work for me, you have another think coming. We donât need your stuck-up attitude ruining our positive work environment.â
She slid my résumé across her desk back to me.
I snatched it off the table and put it back in my bag. âIâm sorry. I had no ideaââ
âYou knew exactly what you were doing.â She picked up the phone and flicked her wrist at me.
I flinched at the coldness of her dismissal and got up to leave.
âMariah?â
âYes?â I said, turning.
âClose the door on your way out.â
Spaghetti and Meatballs
The only thing that could save me after that disaster of an interview was a heaping plate of Chrisâs savory spaghetti and meatballs. I was on my second helping, my mouth full of garlic bread as I told them my story.
âCan you believe what Cassidy said to me?â I said, crumbs flying across the table.
Norma gave Chris a look and drank a sip of water.
âWhat?â I asked.
âWhat?â
âI saw that