"I'm not so sure about this, Mavis." Vlad ran an uncomfortable finger under his collar, a collar that felt too tight, like how he imagined a choke collar felt on a dog. "I don't think I want to apply for a different job. I'm happy at the college."
"Of course you are," Mavis agreed, "and it's a very nice little job. But wouldn't you like to make some real money?"
"Schuyler College pays me well," Vlad said.
"Being paid 'well' and making major bucks are two entirely different things, darling. Now stand up straight and let me look at you."
Reluctantly Vlad straightened, feeling like a small boy being inspected by his mother. Mavis did remind him a little bit of his mother. Mavis was bossy, pushy and relentless, just like his mother had been. But his mother had a soft side and so far Vlad hadn't been able to detect any such thing in Mavis Schuyler. On the other hand, Mavis was a beautiful woman and Vlad was flattered by her interest in him. He just wished that he didn't feel like the interest Mavis was showing him wasn't going to last much longer than Thanksgiving leftovers might. "Well?"
"Splendid!" Mavis assured him. "Now I've set up your interview for three o'clock today."
"Mavis, I have a class at that time."
"Well, cancel it, darling!"
"I can't do that. We have a test scheduled for today. I can't cancel."
"Vlad! I went to a lot of trouble to get you that interview. And you'll adore Bernard. He looks just like Warren Beatty."
"I'm sorry, Mavis. I don't care if your friend is a dead ringer for Santa Claus. You know that I have other issues on my mind right now. I need to straighten out this mess with my daughter--"
"You don't even know if Tiffany is your daughter!"
"No, but don't you think that's something I should find out? Truly, Mavis, this isn't the best time for me to even consider going on a job interview. I thank you for the trouble you've gone too but I'm not going to reschedule. I'm going to cancel it."
Mavis glared at Vlad. "Vlad--" she began but was interrupted by her son Tyler.
"Mom, can I borrow one of Dad's ties?" Tyler stopped when he spotted Vlad standing in the middle of his mother's bedroom. "Oh, excuse me."
"Tyler, please meet my new friend Vlad. I won't tell you his last name because I can't pronounce it."
"I'll come back later when you aren't busy," Tyler mumbled.
"Now don't be rude," Mavis said. "Take a tie. Take all of your father's ties. What do you need them for?"
"I have a job interview at Kutrate Kemicals."
"What a coincidence," Vlad remarked. "Mavis, maybe you should apply there too. Kutrate Kemicals seems to be the most popular place to work in Schuyler Square."
Mavis laughed. "Vlad, people like me simply don't work for anyone else! Actually, people like me don't work. My job is to make the people around me happy."
"Nice work if you can get it," Vlad said. He turned away from Mavis. There was something about the woman that reminded him of a spider and Vlad was not in the mood to get entangled in her web.
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