Chapter 4 An Email

Saturday passed in the blink of an eye and Sunday morning came like any other day for Evelyn. She woke up at half past five in the morning, as undoubtedly, she was an early bird.

Still in bed, Evelyn stretched her body and then peeked outside through the window curtains. The usually busy street of Lex City looked pleasingly quiet to her. "Morning to me!" she said to herself. Her morning voice sounded deeper and raspier than usual, which was quite different from her usual voice. Rolling out of bed, Evelyn headed straight to the washroom. She could find her way even with her eyes closed as if the layout of her apartment was imprinted in her mind. She had been living in her current apartment for over two years now.

After using the washroom, Evelyn washed her face to get rid of drowsiness, and then brushed her teeth, taking her time until she felt fully refreshed. Since it was Sunday, there was no rush. After freshening up, Evelyn headed to the kitchen, making sure to prepare her morning drink: lukewarm water with freshly squeezed lemon juice and a tablespoon of honey. She enjoyed sitting leisurely on a small stool and savouring the drink for a while. That is how she fancied it.

Evelyn normally has an extremely laid-back attitude all the time, but it goes into full mode, especially during the morning. Her eyes remain glued to the wall clock which was hung up on the front wall of the living room, displaying a quarter past six in the morning. After quickly finishing her drink, she proceeds with her morning workout routine. She lays out her yoga mat and begins with pranayama, followed by various yoga asanas and breathing exercises, and then stretching exercises. Next, she focuses on exercises targeting specific parts of her body before doing some cardio. It is evident that she is pretty skilled at yoga, given her years of practice.

The next step of her morning routine is cleaning. At exactly quarter to seven, she starts to clean her small rented apartment and finishes in twenty minutes. Once she is done and satisfied with the cleaning, Evelyn heads to her bedroom to take a shower. A refreshing shower is all she needs. She allows the water to work its way to her body. The water helped her in relieving all the passivity from her system and at the same time caressed her skin like a lover, giving her eternal happiness and youth. By this time, she feels fully charged for the day. Since it was Sunday, she opted for a comfy white cotton T-shirt and baggy cotton shorts instead of formal wear. "Why it is so hot today?"

Just as Evelyn made her way out of the bathroom, she felt her stomach protesting in hunger for the second time. The first time was when she was in the shower. Listening to the grumbling sound of her stomach, she headed towards the kitchen to prepare herself breakfast and a cup of tea. She loved drinking tea, and she fancied it even more along with her breakfast. This has been her morning routine that Evelyn has been following sacredly ever since she turned nineteen and so far, nothing has changed.

As Evelyn set her breakfast on a not-so-fancy tray, she made her way to the living room and sat at the small dining table to enjoy her meal while catching up on the morning news. After finishing breakfast, she checked her phone for notifications and noticed an email from her company. Since it was unusual to receive work-related emails on weekends, she wanted to make sure it was not something urgent. Upon clicking the email, the content in it soon displayed on her phone screen...

***

From: HX-TCGxxIBr@hcg.com

To: EvelynRay1100@hcg.com

Subject: Congratulations Ms. Evelyn Ray on Your Selection for the Sol-Software Training Program at HX-TCG Headquarters.

Dear Ms. Evelyn Ray,

Every year, the HX-TCG organization provides the opportunity to its employees to go through multiple career-oriented programmes. We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected for the Sol-Software training program sponsored by HX-TCG. This decision was made based on the recommendation of your respective department head and your outstanding performance in our I Branch.

The training will take place at our headquarters in C Country, and the tenure of this program is four years. During the first six months, you will receive hands-on training on the new software, which our company plans to launch within the next two years across the globe. The launch will initially be done within our branches at first and thereafter, at the workplaces of our clients from across the globe. Following this training phase, there will be an execution phase, during which you will work at our headquarters for about a year and a half as part of a testing and technical team along with other employees, who are also selected from the various branches of HX-TCG. As a team, you will be responsible for carrying out the testing and implementation phase and also working on real-life projects.

Afterward, you will be assigned to one of our branches for the remaining two years, where you will provide training to technical staff and assist with any technical as well as fundamental queries related to Sol-Software.

Please note that this is a legally binding four-year contract, and you are expected to stay with the company for the entire duration. All accommodation and travel expenses will be covered by the company, and your salary will remain consistent, with possible modifications.

For further formalities, please contact the HR Department of your branch.

Good luck!

Regards,

HX-TCG, Branch Office, I Country

***

Evelyn places her phone on the empty seat next to her. She somewhat has mixed feelings about the email she just received. No matter how composed and confident she was in the eyes of others, there was a part of her that never stopped doubting her ability. A part of her that never stops bothering Evelyn and questioning her worthiness of this opportunity or for anything of that matter.

At present, there was an opportunity at her doorstep. Her mind plays its game again, making Evelyn question herself.

'How come I got this opportunity?' Evelyn wonders.

'Do I deserve this?' Evelyn could not help but think over and over again, even when she claimed that she was not an overthinker.

Her heart is in turmoil. She can feel butterflies in her stomach as well. No one except Evelyn knows what is going on in her heart. The awful memory of her past tries to make its way toward Evelyn once again, but somehow, she does not want to let her demon chase away her only opportunity. The demon from her past was telling Evelyn that she was not worthy of it, but Evelyn wanted to save herself from drowning in the depths of her insecurities. At this moment, Evelyn knew she needed to be her own biggest support system. While she often underestimates herself, now is not the time for that. "I totally deserve this," she reassures herself, and with that, she regains her confidence.

As Evelyn managed to get rid of the dark clouds of self-doubt out of her mind, she was now actually able to think clearly this time. She felt a mix of delight, thrill, and nervousness all at once, and these emotions coursed through every fibre of her being. She was thrilled and excited because she knew that it was a rare opportunity, a one-time offer to learn something new. Yet at the same time, she felt nervous and a little bit reluctant to accept this offer because leaving your home country is not as easy as it seems to be.