Journey to Redemption ✔

05: Molly and the Rain.

The woman, slightly on the curvy side, with grey curls graciously contouring her features, picked up his bag and gave it a strong shake.

Zoran's thoughts tangled up in his head as she held her umbrella to cover them both.

"No...yes..." he hesitated to bring himself to answer. "I mean..."

"I am happy to see you came today!" she told him.

He rubbed his neck as he walked bending over as to fit under the umbrella. He thought she was bad news. He didn't like how he always caught him in awkward situations. How he missed a vet appointment due to her unannounced inspection at his work a few months prior. And how, she was responsible for him being here that day.

Zoran couldn't stand Molly.

"This way..." said she, pointing towards a café ahead of them.

Molly was all smiles and she smelled like lilies. And something about her rubbed him the wrong way.

He followed her inside and they took a seat near the window.

"You might be wondering why I asked to meet you today."

"Well..."

"I like you Mr. Zoran," she confidently expressed. "You are diligent in your work. Never missed one day. You work twice as hard as your mates and you're the last one to leave each day."

"Thank you, but I don't see what use of that there is to tell me if you are letting me go."

"Letting you go?" Molly paused, and took a sip of her coffee. "Oh, no! Dear, no!"

"Oh..." he mumbled. "But the letter..."

"Oh, the letter, right..." she said, taking another sip of coffee and then placing the cup away. "I took the liberty of looking over your files Mr. Zoran."

Zoran squeezed his hands together with uneasiness.

"You have a PhD in our field...do you not?"

Zoran left that part of his life behind him. It was a while since anyone had brought that up. He nodded at her remark and thought she might laugh at him. What was a man like that, who once had such accomplishments, working a job like he did now.

"I paid close attention to your work, when I was over in Raven Glass," said Molly. "I saw how well you organized your colleagues, and the work load, even if you didn't have to do so."

Zoran swallowed awkwardly. He couldn't wait for the talk to be over.

"As I said. I like you, Mr. Zoran," she continued, lowering her head a little to meet his gaze. "And I want to offer you a job, here, in London. A promotion, actually!"

"A promotion?!" asked Zoran raising his head, and his eyes light up for a brief moment. But then the spark quickly disappeared. "No, this can't be right."

"It is too bad our branch in Raven Glass closed up, but I think it's for the best. Yet, I would feel sorry if we lost such a good worker as yourself. I think our team here in London could use someone like you." She searched briefly in her bag and took out a few papers, and handing them over to Zoran, she added. "I want you to look over these, and consider my proposition. We'd like to have you in London as soon as possible."

Zoran took the papers and looked over them. A contract which seemed too good to be true. He had been stuck in the slums of Raven Glass ever since his wife passed away, ever since he lost his office job seven years ago. Could he finally bring his life back on track?

Everything seemed perfect. An office job after all these years! And even an accommodation in regards to his living situation.

Zoran's eyes suddenly lifted upward from the papers and met Molly's.

"I..." he hesitated. "I have a cat."

Molly left out a giggle at his remark.

"And I have two, Mr. Zoran," said she, tilting her head. "But we will have other occasions to talk about our little friends."

"No...Well..." he mumbled, running a hand through his gray hair. "I must bring her with me."

"Oh," exclaimed Molly, smiling awkwardly upon realizing her remark might have been slightly out of place. "Oh, yes, well...our office accommodations do have some restrictions in regards to pets..." she said, and upon noticing Zoran's expression glooming out, she quickly added, "But we can make an exception, of course!"

"Then I see no reason to refuse, you have been more than generous with your offer today," confessed Zoran, thinking back at all the frustration and rage he felt coming over to London. He felt regretful, but more than that, he felt thankful.

"It is all settled then!" said Molly, taking another sip from her coffee.

The rain poured hard as they parted ways, and Zoran headed towards a small motel where he spent the night. The rain no longer bothered him though, and he fell asleep with thoughts of how he's going to set his life straight. For Babushka. 

And suddenly, even his boss, Molly, didn't seem all too bad.