Chapter 7 Life Goes On

• Beatrice
• Surprisingly, I quickly found an excellent job opportunity. I had sent out several resumes and contacted friends I had studied with at university, so when I received a call inviting me for an interview at a nationwide newspaper, I was thrilled to see my efforts rewarded so quickly. Staying at home was not an option, especially when my friends were together. Janet and Charles, her husband, being together made me feel affected by the love they showed each other. It's hard to understand why my marriage went so wrong. So, when I was selected for the position at the Daily News, I was thrilled, not just for the job but also for the great offer I received.
• Just five days after filing for divorce, I was starting work at the Daily News. I worked in the newspaper's gossip column, in the entertainment section, something I would need to adapt to. Although I didn't exactly like topics related to famous people, I needed that job to get out of the melancholy I was in. I didn't mind the fact that I wasn't in the same position I had always dreamed of having when I was still a journalism student. I dreamed of being an international correspondent.
• This would be my first permanent job, though I had worked as an intern before at another, much smaller newspaper than the Daily News, and it was a bit challenging to adapt.
• It's hard to get into the groove, especially when my thoughts insist on always returning to Edward, his crystal-clear blue eyes making me eager to see him again, no matter how wrong that was.
• "Forget about it, girl!" I scold myself aloud.
• I return to my task, typing an article slowly for the edition that would be released the next day, and I hear someone knock on my office door.
• "Come in," I authorize, curious to know who it was.
• A handsome man enters my new office and looks at me with a friendly smile, just as he seems to be.
• "Hello, I'm Andrew Smith," he introduces himself cordially. "You must be the new hire here at the newspaper, am I right?"
• "Yes, that's correct," I confirm, also smiling. "I'm Beatrice Pagett."
• We exchanged a brief handshake, but still, I can say that I quite liked my new colleague.
• "Welcome!" he greets me, politely. "I'm very pleased to have you with us, Beatrice."
• "Thank you, Andrew," I thanked, averting my eyes, feeling a bit shy about the situation.
• "They asked me to give this to you," he explains, handing me a file folder.
• Andrew Smith is a handsome man with brown hair and a contagious smile, much taller than me, and just like with Edward, I also need to look up to be able to face his face. But, feeling a bit embarrassed, I don't do that and just content myself with looking anywhere else but Andrew's beautiful light green eyes.
• "If you need anything, just call, we're here to help each other," he offers.
• "I appreciate your offer a lot and will remember it when I feel unsure about anything," I replied, in a playful tone. "I've never written for the gossip column and am feeling a bit lost."
• I felt insecure about my new job, and in these circumstances, any help would be welcome.
• "Then you can count on me," he reinforces his offer. "I'm in the room next door, just let me know if you have any doubts."
• After Andrew left the room, I redirected my attention to the tasks at hand, trying to finish at least one article that day. However, my thoughts kept returning to my ex-husband and our failed marriage, where my love was abundant, but I was deeply hurt by Edward's rejection.
• Therefore, I made an effort to push away those thoughts and recalled the words of my friend, who made me realize that it was necessary to look to the future and try to restart my life, detached from Edward, seeking to build my happiness from now on.
• When the workday finally concluded, I returned to my temporary residence, where Janet and her husband, Charles, welcomed me for dinner. This warm attention brought me a great deal of joy, as it was exactly what I needed.
• "How was your first day at work?" Charles asked, genuinely interested in my response.
• "I felt a bit insecure in some situations, but overall, it went well," I shared with them. "I'm glad to have gotten the job at the newspaper. I felt comfortable working there."
• "We're happy to hear that you're enjoying it, Beatrice," Janet expressed her joy. "It's good to keep the mind occupied with productive activities."
• "I certainly need to keep busy. After all, life goes on, doesn't it?"
• Of course, life goes on, despite the challenges we encounter along the way. Janet and Charles nodded in agreement as we continued to enjoy dinner.
• That night, as I prepared to sleep, I reflected on my first day at the newspaper. Andrew's kindness and Janet and Charles's support gave me a comforting sense of belonging and hope. It was an opportunity to rise again and discover a new phase of my life.
• The next days at the newspaper flew by. With Andrew's help and that of other colleagues, I began to feel more at ease in my new role. The gossip column was challenging, but with each article I wrote, I gained confidence in my abilities.
• My friendship with Andrew was something that helped me strengthen myself more and more; we became closer, and the fact that he held a higher hierarchical position than mine never negatively affected our relationship. In fact, Andrew was always praising my work, which motivated me to improve every day, and I was making significant progress in my new role, writing good articles and conducting interesting interviews that captivated the audience. We also talked about various topics, from work to our personal interests.
• As I always repeated to Janet and Charles, life is moving on.