The next day went pretty well as Piper had both Vauses by her side. They went shopping and had lunch. Alex had worried that after the news about Carol, Piper would be worse about needing constant connection, but that didn't prove to be the case. The same continued the following day when Piper met with the PD.
"Now that my internship is over, I was hoping you have a position that needs filling."
The PD sighed, "Piper you were a joy to have a an intern. I can easily say that you are a true talent. Unfortunately, I'm not able to hire. One of the other stations in the group recently shelled out a lot of money to keep one of the Morning Drive teams from leaving. The big boss really wanted that to happen. As a result the group is under a hiring freeze. I couldn't even hire a part-timer if I wanted."
Piper was clearly unaware of the news and is now scrambling her mind for something to say. "I see." She looks him dead in the eye "Could you put me on the air a couple of times so I can create an aircheck?"
"I'm not really supposed to, but you deserve a shot, so I'll find a way to get you a couple of airshits."
"Thank you sir."
"There's a radio website you'll want to check out called All Access. There's a job section where PD's from all over the country put up listing on what your looking for and where to apply. Most want a .mp3 two to three minutes long. Anything longer probably won't get listened to."
"I'll definitely check it out."
"You can sign up using our call letters for now then change it when you land a job. I'll probably get you a couple of overnights, those are six hours long and will give you the most time when you go to assemble you aircheck. I'll probably have those assigned to you within the next week."
When Piper left the room Alex could tell instantly that the meeting didn't go great for her girl. Piper tried to keep her composure and didn't say anything other than she'd like to go home. One they entered the apartment Piper went straight for her laptop and a notebook. On returning to the living room.
"Pipes, come here a minute, I want you in my arms."
Piper smiles, "I love you Al" then settles into Alex's arms.
"You've been pretty quiet love, tell me what's going on in that beautiful mind of yours. And I love you too Pipes, so, so much."
Piper recaps everything and then opens up her laptop to find the website she was told about.
"So let me make sure I've got this straight, you go on-air a couple of times recording all your on mic work. Then take all of that and edit to this two or three minute digital audition that you then send out to PD's who have job listings you want to apply for."
"Exactly right gorgeous. I love how you take to understand everything."
"Well we're each other's everything, it's only fitting that we want to know even the tiniest details of each other." They look into each other's eyes and soon make out awhile until Piper pulls back."
"I needed that Al, but I also want to see what jobs are available in the last few weeks." Alex starts to pull away. "You don't have to move babe."
"I was gonna get us something to drink."
"Okay, do that. Then help me go through these job listings and we can decide where we might wanna live."
"Fine, but after that it's our favorite kind of us time."
Within a few days Piper had sent out her airchecks and had even gotten a call from two of the stations and gotten to speak at length to the PD. Piper talked to Alex about meeting her Dad and filling him in on their plan a few days before Christmas.
"Hey Dad."
"Yes Princess. What can I do for you?"
"Some things have changed that me and Alex want to talk to you about. Any chance of seeing you before Christmas?"
"Let's see, I can probably meet you tomorrow. Is late afternoon okay for you? I have a meeting in the state in the morning."
"That's fine. You can come by whenever you want unless you'd rather go out to eat somewhere."
"No, I'll just come by there when I'm done,"
"See you then Daddy."
Piper and Alex spent the rest of the day working on one of Piper's detailed excel projects. Throwing about ideas about every possibility, anything they might need in each scenario, and ranking them from most to least desirable.
When Bill arrived the next day they got down to business. "So what did you need to tell me Princess?"
"When I met with my graduate advisor, he told me some surprising news. Apparently none of the AP classes from high school, though appearing on my college coursework, were ever applied credits. So once my major credits in both disciplines and the additional courses that I had taken, along with applying those AP classes, that I ticked off the last remaining general education categories. Basically instead of needing classes next semester to finish, that I was done after December exams."
"Wait, you never said anything about graduation."
"That's because the university accidentally let too many in the department that arranges graduation time off. So they had to move the ceremony to early January. I haven't been told the exact date yet."
"So you're finished with college?"
"Yes!"
Alex locks eyes with Piper and Piper nods for Alex to take the next part."
"My first question Bill was what happens now that Piper's finished college. What if anything does the mean for the team."
"I think I need more info. Before I can answer that Alex. Piper have you thought about your plans?"
"My first thought was to work part-time at the station I interned at and Save up some money while looking for something full-time. Unfortunately a different station in the building shelled out money to keep their morning show and instigated a group wide hiring freeze. So the PD has no job to give me, though I did get him to agree to a couple of long shifts so I could collect material for an aircheck."
"Piper has already finished it and send it out to some stations who had help wanted positions on this radio website. Did I get the right Pipes?"
"Yes Al you did."
"Princess have to heard from any of the stations?"
"Actually two called and want to meet me. So I guess I need airfare for a couple of short trips to meet the PD and see what if anything they have to offer me."
"Where are these stations. One is in Memphis, the other is in Austin."
"Were there none in the northeast?"
"None that have replied."
"So my daughter is maybe moving to the south. When are these interviews?"
"I'm going to email them when we have everything sorted out."
"Okay Alex, I'm going to approve and pay for two trips with rental van. While in these cities be sure to check out some apartments or small houses. Piper can call my real estate agent again to narrow down the list so you don't have to drive all over the city. We can talk further about team business if Piper is officially offered and accepts a job."
"Thank you sir." Piper speaks up "Love you Daddy."
The Christmas holidays were held at Piper's, the Vauses, and three Chapman's attended. Bill gave the guys on the security team Christmas off, using his guys instead. New Years a few days later was all Piper and Alex. Piper's graduation ceremony had been set five days after New Years. Piper had talked to both PD's about when after her graduation each wanted to meet with her, so that she and Bill could get travel plans all set-up.
The day of graduation Alex notices Piper was a little jumpy. "Hey babe, what's up? You're all antsy."
"Sorry Al. I don't know I'm so nervous. I should be thrilled that I walk today. I mean I'm happy too but I don't know."
"What can I do? Do you wanna cuddle before we have to leave."
"Always Al."
"I'm so proud of you Pipes. You have accomplished a double major my super sexy intelligent girlfriend. And you look super cute in your cap and gown."
"Thanks Al, I'm feeling rather proud of myself. Soon we'll see if I can land a full-time job in my craft right off the bat."
"Anything else we need to do before we leave tomorrow? I have the paperwork for the flights and hotels. We're both pretty much packed and have snacks and books in the overhead bags."
"Have we packed headphones? Mini and my big ones?"
"I'll double check later. We should go now and talk to the grad folks about what security you can have when you walk across the stage."
Late morning the next day, the team arrives at the station. The guys are told to check out the building and make notes of the areas that need monitoring if Piper ends up working here. Piper and Alex meet with the PD. Alex introduces herself and tells him about herself and the team. Piper is interviewed and asked about herself and the radio show plans that she had mentioned earlier. The PD sets her up in a studio that hasn't been activated to go live yet. He tells her to get familiar then give him a sample hour with no more than 30 second or less snips of the so the music. Then encourages her to work with the Music Director to find a recurrent to work with where she would have chosen a song herself. The PD wishes her good luck and that he'll have an answer for her before the weekend.
Afterwards the team check out some apartments and houses that they had pre-arranged with a local agent. "Did you like any of the places we saw today Pipes?"
"The re-furbished house looked pretty nice. Could we even afford that if I landed the job?"
"I'll have to work the numbers later. I did like the house, it might need some rooms painted differently, but I loved the modern kitchen. The area was also nice, everything near it was well kept and it's not that much of a drive even without the interstate."
They flew to the second city early afternoon the next day. Same team procedure for the interview. The second PD, put her on live for an hour but didn't want her to try her pick the song feature. That PD also told her he'd contact her before the weekend. The team once again checked out places to possibly live.
"So what do you think Al?"
"Well I think in both locations the cost of living makes a house less expensive that a larger apartment. I didn't see one I loved but a couple with a little money invested for upgrades, could work. How about you?"
"Pretty much felt the same. I like the feel of the city better but the PD less. But I could see us happy either place."
"Anything else you wanna see between now and us leaving tomorrow afternoon?"
"Not that comes to mind. Maybe we'll just take extra time for our morning activities."'
Alex laughs, "Is that what your calling our hot and steamy sex life now."
Piper blushes "Well yeah. That way I don't slip up around anyone."