To Color Your Life

Emily froze for a moment in front of a large metal door, took a breath, then ran her keycard over the lock. In recent days, this ritual has been special.

The light shows that visitors to the Pharaoh Magazine watched earlier, as soon as they crossed the threshold of the department, have already been replaced with the memories of employees and their photographs for several days.

It was like the interactive graduation album you usually get when you graduate from high school. Short videos about how the work on different projects went, funny photos that have been collected since the department was founded.

Emily did not know ninety percent of those events and did not participate in them, since it was long before her appearance. But she knew every person who was in the video or photo. None of those who agreed to work with Justin went out of their way. Everyone stayed true to their goal until the very end.

Pharaoh's team became a close-knit family for her within the month that Hayes spent in the department thirty. Emily hadn't told anyone about this, not even Justin. She has not yet decided what she wants to do after leaving the publishing house. But she definitely would not want this team to be out of work.

How did it happen that working in an adult magazine, reading and analyzing romance novels in which there is nothing to analyze, writing articles on the most unexpected topics became such a natural occupation for Emily as if she had been doing it all her life?

If earlier she dreamed of a position of assistant editor in the scientific literature department, now, if she were asked to choose between that position and work in the journal, she would most likely choose the journal.

Either because it was created on the initiative of Justin, or because Emily could be herself here, department thirty was the place to which one wanted to return again and again.

"There are three days left, Hayes. You decided it yourself," Emily looked at the next batch of photos with a smile.

They were very fresh from the last photoshoot they had over the weekend. Emily agreed to participate as Catherine had already thought out the concept ahead of time. The blonde was upset when she found out that her future model-star refused the offered vacancy and was officially fired. Well, almost.

The letter of resignation, signed by Justin, was still in one of Hayes's desk drawers.

"I thought you'd be here just this afternoon?" Joyce appeared in the hallway.

"I was going to, but decided to come early," Emily greeted her. "And what are you doing here? Don't you have a day off today?"

"Well, someone also was not supposed to be here until noon. However, you're here," Catherine winked. She stood next to Emily and began to look at the photographs that were projected onto the walls, "It turned out great, yeah?"

"Yes. You're an amazing photographer, Kat," Emily agreed, admiring the results of the photoshoot.

"It's because I work with cool models," Catherine nudged her lightly with her shoulder, "Look how the camera loves you. Are you sure you don't want to try? With you, we can reach new heights, Em."

Emily used to be sure it wasn't hers. Doing something like that would not even have occurred to her if it were not for the very first photo session. After the second photo session, somewhere inside, a worm of doubt appeared. He began to gnaw at her decisiveness, questioning the decision already made.

Maybe if she worked a little longer, she would definitely understand whether she likes it or not. But she didn't have that extra time. And an inner voice suggested that she was already close to solving what she wanted to do. It only remained to take a step. But which step was still unclear.

"To be honest, I enjoyed posing for you, Catherine. Previously, my grandmother often explained to me how to get used to the role. She believed that I could achieve no less success in my film career than she did. I could easily repeat all her recommendations, as well as follow yours, Kat. But when I went to the mirror and looked at myself, I did not see the fire in my eyes that I saw in the eyes of my grandmother when she went on stage.

As a child, I watched her play in the theater many times, I was present on the set. I saw how her eyes and the eyes of her stage partners were burning. "This is what I want to do all my life!" - was clearly visible on their faces."

Emily sighed and looked at Joyce with a slightly sad smile. "I can see the eyes of everyone who works here. I cannot boast of the same, unfortunately."

"Damn, I'm going to cry now," Catherine grabbed Emily and hugged her, "Why weren't you with us from the beginning? Why didn't the goofy Evans find you sooner?"

"Even if he found me, I would hardly agree to it. Then my head was occupied with something completely different."

By the way, I think Kelly offered this job just three years ago, but you, Hayes, were busy helping Miller with the promotion, Emily remembered. Hmm, love sometimes not only makes a person blind but also stupid. 

"Do you want me to tell you a secret why we all have our eyes burning with such a light?"

"Why?" Maybe if she knew the answer to this question, she could figure out how to light her own eyes too?

"Because we went for broke, Emily. We put everything we had on a horse named Justin Evans. We put our lives on his idea and his passion. We have accepted the terms of this game and intend to fight to the end. If you find something that you will be ready to put everything you have on, do not hesitate. Take action! Even if you fail, the risk is worth it. So, keep your chin up, Alpha!"

"Catherine, you are still calling me that?!" Emily laughed and followed the blonde to the next door leading to the main section. She had two days to work left.

"And you'd better ask our people, they will answer you," Joyce gave Hayes an enigmatic smile, "You, the future Mrs. Evans, simply do not see yourself from the outside.. If you don't know where to go, ask someone else. Who knows, maybe a person from the outside will know it better?"