Curse the Ancient Ways

@ Sweet.Persephone

Thomas Hubbard sat behind the desk in his tiny office, sighing as he ran his fingers through his hair. He was one of, or rather now the only upper manager of this branch of a big publishing company, the other two having been recently fired for misconduct and his boss at corporate deciding that he did a good enough job on his own to not need to rehire the two additional managers. Luckily he'd agreed to let Thomas hire an assistant as well as a few new agents so that he could delegate some of the work the other two managers had been doing onto some of the senior workers, knowing full well that he wouldn't be able to handle everything himself.

He'd been in for an hour and it was well past the time he usually got up to wander to the kitchen to get a coffee, so he stood from his desk with a sigh and grabbed his mug before heading out. Of course a few people stopped him on his way to ask about this or that, especially the workers that had been their longer, who were anxiously awaiting whoever it was he decided to promote to senior staff, although he hadn't gotten around to making that decision, even though he knew it wouldn't be any of the people making idle chit-chat with him now. He sighed as he got to the kitchen and saw the empty coffee pot, setting his mug down to rinse out the pot and set the machine going on another pot of coffee, leaning against the counter as he slowly watched the drip begin to fill the pot. It was going to be a very long day.

@ katahdin

While for the elevator doors to open to the proper floor, Rosemary turned to give herself a last look over in the reflective wall. Her hands smoothed over her outfit, wanting to ensure that she was as presentable as possible. She had an interview today for an agent position with a publishing company and Rosemary was hopeful she would get the position. Although she only had a year or two experience at a different firm, Rosemary knew that she could handle work at a larger firm. She just had to show them that.

Once the door to the elevator opened, Rosemary turned and into the office space. Her eyes dropped to the receptionist and a friendly smile came over her face. "Good morning." The woman said as she walked to the front desk. "I am here for an interview with Mr. Hubbard."

"He will be out in a few minutes, please have a seat." The lady at the front desk said as she typed away on the computer to IM Thomas that his interviewee was here. Rosemary thanked her as she took a seat, laying her portfolio in her lap as she did so.

@ Sweet.Persephone

Thomas couldn't help but groan a little when he received the message that his first interviewee had arrived, glancing at the half full coffee pot as it was filling. After a moment or two of contemplation over to whether stay and wait until he could have a cup of coffee during the interview he eventually decided against it, not feeling right about making whoever it was wait.

He headed to the reception area, briefly greeting the receptionist and getting a few papers from her before turning to Rosemary in the waiting area, offering her a little smile. "Miss Leighton? This way, please." He asked, gesturing for her to follow him back to his office. "I hope your morning has been pleasant. I haven't had my coffee yet, so I apologize if I'm a bit slow." He smiled a little as he glanced back at her.

@ katahdin

Rosemary's head lifted up as someone walked into the entrance of the waiting room. As her eyes landed on the man, she felt a little jolt rush through her, causing her to grip onto her chair for a moment. When the feeling past, she took in a breath and shook her hands out for a second. Now that was strange. But luckily, whoever he was, didn't seem to notice and when he confirmed himself to be Mr. Hubbard she was more thankful for it.

At his gesture, Rosemary stood up and followed him into the office area. Her eyes wandered slightly to get a good look of the place as they went to the office. "My morning as been quite pleasant, thank you. I hope yours has been as well." Rosemary reaponded, smiling warmly as he gave her a quick glance back. "Oh? The office pot empty this morning?" She joked.

@ Sweet.Persephone

Thomas was sure the odd feeling he'd felt when he first saw Rosemary was due to his lack of coffee, but when he glanced back at her against and the same jolt went through him he knew it must be something else. Although what was beyond him. "I've had a decent morning, thank you." He said as he held the door to his office open for her, shutting it behind her and gesturing for her to take a seat at one of the chairs in front of his desk before moving to sit at his, taking a moment to get situated and pull up her resume on his computer.

"Unfortunately, yes. And I was in the middle of making another when you arrived, so odds are by the time I'm done here it will once again be empty." Thomas chuckled at her joke, offering her a kind smile. "Don't worry, I won't hold it against you. So, do you just want to start by talking a little bit about yourself?" He asked as he sat back in his chair. In the back of his mind he knew that he wanted to hire her, although he wasn't sure where the thought had come from, and knew he had to properly interview her anyway.

@ katahdin

As the man opened the door to his office, Rosemary thanked him and walked in. Once he gestured to one of the chairs, she sat down, crossing her legs as she did so. While Thomas was busy looking at his computer, she felt the urge to take a quick glance around the room. Rosemary wasn't sure what was pushing her to be so nosy. After all, this was just an interview and he was not going to give her a pop quiz on what she noticed about him off the bat.

"Well I am certainly glad to hear that." Rosemary smiled warmly at him. "I know how serious an issue as coffee would be and I certainly wouldn't that to be marked against me." Setting her portfolio down in her lap, her hands followed suit and folded together, laying on top of the object. "Of course. I am currently working at StormBird Publications as an agent where I have been for a little over two year. I have quickly become one of their top agents which is why I am looking to move to a bigger firm that would have more opportunities and where I can use my skills to their fullest. Before StormBird, I was an intern at TradeWind Books for three years while I was getting my degree in Communications at Lancaster University."

@ Sweet.Persephone

Thomas returned her smile, nodding a little as she spoke about her employment history, grabbing a notepad and pen to scribble down a few notes as he listened. "Quite impressive. Both those publications are small, but quite reputable. Why did you choose Labyrinth Publications as your next step? I'm sure you've heard a bit about the recent firings and scandals, I'd worry that that would scare away someone as qualified as yourself." Thomas asked, looking up at her as he sat back in his chair. He figured being open and honest during interviews would get him open and honest answers, and since he didn't have time to deal with people's bullshit, he'd rather get straight to the point.

@ katahdin

"I have heard about the firings and scandals." Rosemary confirmed. "Though that has only made me more confident in my choice of applying to this company. Misconduct can, unfortunately, be common in the workplace but your company has taken clear actions to resolve it. Which makes me believe that if an incident were to occur, it would be handled properly instead of being swept under the rug."

She looked at him curiously. "However, I am curious as to if anything has been implemented to stop workplace misconduct up front. Has Labyrinth Publications put anything in place to stop these incidents from happening?"

@ Sweet.Persephone

Thomas nodded a little as she spoke, scribbling down a few notes about her response. "I agree. I've appreciated how quickly the company responded to everything, and that concrete actions and policies are being implemented." He said, sitting back in his chair a bit as she asked about what specifically had been done to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.

"Well, first off we fired those who were at fault, and are assisting those who want in filing claims and taking legal action against them. We're also planning company wide training and seminars to learn about signs of workplace harassment and how to respond and prevent it when you see it, and providing training that hopefully discourages the behavior in the future. We're also hoping to be more open and welcoming to encourage staff to come forward with their complaints, as before things had a tendency to get dismissed or swept under the rug. Overall, I think we're taking steps in the right direction, but I think we have a long way to go, and hopefully new hires like yourself will be able to assist us in moving in the right direction."

@ katahdin

Rosemary had to take in a slightly deeper breath as Thomas spoke. She didn't know what was coming over her. Maybe her nerves for the interview were getting to her or her coffee from this morning was wearing off but... But Rosemary felt like she just wanted - No, needed this job. She was ready to smile, nod and agree with whatever she needed to to get it. Which was unlike her. Rosemary was suppose to be checking out if this was the right place for her as well, not just trying to claw her way in without a thought.

She rubbed one of her thumbs against her hand, trying to ground herself again. It was best not to think like that. Nor did she need this job. Positions come and go and surely she would find one even if it was not here. "Of course. It is a group effort. But I am pleased to hear of their initiatives to improve this issue."

@ Sweet.Persephone

Thomas nodded a little as she spoke, forcing himself to look away from her after a moment or two of staring and turn to his computer, pretending to look for something or other before looking over his notes. He shouldn't be willing to give the job to the first person he interviews, but he was absolutely ready to give the job to her here and now, even though they hadn't even finished the interview. He usually trusted his gut, though, so he figured he'd wait at least until the end of the interview before letting her know that she'd gotten the job.

"It's definitely an improvement. The two managers that got fired here were jerks, and firing them in general would have been an improvement." He chuckled a little, offering her a smile before looking over his questions for her. "Hm. Alright, what are your goals? Where do you see yourself in five years, and how do you think this job would fit in with those goals?"

@ katahdin

They had spent more time going over Rosemary's goals, experiences, and past work history. Though soon Rosemary could feel that the interview was coming to an end. As far as the actual interview went, Rosemary felt that she had answered the questions rather well and had a good amount of hope that she would get a callback. However, a strange feeling had settled in her chest. Well, less of a feeling and more of a magnetic pull. The thought of actually leaving Thomas' office didn't sit right in her chest. But, of course, she would have to leave. This interview couldn't last forever and she certainly did want to go home at some point. Damn what was going on with her?

Rosemary forced herself to push her thoughts down as Thomas asked if she had any more questions concerning the position. She had already asked a few throughout the interview so she felt as though she had a good grasp of what to expect. However, it would be best if she did ask one more question before the interview was over, to show that she was still interested after having learned more. "What do you like best about working here?"

@ Sweet.Persephone

Thomas had thought the interview had gone spectacularly, and her application as by far the best he'd received, so he didn't see any problem in hiring her on the spot. He at least wanted to give her a chance to ask any questions, though, and smiled a bit as she asked her question. "I really enjoy the freedom you get in choosing your projects. You really get to pursue what you're interested in and passionate about, and the company really likes it when people go above and beyond to make suggestions and make the company a better place." He explained.

After sitting back in his chair and glancing over his notes he pulled out a file folder of new hire forms and contracts, offering her a smile. "Thank you for coming in today, Miss Leighton. I'm happy to be able to say that I can offer you the job right now, if you'd like, and that you'd be able to start as soon as today if you really wanted, although I completely understand if you'd like to take a few days to think over the offer. I'm sure you have others you need to consider as well." The thought of her not working here churned his stomach, but he chalked it up to being the lack of coffee and stale bagel he'd eaten for breakfast, although he'd never felt so drawn to anyone before.

@ katahdin

It was hard not to mask the surprise on her face when Mr. Hubbard offered her the job on the spot. That sort of thing just didn't happen, unless it was like some entry-level job but this certainly wasn't. Part of her was just pushing to accept it on the spot and start today, no questions asked. Just the thought of even asking anything else, for some unknown reason, was twisting her heart but Rosemary knew how foolish it could be to accept an offer that seemed too good to be true without investigating it first.

"Not that I am not interested in working here, Mr. Hubbard, but what are you and your company offering exactly? I understand that it is the position, of course, but what is the offering salary, PTO, employee benefits, the expected work schedule, who would I be reporting to? I would need to know all of this before I could accept a position." Why was her stomach twisting at asking all of this? Damn. It was important information that she needed before accepting a new position. Though it did feel strange to be asking like this when it normally came in an offer letter. There was definitely something weird happening here past just the sudden feelings she had towards her interviewer and this place.

@ Sweet.Persephone

Thomas nodded at her question, offering her a little smile. "I assumed you'd ask," he said before passing her a few sheets of paper with all of the information she was asking for. "Here's everything you need to know. Things definitely could be a little negotiated, but any adjustment on the salary over 20% would have to be approved by my supervisor. You'd be reporting to me, the schedule is quite flexible at the moment given that we're having to hire few new employees, but typically I would say Monday through Friday, 9am to about 4pm, although depending on what projects you're working on the hours may be longer or shorter, with the occasional weekend hour here or there. But I make a habit of being here on the weekend when my editors are also here, so if you ever have to come in on the weekend I'll also be here."

He didn't know why he felt so desperate for her to work here. The idea of her not working here unsettled him, and normally he wouldn't be so willing to negotiate a salary and benefits so early in the morning with his first interview and no coffee in his system. But he felt almost like the world would end if he let her leave, which was definitely not something he should be feeling right now.

@ katahdin

As he spoke, Rosemary nodded to indicate that she was listening. It sounded like the normal hours she had worked before so nothing too new to her. But the moment that the papers were in her hands, her attention shifted... well, half of her attention shifted. She was still overly aware of the man in front of her and the magnetic pull. Why did it make her sick to her stomach to say that she needed a day to look this over? And even worse, the more she tried to read the papers, the foggier her head became. Rosemary knew she wasn't desperate for this job. There were plenty of publishing companies and positions like it so why did she feel this way.

She eventually gave up on reading the papers, instead laying them on her lap. She only was able to take in some of the information but at least Rosemary had gotten a look of the salary. It was rather good. The part that knew better told her to still think on it for a day and read everything over. But her feet felt like she had lead boots on them. Rosemary couldn't leave without trying to accept the offer. If he denied her negotiation, then damn it she would force herself out of this room even if she had to crawl out.

"With a salary increase of 15%, I will accept this job right now and can start tomorrow. Otherwise, I will need a few days to go over the offer in more detail."

@ Sweet.Persephone

Thomas nodded a little as she took the papers from him, sitting back in his seat a bit and tried not to stare at her while she read over the papers. He attempted to look over his notes or pretend to read over something on his computer. He couldn't stand the thought of her not accepting the offer, and felt like he was going to die given how long the silence seemed to be stretching out. God, he wished he'd had coffee this morning.

He looked back over at her when she finally spoke, taking a moment or two to "think it over" before nodding. "I can do that. Welcome to Labyrinth, Miss Leighton." He smiled, standing as he reached across his desk to shake her hand. "I have a packet with information about the company and various new hire information and paperwork to sign, but you can have until the end of the week to get everything in, since most of the next few days will just be training and getting you up to speed."

@ katahdin

A huge relief came over her when Mr. Hubbard accepted her negotiation. The twisting in her heart, the fogginess in her head and the sickness in her stomach all disappeared. Maybe skipping breakfast had been a terrible idea...surely Rosemary would feel better after eating something. And at least she didn’t have to keep job hunting.

As he stood up, she did the same and shook his hand. “I am excited to join your team, Mr. Hubbard.” Rosemary smiled warmly at him. Now that was all settled, the prospect of leaving to go home felt like an easier task. Especially since she would return tomorrow.

@ Sweet.Persephone

"You can call me Thomas. Mr. Hubbard sounds so boring." He smiled as they shook hands, unable to help but give her hand a little squeeze as he did, pulling her hand back sheepishly. He was absolutely relieved that she'd accepted the offer. He'd been terrified she wouldn't, not that he had any real reason to be afraid, except due to this weird pull he'd felt ever since she showed up this morning.

"I'm very excited to have you on my team, Miss Leighton. I'm excited for you to start working with us tomorrow, and I hope you are as well. I can show you where your desk will be now if you'd like, or I can let you go so that you can prepare for tomorrow. Plus I'm sure you probably want to get some coffee or breakfast, considering how early I made you come in for this interview." He chuckled.