Chapter one:
a breath of fresh air
-You're late, Brittany
The man said all of the sudden and it took me a second to recognize he wasn't speaking to me but rather to someone, Brittany, behind me. He added "again" after a small pause that I suppose was made to give strength to his statement. I felt compelled to turn around but thought against it, it was none of my business and being called on was embarrassing enough without witnesses.
-I know dad, I'm sorry
Her voice made turning around even more tempting but I learned to master my impulses long before and managed to remain still.
-She's a very sweet and smart girl you know
Again, it took me a second to realize his attention was back on me. He ran a hand through his hair and I smiled timidly, I really didn't know what to say but I knew he wasn't really speaking to me so my silence was just fitting.
-well, anyway Santana you're resume speaks very well of yourself but I don't work with resumes, I work with people so I'd like to give it a try with you, if a week has passed and you match your description I see no problem in giving you the job, how does that sound?
I sat there and listened closely, I learned to do that long time ago because people tend to speak a lot and say too little so you've got to really search for meaning, but this man seemed to speak a little and say a lot.
-I think that's fair
A million thoughts ran through my mind the seconds I was silent, I was used to that, there's always noise upstairs. Still, he was being careful because he knew better, but so did I.
-Alright, we have an agreement then
He smiled and shook my hand and I knew he was honest. Silence is useful like that. If you really listen people will tell you who they really are in a brief job interview, and after ours I could tell Mr. Pierce was not one to smile when he didn´t feel like it. He seemed gentle and strong at the same time and his quiet façade did not hide the traffic in his head, so I knew that if he didn't ask why a twenty seven years old designer with two master degrees and recently employed by a research facility was looking for a job at a construction site, it wasn't because he hadn't noticed or because he didn't understand the implications of such actions. He had no questions, no rush to know things.
-We do Sir
I shook back his hand firmly and smiled just a little. I wanted him to know I understood his rules and they were more than fine with me. I just wanted a job to do. My personal business was back at home.
I left the building in a trance. Mr. Pierce had a way of sticking around. Through the following hours of the day I wandered around town getting familiar with the lanes that soon would become my friends. I observed people and found them in seconds fitting with Mr. Pierces cautions. This seemed like the place that could turn a man upside down if he got to comfortable.