CHAPTER 2: COINCIDENCE.

Eloise curled her legs up in bed, she positioned her head heavenward, staring at nothing in particular but had thousands of thoughts running through her mind. The interview wasn't a success as she was accused of arriving a minute late.

She thought about her father's health and was bothered about the extensive bills awaiting them at the end of the month. The thought of Jane flickered into her memory considering several things she had done for her right from their childhood.

Eloise POV

A few years back…

Jane and I had been best of friends right from childhood till date. Even when we attended high school, we were so close that people found it so difficult to discern if we were just friends or if we were sisters.

Unfortunately, our names did justice, since we weren't having the same surname you could tell we weren't family.

The bond between us was so strong that even I found it difficult to fathom the reasons behind why we bonded so well. I sometimes jokingly thought we had probably met in our past life as sisters, which could have easily satisfied the reason behind the bond.

At times she brought two plates of food from home so she could share them with me during lunch break. We were no longer friends but were more like sisters.

She helped me with a lot of things as well as helped me source for job opportunities in the open city. Even though it was far away from my place of residence.

I got that call from her which got me on my tracks the previous day, stating that hurried to the company for an interview and receive my appointment letter. As she assured she had concluded things with her dad. The joy in my heart knew no bounds knowing fully well that a job awaits me.

I would never have someone else to trust In the whole wide world like myself if not Jane.

My full identity remains Eloise Dickinson. I hail from Alaska, the interior part of the big city of Naiden in North Hill country. My family had nothing to write home about I would say. We could barely pay up our bills a month.

We lost my mum several years ago while she tried giving birth to Anastasia, my younger sister.

My dad stayed five whole years without remarrying. Later on, he got convinced by the family to get married to a second wife so she could assist in taking care of us while he went on his job assignment as a building contractor.

Ever since my stepmother came in, she took us as her children. Even though she had no issues with her father. One awful trait she exhibited that always got me irritated was that she always wanted her decisions to take ground.

All well and good, we were yet happy as one. Our family was going well until the unexpected happened.

We received a phone call that dad fell from the fourth floor while on one of his assignments in the building under construction. His back got broken and he developed a stroke due to the shock.

It was a big setback for the Dickinson family, we spent fortunes trying to recover dad, even though he warned against it yet we kept trying.

Unknown to us he had incurred debts for some untouched projects.

In a few weeks, the loan sharks came after us, seizing everything we had including the building where we lived. We had to retire to one of dad's uncompleted projects in Alaska, the interior part of the big city.

Now that I've turned twenty, I see it as my obligation to see my family through the wild mess by getting a well-paid job in the main city, as I just finished my final studies in high school.

My dream to attend college must be buried deep, as I have a whole lot of responsibilities to take care of.

My sister, step mum who had filled the gap of a mother, and my dad inclusive.

Back then the doctor gave us a glint of hope that dad could still be resuscitated but it cost a lot. Precisely 3 million.

I already got tired of watching my stepmom take four different odd jobs just to fend for the three of us.

***

She was gripped by the thoughts when the door suddenly flung open and Anastasia, her little sister of fifteen years, came running in with smiles on her face rushing towards her.

Eloise feigned a smile immediately to avert bothering questions from Anastasia.

However, Anastasia was smart enough to notice her previous expression even though she tried faking the smile.

"Baby, are you ok?" Taking her seat by her bedside. Anastasia was used to referring to Eloise as "baby" ever since she gained her speech from babyhood. In the earlier phase, Eloise wasn't pleased with it, but now she's got used to it already.

"Mommy, I'm fine," Eloise replied in return with smiles all over her face, as she arched her back above the bed.

"So tell me, Ana, what do you want? I know you do not come to my room for fun." Eloise winked her brows in curiosity.

The little Ana scratched her ears like Eloise's words weren't real. "Baby, can't I just come to play with you?" Anastasia spoke playfully. Eloise swerved towards her tickling her waist so well with Anastasia returning every of the action with extensive giggles.

"Baby- - stop, stop i-," making extensive giggles in return falling into Eloise's bed.

She fell into Eloise's arms, only then did she notice a tear alongside the collar of Anastasia's shirt. "Only if she could get a well-paying job she would be able to get her kid sister some new clothes." She thought within herself.

"Why're you staring at me that way?" Anastasia asked exposing her well-positioned dimples with her chubby cheeks.

"Common get off my bed," Eloise snapped back with giggles avoiding her questions with her fingers brushing in between her hair.

"So troublesome a girl." Eloise voiced out softly.

Anastasia rose to her sit clinging to Eloise. "Anyways, baby you know what I want already," she whispered.

Eloise feigned ignorance rolling her eyes in the air. "Mummy, I - - I don't know what you want. You could probably just spill it out." Eloise voiced out trying to arrange Ana's roughed hair.

Drawing lines on Eloise's cheeks with the aid of her finger. Anastasia could feel trickling chills walking on her skin. "Anastasia stop you're tickling me," falling into Anastasia's embrace.

"I want ice cream." she finally voiced out.

"Stop Anastas - you want what?" disengaging herself from Ana's embrace trying to inquire again to be sure she was clear enough in listening.

She sputtered feigning a babyish look with her mouth in a pouty expression.

Eloise giggled, her anticipation was real. She couldn't know Anastasia less. Ana comes around whenever she wants ice cream. However, she loved Anastasia even though she was naughty yet smart. "Alright, you know what mommy, give your baby a tight hug then I'd give you the money for ice cream." Eloise winked her brows to the nervous Ana.

Anastasia didn't hesitate because she trusted all of Eloise's words.

She smuggled herself towards Eloise hugging her so tight.

Eloise felt choked amid the hug and had to disengage from her sister.

"Mommy, where have you got such strength and a whole lot of weight from? You almost choked me, you know. I guess I'd tell mum to reduce your food." Striking the smiling Ana's nose playfully with her index finger.

"Anyways, take this." She struggled to bring out some notes from her pocket and handed them over to Anastasia. Anastasia grabbed the notes with her dentition revealed bolting out of the room.

"Huh! Finally." Eloise sighed sliding back into her bed. Trying to return to her thoughts when her phone chirped zooming her to consciousness.

She reached for the cell phone and answered it, nevertheless, it was an unknown number.

"Is this Eloise Dickinson?" The voice from the other end inquired leaving Eloise's jaws begging to be dropped.

"T- -hat's right," Eloise answered, still in shock.

"We are from Lexington Cooperation. A friend of yours referred you for a job here with us, we went through your CV- - -"

" My CV! How?" Eloise said as the corner of her mouth quivered in surprise. She gulps hard trying to maintain her balance.

"I'm sorry but I never submitted my CV to any Lexington Cooperation. So I - - don't know what you are talking about, you probably called the wrong person." About clicking the hang-up button when the voice mentioned Jane.

"Jane, that's the name of your friend right?" A little moment of hush passed by as Eloise wondered who the caller was.

"Miss Dickinson are you there," the voice at the other end asked zooming her into reality.

"Yes, yes, yes, my friend's Jane." Her reply was sharp enough to be sure she was right.

Eloise fluttered at the words she heard. Nevertheless, she found it difficult to doubt the caller's words since Jane's name was mentioned.

"And yes, it was your friend that submitted to us your CV. Your interview was a direct order from the superior seat. I'm just an assistant to deliver the order. And remember, such an opportunity comes just once" The voice added, taking a pause awaiting her reply.

"I will make it to the interview," she replied as she gave a lopsided grin. With a strong spirit, jumping over her bed in excitement.

The voice at the other end giggled at her reaction. "Hey, Miss. Dickinson," the voice added causing the excited Eloise to stick the phone once again to her ears.

"I'm all ears please go on." Giggling in silence to acknowledge more information.

"You are expected to be at the office before 10:00 AM tomorrow," The voice added and cut in an instant.

"At last," she squealed jumping on her bed. She swerved through her phone trying to dial Jane's number. "No, I will share here the good news when I get back. More so, she should know about it already, it's no big deal." she concluded dashing out of the room in excitement.

She got out of bed as early as 6:00 AM. She walked into the company's building, admiring such magnificent buildings.

"In a coupled minutes, I will become a staff here." She smiled as she checked through her wrist watch realizing it was just 9:00 AM.

She smiled to herself. "I made it this time." introduced herself to the receptionist and was surprised when the receptionist simply handed over her letter of appointment with a document to sign.

Offered her a seat with stern instructions to wait for the arrival of the head of the department. Her face brightened and she took no time in signing the document.

She only wondered a bit. "What kind of organization would offer employment without an interview." She had earlier asked the receptionist with the immediate reply of her employment being an order from the superior seat.

While reading through her letter of appointment. Every bit of word in the letter seemed appealing. From the pay to the hours of work.

She made a deep sigh of relief with the letter on her chest. "Whoever it is at the superior seat, I cannot thank you enough," she whispered.

Shoes clattered from far, making steady movements towards her. She was consumed in the heat of gladness that she could barely notice the figure before her.

"You will be joining the cleaning service for now Miss Eloise," the feminine figure voiced out causing Eloise to rise to her feet immediately with a smile all over.

"Good day, ma'am I'm - - you said what?" Eloise spluttered with her smiles disappearing.

"You heard me right Miss. Dickinson," Olivia, the head of the department, a middle-aged woman in her thirties with an eloquent expression declared.

"Buh- - buh, I never applied for a cleaning job." She struggled to say spluttering her words.

"You never did but that's the most available job now. You can either cling to it or leave it."

Because she had come from a very far place and wouldn't want to return the same way, moreover, she had a lot of burdens to bear. Eloise settled for the job.

The thought of informing Jane crossed her mind. Opening her bag to take out her phone when Olivia who had been watching her for quite some time voiced out.

"Hey girl, you have been assigned to clean three out of five floors, before lunch hour. I suggest you drop every other thing and get to work immediately.

"Three floors! don't you think that workload is quite much for me alone to handle? That should be the work of two" Eloise replied softly.

"If you aren't ready to get tired, then why come to work? Moreover, you need to meet the CEO. It's a general custom for him to meet all newly employed workers…. I will call on you when it's time." Olivia added and left.

Inevitably, she did as she was instructed, she wasn't willing to disappoint since it was her first day at work. She made sure she mopped all three floors before lunch hour. She was rounding up when Olivia walked in to tell her the CEO awaits her presence.

Eloise's heart suddenly jumped to her throat. Praying silently within her heart that she finds favor before whoever the CEO may be and the CEO probably might find a suitable option for her.

Quickly, she readjusted her clothes and strode towards the office.

Even before she could place a knock on the door, a husky voice could be heard from inside.

'Come in, I've been waiting for a long time." He could view whoever was at the door from the laptop before him.

Without hesitation, she walked in. Trying to acknowledge the big room when his voice came through.

"So you could be this soft in your words, huh!"

Lowering her head slightly to acknowledge the man before her.