To Play the Prince of Poker

Three: Proposal

Lori took a deep breath as light flooded her vision. People bustled around her as she marched down on the couple of steps, exiting the bus. The doors hissed shut behind her and the heavy machinery rolled away.

Tall buildings with concrete frames and thousands of gleaming windows that stretched high up to sky crowded each other. People lively rushed to and fro. The honking of cars and the voices of people. Ah. The Business District.

Lori's hand shielded the early sun from her eyes as she peaked up. Right across the street was the looming building of Garr. Inc., a place where she hoped to secure her next job. And one where no one would know who she was.

She took a deep breath once more. Straightening her shoulders, she made her way across the street to the large luxurious building. The many cups of coffee were the only thing keeping her going after last night's fiasco. She checked her watch, 6:50. Right to schedule. Right to the plan.

The doors swung open. Lori blinked to adjust her eyes. This certainly was one of the newer and finer buildings in the older business district. Quartz with accents of gold. Modern chairs decorated the waiting room with fancy flower arrangements. Sharp people in even sharper suits and dresses hurried by.

After a quick glance to her phone, Lori made her way to the West Elevator. The email stated that it was at 6:55 when she would be allowed to go to the interview office. If she wasn't there, she wouldn't be interviewed.

Weirdly specific, but Lori managed details very well. Which is why she was so successful in her last career. She winced at the sharp familiar gut-wrenching pain in her stomach. No. She was stronger than this now. That is all behind her.

Her gaze hardened as she marched to the elevator, piling into it with the other twenty people. She had to go to level 20, and it was the second to last floor. Lori groaned internally as she noticed almost every floor was clicked. It was going to be a long ride.

"Bing!"

Eleven floors down, nine more to go. A few people got off.

"Bing!" A couple of more.

"Bing!"

This was taking forever.

"Bing!"

As Lori waited, she allowed her gaze to travel across the remaining occupants. It was mostly women, with a couple of men in the mix.

"Bing!"

Nope. Just women. The elevator jolted as it continued up. 5 more floors to go. The women all almost looked bored. But Lori couldn't miss their beauty.

"Bing!" One gets off. She glanced at the buttons. One floor left before the express ride to level 20.

"Bing!" Lori stepped aside as another woman exited, taking a spot by the handrail. This must be the competition.

A group of 7 women remained in the elevator. It was quite easy to see they all took extra time this morning. Faces caked with makeup. Lips bright red or perfectly neutral. Perfume crowding the air. And their outfits. They certainly looked well-dressed. Lori was jealous. Dresses and skirts hugged them perfectly, with figures that were to die for. But the shirts, for some reason, all of them seemed to be too small. Buttons were straining to keep bosoms from popping out.

Must be the humidity.

Lori caught her gaze in the reflection of the elevator door. She didn't have time for makeup this morning, didn't want to stand out. And she never would again. She feels her heart tug at the thought and she quickly shakes it off.