Silver

Chapter 23 - then

I followed.

She stopped at a café two doors up and ordered a double espresso to take away.

'Speak up if you want anything,' was her way of asking me if I would like something. I shook my head.

The agency was just around the corner in Bourke Street. My mother walked straight up to the stainless steel-topped front desk and said, 'Edwards. I have a two o'clock meeting, so we need to stick to schedule here.' There was no fluffing around with my mother. Not even when it came to choosing my life partner. The girl told us to take a seat.

Mum foraged in her bag until she found her tube of caffeine gum. She dropped one in her mouth and proceeded to chew, loudly and aggressively.

'Do you chew like that at work?' I asked.

'What?'

'The gum. Do you chew the gum in meetings?'

Before she could answer, a lady called out my name. Mum and I followed her, thinking that she was an underling, but when she took a seat behind a large huon pine desk I realised she was my consultant. Melissa, as she introduced herself, was not much older than me. I found this unnerving, I was expecting someone more mature to assist me with finding a husband.

She launched into her spiel.

'So you're probably aware that Sterling is the best agency in Australia. We have offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth. It's an exclusive agency and we only deal with clients that have strong professional referees. You can be assured, therefore, that we have only quality clients on our books. Sylvia....'

'Sylvie,' mum corrected her.

'Sorry, Sylvie ... uh, the process today will be that you and I will have a one on one interview, which will take roughly half an hour. I hope that your answers will be honest and frank. There is no good in pretending to be someone you're not, as this will hinder our ability to match you with your perfect partner.

'After this, there will be some paperwork to fill in. There will be some multiple choice, behavioural-type questions, as well as some open-ended questions. Again, it is important that you are as truthful as can be when answering these questions.

'It takes us about four weeks to analyse these results and to match you with a partner. Ideally, when would you like the marriage to take place?'

'February,' mum answered.

'That should be fine,' Melissa said, making a note in her book. 'However, we do always say to people that it is worth waiting for the perfect match, rather than compromising for the sake of a date. Is this flexible at all?'

'It could be,' mum said, reluctantly.

'Good. I always need to ask. It rarely happens that we don't find a perfect match within four weeks, but it is important to know whether there is more time up our sleeve on the off chance. We always have new clients coming on the books.

'First, I need you to sign this disclaimer. Basically it says that you are entrusting us to match you with another client, that you are happy for your personal data to be analysed internally and in the unlikely event that the relationship fails, this agency will not accept any responsibility.'

She handed me the form to read.

'I will need your mother to sign this on your behalf, as you are a minor.'

I hadn't finished reading the form, when my mother seized it out of my hand and signed it, without reading it. She was anxious to make sure she didn't miss her 2 o'clock meeting.

She swallowed the gum, before saying, 'My other daughter also went through Sterling. She has had a very successful match with her husband. We are very pleased.'

'Excellent. Now if you don't mind Mrs Edwards, I'll get the meeting room ready for Sylvie. I've got to pick up some papers, but I'll meet Sylvie down the hall, second door on the left in a couple of minutes.' She stood up and shook mum's hand, saying, 'Lovely to meet you.'

I stayed sitting in the chair. I had a coppery taste in my mouth and butterflies in my chest. I didn't want to be interviewed. How was I meant to be honest to this girl, when the honest truth was I didn't want any of this? I didn't want to get married to some strange guy. Not now, not ever.

I hated this place with its LED downlights and glassed office walls. I hated the navy blue carpet, with its industrial weave. I hated the way Melissa's tailored coat hung limply on a hook by the door. Where was the romance in this?

'You better get moving Sylvie,' mum said, rummaging in her bag for another caffeine gum. 'Remember to sell yourself, this is the only chance you'll get. And don't speak too loudly.'