THE MOMENT
Few things were more confusing than a sour-faced woman with a lovely bouquet of roses. Kurt was hesitant to approach, but he had to say something. He was there to meet Sarah for lunch, and upon seeing her defeated expression he realized the rest of his day was likely about to get hijacked by whatever it was that caused her mood. He crossed the moderately busy diner to join her at her table.
"Happy Birthday?" he asked with a friendly pat on her shoulder. She acknowledged him, and almost smirked, but that was as much as he got from his best friend of 18 years. At least he could see enough signs that she wasn't mad at him.
"You have no idea...," she shook her head with a heavy eye roll. Her facing moving left and right while her brown eyes gazing upward was enough to make Kurt chuckle. "First of all-,"
"Hi, excuse me," neither of them had noticed the teenage girl with twin pink braids wearing a white blazer and slacks approach their table. "I'm sorry to bother you," she added quickly when Sarah failed to hide her annoyed expression. "My name's Justice, and I represent Sharp Development. We've had our eye on you for a bit, and we've learned you were recently let go. I'd like to formally offer you a position with Sharp Development," she said.
"You were fired!?" Kurt asked, but Sarah waved him off.
"Doing what? I've never heard of Sharp Development," she replied. "How old are you?"
"That's personal and irrelevant," Justice smiled. "You wouldn't have heard of the company," Justice glanced around, at the patrons minding their own business and shrugged. "We're a multiversal corporation. And as such, we've actually had enough of your alternate selves working for us that we're always on the hunt for more. You seem to consistently be a good worker across all realities," she said.
"Wait.. is this a joke?" Surprisingly, Kurt was having a hard time believing it, but the timing was impeccable for Sarah. She was very much at a point where she needed to believe in something bigger.
"I'm interested, but it's not a good time," she nodded. "Can we set up something more formal?"
"Of course," Justice nodded with a grin. She stepped forward and offered Sarah a clear glass card. "That's called a node. It's used like a smart phone and there's a tutorial to help you learn its functions. Please, contact someone at Sharp Development when you're ready."
"Thank you, Justice, I will," Sarah accepted the card, and Justice turned to walk off with a final wave at both of them.
"I feel like you're pranking me, but I don't even understand it...," Kurt said as soon as they were alone again.
"You deserve a pranking!" Sarah said. "You got me fired!"
"What?? HOW??"
"What do you mean 'HOW'?" I've been complaining non-stop about how ridiculous the boss's daughter is. She's uptight, dense, sensitive, entitled, and worst of all, self-conscious," she sighed.
"I appreciate the gesture, but sending roses to 'the most beautiful' c-suite employee' to me and not her?? You had to have guessed how personally she'd take that."
"Oohh yeah...," Kurt nodded sheepishly. "I just don't think of her if you're not talking about her..," he replied.
"Yeah, well..," she fiddled with the clear glass card, watching it catch the light. "...I guess I don't have to think about her either anymore. Maybe it's a good thing."
"Damn right," Kurt nodded. "It was my plan all along to get you fired. Happy birthday!"
