To Color Your Life

"Well, when is the wedding?" the boss's grandfather looked up from another slice of apple pie and looked at the couple with a mocking smile. While everyone was eating the main course, he finished off a good half of the desert.

Emily had just moved away from the embarrassment that gripped her when she faced another provocative question. Did he invite her here to test her nervous system?

"Hmm, judging by your faces, you haven't even discussed it yet," the man shook his head and put a new piece of pie on the plate, "Justin, you're thirty-five, and you still haven't figured out how to ask your girlfriend's to marry you? Emily, are you sure you want to marry him?"

"Grandpa, I'm thirty-two," Evans sighed.

Hmm, this style of dialogue was suspiciously familiar to Emily. She wondered why? In the case of her grandmother, the response phrase usually began with "That's even worse!" 

"That's even worse!" Mr. Pitcher exclaimed. The girl bit her lower lip so as not to laugh out loud. "You don't seem to be that old, you should think faster."

"You're right, grandpa. I'll think faster." Justin nodded his head in complete resignation.

Well done boss. Correct strategy. Emily praised him mentally, and patted his hand under the table. In the case of elders, the best tactic is to agree with whatever they say, without a single objection.

Yes, just agree, but do it the way you want.

"A smart decision," said the elder Evans, "I have booked a trip to Cancun for two. So get busy there. Otherwise, I will have to wait for another ten years for the grandchildren."

"What is Cancun?" Justin was surprised.

Mr. Pitcher looked at his grandson like he was an idiot, "Teresa, what happened to your son? Does he know what Cancun is? Emily, are you sure you want to marry him?"

"I know what Cancun is! I am asking, what does this Mexican resort have to do with me and Emily? Grandpa, what are you up to again?!"

Ohoho, the boss is so funny in the home atmosphere. Especially when he doesn't know what awaits him. Emily watched this situation like a favorite TV show. Now it is clear who in this family was the master of trolling. Yes, Justin Evans, you still have to grow and grow before you reach the level of your grandfather.

"I just thought of an option for you where you can skip your last paycheck. By the way, a very lucrative offer, Justin," replied Mr. Pitcher in a businesslike tone, "Anyway, you will be unemployed in a week, just like Emily. So have a good rest."

What? What do you mean, unemployed?! Emily stared at her boss, all the fun was gone in a flash.

Justin shrugged, "Well, yeah, something like that."

"Wait, are you really going to fire Justin because of me?" She had already decided that everything said earlier was a joke. Testing her true feelings.

"Yes, he will be fired, and no - you have nothing to do with it, dear," Mr. Pitcher looked at the girl with warmth. Now he really looked like a kind old grandfather who wanted the best for his family.

"You are right, the most valuable thing is the family. In our family, there is a rule: what your parents have achieved does not belong to you. I do not accept patronage for family ties and preferences just because someone is your son or grandson."

Therefore, there is such a strict selection of employees in Pharaoh that they can get there only after several stages of interviews and internships? Emily remembered how difficult testing was when she participated in the selection in her freshman year. Then it was a great success even to get into this selection, let alone passing it. And having won first place among more than two hundred applicants, she eventually abandoned it.

"But I…," she looked at Justin. She did not go through any interview when she got to his department. If not for him...

"If your resume was not already in the database of potential employees, then even my position would not allow me to accept you on the staff of the magazine, Em. The fact that you are in Pharaoh is your merit. Yes, I had a personal motive, but I chose you among those who are as worthy as you," the boss smiled.

"That's right," Roger Evans confirmed his son's words, "Even the head of the publishing house cannot hire an outsider if he has not passed the selection."

"That's the reason why Zoya is still unemployed," Jacob chuckled.

"Leave alone my girl, she's only twenty-one!" Teresa Evans stepped up for her daughter.

"You spoil her too much, Tess," the elder Evans grumbled. "Emily started working at that age and, as you can see, did not starve to death," he almost quoted Hayes's earlier part of speech as if it were the words of a great philosopher.

Wow, they are already making her an example! Emily's rating grew by leaps and bounds.

"Am I spoiling her? What about those five thousand dollars you sent her last month, huh, dad?"

"There was no such thing!" Mr. Pitcher feigned genuine bewilderment. "What kind of 5 thousand dollars?"

"The very five thousand dollars that you had transferred from the Citibank, grandpa," Jacob put a slice of apple pie on his plate, ignoring his grandfather's displeased look.

"Looks like I should find myself another financial advisor," the man said with resentment in his voice and turned to Hayes, "Emily, are you good at financial planning and investing?"

"Uh, no, sir." The conversation at the table was like ping-pong and Emily didn't know when to catch the next line. Being in the company of the Evans family amazed her more and more.

"Well, that's no problem. There is one here at the table who will teach you," Mr. Pitcher nodded towards Jacob, "Little traitor. Teach the girl everything you know, I'll better be working with her."

"No problem. I'll even make a discount for her as for a family member," Jacob answered, for which he immediately received a kick in the side from his wife. "One hundred percent discount," he added with a smile and winked at Emily.

"Can I make five trillion dollars doing this?" Hayes asked what caused everyone present to stupor.

Jacob choked, "W-well, I haven't thought of such a financial strategy yet," he looked questioningly at his brother. Justin shrugged as if he had nothing to do with it.

"Wow, that's what I call an ambition!" Mr. Pitcher whistled and turned to the girl, "Emily, are you sure you want to marry Justin? Maybe you'd better immediately run for the president?"

What, Hayes? That's a tempting idea!

Emily's inner dragon nodded approvingly.