Chapter 21 : The CV

It's hard for Gideon to understand his feelings when he reads his marks from the exam. He did it, not from much, but he got passing grades. But there's still this really weird feeling in the pit of his stomach. An apprehension. His fear for the future has disappeared yet.

Stepping out of the principal's office, weird questions swirl into his mind. After all these efforts, will the grades be good enough ? Will Judy be disappointed ? What will happen now ? What-

"Mr Grey ?"

He almost jumps when he hears the stern voice talking to him. Turning to his right, his eyes descend upon Mr's Hopton's severe face.

"I might have been wrong about you, but remember that you will have to work harder next year. The material will be one that you have never been confronted to before. With that said, I'm glad Miss Hopps wasn't losing her time with you. And good luck."

Gideon bristles at the doe's condescending tone. Despite it, he doesn't get angry. In fact, he doesn't utter a word and leaves the building. He only feels worn and exhausted, and he wants nothing more than just go home and sleep for about a thousand years.

But he won't, as he's going to have to leave soon to go to work, so he makes a beeline toward the now empty bike park.

"Gid ?"

This time, the tod jumps and turns around to see Judy standing at the gate, only a few meters away from him. "How did you have your results yet ?"

"I'm passing." He states in a neutral voice.

The the bunny leaps up, brandishing her fist. "YES ! I knew you could do it."

He gives her a little smile. The confidence she has in him feels good, but he still has no idea what to do next. Of course, next year and the one after that are going to be pretty much the same, but after that-

"Are you free next thursday ?" She suddenly asks.

"Aren't you tutoring me ? I mean, year's almost over, but I still got a few things I ain't really good at."

The doe shakes her head. "We need to use tuesday to make you a CV and cover letter. We'll bring your application to Ol'Leaper's bakery."

"Ol- Jude, that guy won't ever hire me. I couldn't get'im to sell me anythin' when I wos a kid, and Travis had ta get stuff for the both of us. Even he had to bargain." Reacts the fox.

"Maybe, but, he's the only one looking to hire for help in bunny-burrow."

"He's a specist ass- He doesn't like foxes !."

"I know, but I'm sure he'll come around if he gets to know you… Plus you'd be working at a bakery ! I didn't like foxes and I came around."

"Yeah, but you're clever. He ain't."

"Gideon, you won't know until you try. If he says no, then he says no, but if he says yes, then you'll be working in a bakery ! Isn't that better than to be stuck at the steel mill ?"

The tod sighs. It probably is. Of course, woking under a vindictive boss won't necessarily be fun, but it would be experience in the field. "I guess we can try." He reluctantly agrees. "I gotta go to work."

The doe looks around and seeing the coast is clear, she gives him a quick kiss. It's enough to put a smile on his face. "See you tomorrow, then."

"Y-yeah, see ya."

Gideon slowly exhales. This isn't scary. It isn't scary at all. He's just an old bunny, a full head smaller than he is. Just an old bigotted bunny that always told him to get out of his shop.

"Hello, welcome to Ol- The hell do you think you're doing here, boy ?" Comes the voice carved by age of Roger Leapers, owner of Ol'Leapers Bakery.

"I..." The tod hesitates, his CV in paw. It's filled with almost nothing. His about 8 months of experience at the steel mill. His name, address and phone number. There's a business card attached to it, coming from his current boss, and that's it.

"He's here for the job interview." Comes Mrs Catmull's voice. She, as well as Judy, have entered the place with him, and he's glad for the moral support.

"The… Is he the student that was interested in the job ?"

"Yes, he is."

His glare clearly states "I didn't know he was a fox.", a fact that the cougar was very careful to keep for herself.

"Does he have any experience ? Give me that CV, boy." Aside from the mostly empty first page, there's also a second page with his school report from the second quarter and a business card slid between the two. The marks aren't stellar, but the teacher's notes are quite encouraging. "Hm… Well, I'm sorry but working in a steel-"

"The sign here says 'accepting beginners'." Judy says, pointing her thumb at the small poster taped to the glass door. "And Gideon is no beginner."

The old buck shoots her a look of disbelief. "Oh, is he ?"

It isn't his tone that makes her temper rise, it's Gideon's look of defeat. If he won't hire the tod, she'll at least make him eat his own bigotry.

"Can I have slice of pie please ?" She suddenly asks, producing a bill.

Perplexed, Leapers complies, taking it and giving her back her change, as well as the pastry. He isn't really happy with that batch, but he knows few mammals would really pick up on the problem it has. His pies are usually great, this one is just good.

Judy quickly takes a bite from it and chews on it for a couple of seconds before giving the rest to the fox. He arches a brow, and sees the baker squint his eyes at him. Despite it, he still takes a bite.

"What do you think ?" Judy asks.

"S'good." Gideon shrugs.

"I think yours is better." Judy honestly can't tell the difference, but at this point, she just want to spite the bigot on the other side of the counter.

The tod feels like he's been put under a spot. All three other mammals are staring at him and it makes him feel really self conscious. "Well… Erh…"

"How stupid can you, be girl ? As if a pred would know how to make pies." The buck snarks.

That remark lights the start of a fire into Gideon's brain. "Too much cinnamon." He utters. "There's too much cinnamon. It overtakes the apple's taste. And the crust is a bit overcooked."

The baker's ears fall. What ? He picked up on it ? His anger flares. How dare that fox put him down in front of others ? Inside his own bakery, no less ! "Get out !" He utters. "Get the hell out of here !"

"I could have gone better." Huffs Mrs Catmull as the door closes behind them.

"Sorry I lost my patience." Apologies Judy, to which the feline answers with a smile.

"I understand. I knew He would be hard to convince, but I didn't think it would go like this. He was set on refusing from the start. I'm sorry, Gideon. I wish we could have done more."

"It's fine." The tod shrugs, with a tone that suggests it's anything but.

- 1 -

"What was I supposed to do ?" The old buck asks to an old photograph hanging from a wall near the kitchen door. It shows a matronly doe, wearing glasses and holding a tray of pastries.

Folding the CV in half, he directs himself toward the trashcan. "I know I need the help, but he's a fox. He might have some working experience, but not in a bakery. Predators are pretty useless when it comes to anything but meat in a kitchen." He shrugs. "I doubt he'd be much of a baker. You'd agree with me, wouldn't you ?" The buck awkwardly chuckles, holding the CV above the trashcan. Hesitation seizes him.

He moves to the counter and take a slice of pie from under it.

"Wish you'd be here. You'd know what decision to take." He mutters, biting into the slice. There's indeed too much cinnamon. And he did forget that batch in the oven… But without the help… Well, it's hard to run the shop on his own.

The buck gives out a deep sigh. "The crust is a bit overcooked." He repeats out loud, knowing it's not necessarily easy to spot in flaky pastry.

He can feel the eyes of his wife judging him from the photograph.

"You'd want me to give him a chance, wouldn't you!?" He sighs, his eyes roaming to the CV he set on the counter instead of throwing it away. He takes the first page and frowns. "Crud, where is that- ah, there it is !" The buck grabs the business card that had slipped from the CV, half hidden by the foot of the counter, while his other paw goes to grab the phone under the counter. It rings a couple of times until the mammal on the other side answers.

"You've reached Mr Buckner's secretary from Buckner and Son Steel and Wire, how may I help you ?"

"Erm, hello… I'm Roger Leapers, from Ol'Leapers Bakery. A Mr Grey just brought a CV, and I wanted to enquire about your opinion of him as your employee."

There's a couple second of silence, before the secretary talks again. "I'll pass you to Mr Buckner."

"Shouldn't you pass me to his manager ?"

"I'm sure Mr Buckner will be competent enough to answer your questions."

"I didn't mean to imply-"

The call cuts, and a waiting music is heard, while the buck groans. Of course, Buckner and Son is a big company, it wouldn't make that call easy.

"Hello, Mr Buckner speaking, how can I help you ?" Comes a deep voice.

"Hello. This is Roger Leapers, from Ol'Leapers Bakery. I just got a CV from a Mr Grey, and I wanted an opinion on him as an employee."

"I assume you're talking about Gideon Grey."

"Do you have another amployee named Grey ?"

"I used to, his father, Gavin Grey."

Roger lifts an interested brow. "Used to ?"

"Yes. Used to."

"Why ?"

"He's in prison. And I won't say more on the matter."

"And how was he as an employee ?"

There are a few seconds of silence before Mr Buckner answers. "If you aim to judge Gideon on the assumption that he's similar to his father, I'm going to stop you right there. The bastard was bullheaded and spiteful. He'd try to get the longest hours, but wouldn't be more productive from it. I didn't fire him because he didn't really do more than toe the line, and I knew his family needed the money. His son… Well, to say he isn't the sharpest tool in the shed, wouldn't be inaccurate, but once sharpened… He can be really efficient."

"Really ?"

"Yes. Given the nature of my company, I mostly employ medium to large mammals. I have a few smaller ones of course, and most of them aren't working physically. I wouldn't say Mr Grey can keep up with his larger peers, but he does pull his own weight. I suppose we're having this discussion because you're considering hiring him ?"

Roger remains silent. His stomach feels like filled with lead and his head is buzzing.

"And why would a kid his age be working at your company ?" He finally asks.

"I didn't pry, but I know there's still a credit over his parent's house. And her mother's job isn't enough to cover all expenses."

The buck closes his eyes. Hardworker. Providing for his family. Absent father. Fox...

Fox.

"Mr Leapers ?"

"Y-yeah ?"

"Did you need something else ?"

"No. Thank your for your time."

The call ends and Roger stares blankly as his phone.

He almost hear his wife ask him if he's okay. "Yes. Everything's fine." He utters out loud, throwing the CV in the trashcan.

Everything's fine. That thought keeps swirling in his mind late into the evening, and remains stuck in his head up to the morning. It sticks with him while while he kneads the dough, while he makes the bread, while he bakes the pies. It stays with him until he reaches into the trashcan to pull out the CV. "Bloody hell." He mutters, as he dials in the phone number at the top of the sheet of paper. "Bloody hell."