My Winding Wheel

Typical to Esmeralda’s luck, her phone rang in the middle of her morning yoga a few days later. She glanced at the number, frowning at a New York based number she didn’t recognize. Grabbing her phone quickly, she staying in downward dog as she answered cautiously, “Hello?”

“Esmeralda Corteze?”

“Yes, this is her speaking.”

“Hello! My name is Patrick Cummings, I work for a miss Vivienne Westwood?”

“Yes!” Esmy scrambled to get into a seated position, her heart tightening at the mention of the company, “Yes! How are you?”

“Very well,” The man laughed at Esmy’s frantic voice, moving on quickly to continue the conversation, “My name is Brendan, I’m calling in regards to an application you submitted recently with our offices for the inter-continental position in store management? I’m calling because we spoke with your references and would be extremely interested in having you come on in for an interview! The position would entail you traveling to Los Angeles and London constantly, for two to three days at a time, and then reporting back to our offices in New York on operations and sales for each store. You’d be managing the Bridal stores, visiting each every other week. One week in LA and the other in London, so that you end up visiting every two weeks and can keep track of inventory and labor. You check in, spend a day at the sales floor with them to monitor the staff, then report to us. Sound like something you’re interested in?”

“Yes! Oh gosh yes!”

“Perfect! Are you free tomorrow at ten am?”

“Yes! Definitely! Thank you so much for this opportunity!”

“Thank you as well, and good luck!”

Esmy hung up the phone, squealing in excitement. She hurried to get up, dialing her parent’s house quickly. Her father answered gruffly on the second ring and Esmy squealed again, “Papi! Ay dios mia, I got a job interview!”

“What? Mija that is amazing!” Her father laughed, his hearty and full laughter echoing behind him in their home. “Let me know how it goes tomorrow okay? Your mother and I were just on our way to play tennis!”

“Good luck Papi. Tell mom I love her and miss her!”

“Of course mija, and we love you and miss you. Good luck tomorrow!”

As they hung up, Esmy collapsed back onto her couch with a smile. Giggling to herself, she sat reveling in the moment for a bit. Realizing she needed interview clothes, Esmy quickly moved about the apartment to grab a lululemon jacket and her purse so she could run to grab something a bit more formal than she usually wears. As she took the subway downtown, Esmy watched the people around her happily. Finally she felt content in her situation, even if it was her first interview.



“It’s been two days Esmy, calm down!”

Only three days passed since the call, two days since her interview, and Esmeralda was already calling Margret having a panic attack. She walked through the busy streets of Chelsea, trying to find a café her cousin recommended to her a few weeks before. Glancing around as Margret tried to calm her down, Esmy sighed to herself, “I know Margret it’s just…I don’t know. I really need this job.”

“I know, and I want you to have it!” Margret sounded strained as she spoke, making Esmy frown, “Are you busy? Did I interrupt something?”

“Dear I’m sort of at work and you know I can’t ignore a call from you. Oh shit Peter, I have to go sorry Esmy! I love you and good luck!” Before Esmy could say her goodbyes, Margret had hung up on her. Rolling her eyes she tossed her phone back into her purse, sighing once more as she looked around her. Spotting the café she was seeking, Esmy smiled broadly and started off towards the building. Her phone rang quietly as she approached the door, making her stop just outside the door and dig for it. Catching it on the last ring, she answered in a hurry with a quick, “Hello?”

“Esmeralda Corteze?”

“Speaking!”

“Hi, this is Brendan with Miss Westwood’s offices?”

“Yes! Hello! How are you?”

“Great! I’m actually calling with news regarding your interview! We reviewed your qualifications and we’d like to offer you a position starting the first of next month, so in about sixteen days.”

“What?” Esmy almost dropped her phone, “Really? Oh god, yes I’ll take it! Brendan, thank you! Thank you so much!”

“You’re quite welcome Esmeralda. You’ll report to my office on the first at eight in the morning where I’ll give you the tour and brief you. You’ll fly to London the next day for three days and we’ll get settled from there out!”

“Thank you! Thank you again Brendan! I’ll be in touch!”

“We’ll send your ID and paperwork to your apartment, have them ready by the first!”

“Of course! Thank you again!” Esmy hung up, squealing out loud and causing a few heads to turn. She shot Margret and her parents a text to inform them she got the job as she stepped up to the counter to grab a latte. As she waited for her coffee, she shot Josh a text asking how he was. However, even with her hour trip home and her entire night of browsing the internet she never got a response from him.



Josh stepped out of the van, walking down the streets of Chicago towards the bridges he had seen so many times before in films. The House of Blues faded slowly into the background as he toyed with his Blackberry, scrolling through his text. It had been a week since he had spoken to Esmy, and all in all he would say he missed her more than he thought he should. He rather enjoyed talking to her, about everything actually not just his relationship issues. Sighing as he hit call on her name, Josh slowly placed the phone against his ear as he leaned on the cement railings overlooking the river.

Esmy picked up on the second ring, making Josh smile instantly, “Ello!”

“Hey stranger, long time no talk!”

“I know, I’ve been a proper fool for not calling. Have been busy, yeah? You Americans love us after you find out we’re Brits, it’s amazing.” Josh laughed, shaking his head as he looked down at the water below him, “How are you though? Sorry, really, for not calling.”

“No it’s okay,” Esmy laughed, making Josh thank her mentally, “I get it, big bad rockstar over there!”

“Not at all!”

“Right, tell yourself that Franceschi. I know the truth!” Esmy proclaimed, making Josh laugh at her. She began laughing on her end as well for a moment, taking a deep breath to calm herself eventually, “No, I’ve been good though. I got a job with Westwood, meaning I fly to London next week then LA the following and keep that switch going every week!”

“Really?” Josh stood up straight, staring at the people across the river as his smile grew, “I’ll be in Los Angeles myself in two weeks…”

“Really now? Got any time for us small folk between being a rockstar?”

“Ha-ha, of course!” Josh rolled his eyes, even though she couldn’t see him, and once more leaned on the cement railings, “I miss ya, actually. I kind of can’t wait to see you again. Something about you makes my days better, you know?”

“No I get it,” Esmy sighed softly, making Josh frown, “I don’t know. I consider you a really close friend now and I just, I hate being away from my friends for long periods of time. It sucks. I hate not being able to go and knock on a friend’s door whenever I need to, it bothers me.”

“I get you,” Josh laughed, bitterly, “I’m in a different country than eighty percent of mine. Half the time this bloke needs his sister and she’s across the world in the UK enjoying herself and ignorant to my real need of her in my life at that moment.”

“You always have this girl too, you know,” Esmy was quieter as she spoke, her voice losing it’s usual gumption. “I try to be there, at least.”

“No, you are trust me. I’m the fool who hasn’t called in a week, right?” Josh smiled softly, mentally scolding himself for not calling though he knew he could have, “We’re both a right mess huh?”

“I guess you could say that.” Esmy laughed a little, sighing wistfully, “I need to pack for London, I should be going. Text me later and let me know how the show goes. And I really am glad you called, I’ve missed venting to you.”

“Same to you Esmy, love. I’ll shoot ya a text after we play. Talk more about this us being in LA at the same time business! Bye!”

“Bye Josh.”

Josh hung the phone up, shoving it into his pocket as he turned to head back to the venue. He walked inside quietly, sneaking past everyone to head back to the green room and use his laptop. He had a sister to email and he was honestly ready to isolate himself from the rest of the world if he didn’t get his words to her soon. Josh was really close to his breaking point and he only hoped he could hold it together at least until he got in touch with Esmy in person.