Chapter 13 - First Day

Jennifer slept peacefully for the first time in weeks.

No tossing.

No anxiety spirals.

No waking up every hour staring at the ceiling.

She barely even remembered closing her eyes.

Whatever Kathy had given her the night before had worked unbelievably well.

Jennifer stretched slowly beneath the blankets, still half asleep and warm when suddenly—

The bedroom lights snapped on.

“Let’s go, princess,” Michelle called cheerfully from the doorway. “Time to get up and get ready for work.”

Jennifer groaned dramatically and pulled a pillow over her face.

“It’s still nighttime.”

Michelle laughed.

“It’s 4:30AM.”

“That’s still nighttime.”

Michelle crossed the room and yanked the blanket off her, happy to see she had slept in her pink nightgown again.

“Up.”

Jennifer squinted at her.

“You’re enjoying this way too much.”

“Correct.”

Despite herself, Jennifer smiled.

And strangely…

she wasn’t dreading the day.

Not entirely.

⸻

The morning moved fast.

Shower first.

Michelle insisted on the shower cap to preserve Kathy’s blowout from the night before.

Then came the close shave at the sink while Michelle leaned against the counter drinking coffee and critiquing Jennifer’s technique.

“Careful around your jawline.”

“I know.”

“You missed a spot.”

“I literally did not.”

“You absolutely did.”

Jennifer rolled her eyes.

The rest followed almost automatically now.

Tucking.

Shapewear.

The padded girdle.

Bra.

The sheer black tights Michelle had laid neatly across the bed the night before.

Jennifer carefully slid them up her legs, smoothing them into place before stepping into the black pencil skirt.

Then came the cream satin cowl-neck blouse.

The fabric felt impossibly soft against her skin.

Elegant.

Feminine.

Professional.

Jennifer stared at herself in the mirror for a second longer than she meant to.

She looked…

right.

That thought still startled her every time.

⸻

Right at 5:45, Kathy arrived carrying three large coffees and an enormous makeup bag.

“There’s my working girl,” she announced brightly.

Jennifer laughed helplessly.

“I’m never going to live this down, am I?”

“Nope, and those earrings are adorable.”

Kathy settled her into the vanity chair and immediately got to work.

Foundation.

Eyeshadow.

Mascara.

A soft pink lip color Michelle approved of instantly.

“No heavy liner for work,” Michelle said firmly. “We’re corporate pretty, not Real Housewives pretty.”

Kathy smirked.

“Coward.”

Jennifer laughed, relaxing more with every passing minute.

By the time Kathy finished, Michelle handed her the cropped cream jacket they’d bought the day before.

Then the black patent leather pumps.

Jennifer slipped them on carefully before standing.

Michelle looked her up and down slowly.

Then smiled.

“You are going to destroy that office.”

Jennifer immediately laughed nervously.

“Please don’t say things like that.”

Michelle walked over holding out the perfume bottle.

“Wrists.”

Jennifer obediently held them out.

One spray.

Then another lightly at her neck.

Jennifer blinked.

“You’re ready to take on the day.”

⸻

The commute into the city felt surreal.

Jennifer sat in the passenger seat smoothing invisible wrinkles from her skirt while Michelle drove one-handed with coffee in the other.

“You nervous?”

“A little.”

Michelle glanced over.

“You’ll be fine.”

Jennifer looked out the window.

“What if everyone can tell?”

Michelle didn’t even hesitate.

“Tell what?”

Jennifer opened her mouth.

Then closed it again.

Michelle smiled softly to herself.

“Exactly.”

⸻

Inside the lobby, Michelle walked her directly to security.

The same security desk Jennifer had nervously passed during her interview now felt completely different.

She handed the guard the page she had filled in last night.

“First day?”

Jennifer nodded.

“Let’s get your ID card made.”

They brought her to a side room and took her photo.

The security guard smiled politely while waiting for the printer to come to life.

Somehow that tiny interaction settled her nerves more than anything else had.

Michelle leaned closer as the badge printed.

“See? Nobody’s interrogating you.”

Jennifer exhaled softly.

“I know.”

Still…

her fingers trembled slightly when she clipped the badge to her jacket.

JENNIFER RUSSO.

The name looked strangely natural there.

The guard finished with a “good luck” which Jennifer responded to with a smile.

⸻

Michelle walked her upstairs to HR.

Paula greeted Jennifer warmly.

“Oh good, you made it.”

Michelle squeezed Jennifer lightly on the shoulder.

“You’ve got this. I’ll see you later.”

Jennifer nodded.

Then Michelle disappeared down the hallway in heels and confidence.

And suddenly Jennifer was alone.

⸻

Orientation lasted most of the morning.

Benefits.

Payroll.

Security policies.

Corporate training videos nobody actually watched.

Jennifer sat beside two other new hires taking notes carefully while trying not to panic every time someone said her name.

But little by little…

it got easier.

⸻

Near lunchtime, Paula introduced her to Diana.

Diana was in her forties, polished, funny, and somehow terrifyingly efficient.

“Michelle says you’re smart,” Diana said immediately. “So I’m hoping she’s not a liar.”

Jennifer laughed nervously.

“I’ll try not to embarrass her.”

“Oh honey,” Diana said dryly. “You’d have to burn down the building for that.”

Jennifer liked her instantly.

⸻

Lunch was worse, but somewhat enjoyable.

Diana brought her to lunch with four other executive admins in the cafeteria café area.

Within minutes Jennifer was being peppered with questions.

Where are you from?

How do you know Michelle?

When did you move to Jersey?

Do you like the city?

How was the interview process?

Were you always in admin work?

Jennifer almost panicked at first.

Then suddenly remembered the backstory.

Recently divorced.

Kids grown.

Fresh start.

Living with her cousin temporarily.

And weirdly…

the story fit.

By the end of lunch, the women were already:

* giving restaurant recommendations,

* warning her about certain executives,

* joking about office politics,

* and inviting her to future happy hours.

Jennifer walked out stunned.

Michelle had been right.

Women really did just… talk.

⸻

The ladies room after lunch was another hurdle.

Jennifer stood frozen outside the entrance for almost ten seconds before finally forcing herself inside.

And once again…

nobody cared.

One woman fixed lipstick.

Another complained on the phone about daycare costs.

Someone complimented Jennifer’s blouse while washing her hands.

That was it.

Jennifer walked back out almost laughing at herself.

⸻

That afternoon Diana finally brought her upstairs.

“Okay,” she said casually. “Time to meet your executive.”

Jennifer immediately straightened.

Diana smirked.

“Relax. David’s one of the good ones.”

David Mitchell’s office sat in the corner with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city.

And unfortunately…

Michelle had undersold him.

David Mitchell rose from behind his desk the moment Diana brought Jennifer into the office.

“David, this is Jennifer,” Diana said. “Your new EA.”

David stepped around the desk with an easy confidence that immediately explained why everyone in the office seemed to speak about him like he was some kind of corporate celebrity.

He was tall. Really tall. Broad shoulders under a perfectly tailored navy suit, crisp white shirt, dark tie, and neatly styled blond hair that somehow looked effortless without being messy. Handsome in the polished, executive way that belonged on the cover of a business magazine.

Jennifer suddenly became very aware of herself standing there in her pencil skirt and heels.

“Jennifer,” he said warmly, extending his hand. “Nice to finally meet you. Michelle’s said great things. She mentioned you are her cousin.”

The second his hand wrapped around hers, her stomach flipped.

His handshake completely encompassed her hand, making hers feel tiny inside his. Not aggressive. Just solid. Confident. Grounding.

For one completely inappropriate second, the thought crossed her mind before she could stop it.

Wow… he’s really handsome.

Jennifer hated herself a little for thinking it immediately.

Especially because Michelle had mentioned him enough over the years that he already felt strangely familiar.

“Thank you,” she managed, hoping her voice sounded steadier than she felt.

David smiled slightly, still holding eye contact for half a second longer than necessary before letting go.

“Michelle also tells me you’re organized, calm under pressure, and apparently better with calendars than most of the executive team.”

Jennifer laughed nervously. “That seems like a low bar.”

To her relief, he laughed too.

“Honestly? You’ll fit right in here.”

The meeting itself was professional and surprisingly relaxed.

He explained:

* scheduling expectations,

* communication style,

* calendar management,

* travel coordination,

* priorities.

Jennifer listened carefully, taking notes the entire time.

A short while later she settled into her new desk in front of his office door, and logged in. Before the day was over she solved a scheduling conflict involving a vendor meeting and executive overlap that Diana admitted most new admins would’ve missed.

David looked genuinely impressed.

“That was a good catch.”

Jennifer blinked.

“Oh. Thanks.”

“No,” he said seriously. “That actually saved me a pretty ugly afternoon.”

Jennifer smiled before she could stop herself.

And for the first time all day…

she felt competent instead of afraid.

⸻

By the time Jennifer finally slid into Michelle’s passenger seat after work, she was exhausted.

Michelle took one look at her and laughed.

“Oh my god. You survived.”

Jennifer dropped her head back dramatically.

“Barely.”

Michelle pulled out of the garage smiling.

“Well?”

Jennifer immediately started talking.

Everything spilled out:

* orientation,

* Diana,

* lunch with the girls,

* the nonstop questions,

* the ladies room,

* David,

* the scheduling issue.

Michelle listened to all of it smiling softly.

Then finally:

“And?”

Jennifer stared out the windshield for a second before quietly admitting:

“…it wasn’t as bad as I feared.”

Michelle tried not to smile too hard at that.

“Told you.”

Jennifer looked down at her security badge clipped against her cream jacket.

JENNIFER RUSSO.

And somehow…

for the first time…

seeing the name didn’t feel pretend anymore.