~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I hitched a ride with a vending machine repairman
He says he's been down this road more than twice
He was high on intellectualism
I've never been there but the brochure looks nice
Jump in, let's go
Lay back, enjoy the show
Everybody gets high, everybody gets low
These are the days when anything goes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Paige woke up one morning, a few days after meeting her sisters. It was nice out, so she decided to walk down to the store and buy a paper. When she got back, she started scanning through the job ads. One ad in particular caught her attention. It was for a job opening as an assistant at South Bay Social Services. Paige immediately called the number, and set up and interview for that afternoon.
Determined to clean up her act once and for all, Paige arrived on time and in crisp, professional-looking clothes. She was greeted by her prospective boss, Mr. Cowan, and led into an office in the back.
"So, Ms. Matthews, first off, tell me why you want this job," Mr. Cowan requested.
"A lot of reasons," Paige replied. "The most obvious one being that I need a job, but it's so much more than that. You're ad just kind of jumped out at me, and I knew this job would be perfect for me. I love working with kids, and helping people is really important to me."
Mr. Cowan nodded. "Okay, that's a good reason. But I need to know if you're going to change your mind a few months from now. Are you?"
Paige shook her head. "Absolutely not. I know my resume looks less than promising, but I had a few... issues... in the past that I've worked through, and now I'm ready to start over doing something I really care about."
That was all Mr. Cowan needed to hear. He asked a few more of the customary interview questions, then stood up and shook Paige's hand. "Congratulations, Paige, you've got the job."
Paige jumped up. "Are you serious? Thank you Mr. Cowan, thank you."
Mr. Cowan smiled. "Can you start Monday?"
"Yes, of course," Paige replied. Unable to stop smiling, she thanked her new boss again and then sprinted out to her car. Before pulling out of the parking lot, she took out her cell phone and called Leo.
"You are never going to believe this," she said when he picked up.
"Do I want to know?" he asked.
"Very funny," she replied. "You're just lucky I'm in a good mood, buddy. Guess what?" She didn't wait for him to guess. "I got a job."
"Paige, that's great," he replied enthusiastically. "What kind of job?"
"I'm an assistant at South Bay Social Services," she told him. "It's not the best job, but I'll have oppurtunities to be promoted. It didn't hit me until I saw the ad, but I really want to be a social worker. I want to help get kids adopted into good homes, just like I was."
He smiled. "That's great, Paige. I'm really proud of you. Your sisters will be, too."
Paige bit her lip. "About them... I've been meaning to ask you. Did they... say anything about me? After we met, I mean. Did they tell you anything?"
"Why?" Leo asked. "Didn't you like them?"
"Of course I liked them," Paige replied genuinely. "They're great. Even better than I'd imagined. I was just wondering if they liked me."
"You know, you really should stop being so insecure," Leo advised. "Paige, they thought you were great. In fact, Prue will be thrilled that you got this job. She said you were wonderful with Aviva."
Paige smiled. "I still can't believe I have a neice. Leo, she's so adorable. I already love her."
"Ava does seem to have that kind of affect on people," Leo agreed, remembering the way he'd melted upon seeing the baby for the first time.
"Oh, you old softie," Paige teased.
Leo laughed. "Not me," he protested. "Okay, well maybe a little. But only around Aviva. I swear, that kid's like magic."
"She is an angel," Paige agreed. There was a short, comfortable pause.
"Hey, are you doing anything tonight?" Leo asked suddenly.
"No," Paige replied. "Why?"
"Good. Come to P3, we'll celebrate your new job. I'm sure Piper would be happy to reserve a booth for all of us."
Paige considered this. "Are you sure Prue, Piper, and Phoebe don't have plans already?"
"I'm positive," Leo replied. "Prue's home with Aviva, I just heard Phoebe bitching about her lack of a date tonight, and if Piper was doing something, I'd know."
"And they won't mind?" Paige pressed.
"They'll be thrilled," he assured her. "They want to get to know you, Paige."
Paige sighed, giving in. "Fine. I'll meet you there at eight."
****************
~from the song "Every Day Is A Winding Road" by Sheryl Crow~
I hitched a ride with a vending machine repairman
He says he's been down this road more than twice
He was high on intellectualism
I've never been there but the brochure looks nice
Jump in, let's go
Lay back, enjoy the show
Everybody gets high, everybody gets low
These are the days when anything goes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Paige woke up one morning, a few days after meeting her sisters. It was nice out, so she decided to walk down to the store and buy a paper. When she got back, she started scanning through the job ads. One ad in particular caught her attention. It was for a job opening as an assistant at South Bay Social Services. Paige immediately called the number, and set up and interview for that afternoon.
Determined to clean up her act once and for all, Paige arrived on time and in crisp, professional-looking clothes. She was greeted by her prospective boss, Mr. Cowan, and led into an office in the back.
"So, Ms. Matthews, first off, tell me why you want this job," Mr. Cowan requested.
"A lot of reasons," Paige replied. "The most obvious one being that I need a job, but it's so much more than that. You're ad just kind of jumped out at me, and I knew this job would be perfect for me. I love working with kids, and helping people is really important to me."
Mr. Cowan nodded. "Okay, that's a good reason. But I need to know if you're going to change your mind a few months from now. Are you?"
Paige shook her head. "Absolutely not. I know my resume looks less than promising, but I had a few... issues... in the past that I've worked through, and now I'm ready to start over doing something I really care about."
That was all Mr. Cowan needed to hear. He asked a few more of the customary interview questions, then stood up and shook Paige's hand. "Congratulations, Paige, you've got the job."
Paige jumped up. "Are you serious? Thank you Mr. Cowan, thank you."
Mr. Cowan smiled. "Can you start Monday?"
"Yes, of course," Paige replied. Unable to stop smiling, she thanked her new boss again and then sprinted out to her car. Before pulling out of the parking lot, she took out her cell phone and called Leo.
"You are never going to believe this," she said when he picked up.
"Do I want to know?" he asked.
"Very funny," she replied. "You're just lucky I'm in a good mood, buddy. Guess what?" She didn't wait for him to guess. "I got a job."
"Paige, that's great," he replied enthusiastically. "What kind of job?"
"I'm an assistant at South Bay Social Services," she told him. "It's not the best job, but I'll have oppurtunities to be promoted. It didn't hit me until I saw the ad, but I really want to be a social worker. I want to help get kids adopted into good homes, just like I was."
He smiled. "That's great, Paige. I'm really proud of you. Your sisters will be, too."
Paige bit her lip. "About them... I've been meaning to ask you. Did they... say anything about me? After we met, I mean. Did they tell you anything?"
"Why?" Leo asked. "Didn't you like them?"
"Of course I liked them," Paige replied genuinely. "They're great. Even better than I'd imagined. I was just wondering if they liked me."
"You know, you really should stop being so insecure," Leo advised. "Paige, they thought you were great. In fact, Prue will be thrilled that you got this job. She said you were wonderful with Aviva."
Paige smiled. "I still can't believe I have a neice. Leo, she's so adorable. I already love her."
"Ava does seem to have that kind of affect on people," Leo agreed, remembering the way he'd melted upon seeing the baby for the first time.
"Oh, you old softie," Paige teased.
Leo laughed. "Not me," he protested. "Okay, well maybe a little. But only around Aviva. I swear, that kid's like magic."
"She is an angel," Paige agreed. There was a short, comfortable pause.
"Hey, are you doing anything tonight?" Leo asked suddenly.
"No," Paige replied. "Why?"
"Good. Come to P3, we'll celebrate your new job. I'm sure Piper would be happy to reserve a booth for all of us."
Paige considered this. "Are you sure Prue, Piper, and Phoebe don't have plans already?"
"I'm positive," Leo replied. "Prue's home with Aviva, I just heard Phoebe bitching about her lack of a date tonight, and if Piper was doing something, I'd know."
"And they won't mind?" Paige pressed.
"They'll be thrilled," he assured her. "They want to get to know you, Paige."
Paige sighed, giving in. "Fine. I'll meet you there at eight."
****************
~from the song "Every Day Is A Winding Road" by Sheryl Crow~