Tom and Cristina

"Hola! Mi nombre es Cristina. Treinta años. De Brooklyn." 

"Hola, Cristina. Now can you say that again in English, please," Tom gently chided. He's scheduled to pick his mother up from the airport in an hour and he's still stuck in this 'Learn English in 30 Days' class. 

"¿Cómo?" 

Tom looked up from his phone and stared at the girl who sat in the front row with her legs crossed. Except for the formidable look on her face, you wouldn't give her a second glance wearing those slept-in harem pants, oversized shirt, and red Chucks. 

"The way I taught you for the past week and a half. Haven't you been paying attention?" 

"Well, I have, Mr... uh... what's your last name again?" 

"You speak English like an American. Why are you in this class?" 

"Oh, no need to discuss that in front of an audience. We can talk in my office on the 50th floor. Class dismissed." 

With that Cristina Aracely Acevedo, the CEO of Manhattan's controversial ABCD company, walked out of the room. Every person gaped at her with a confused look and wondered what she just said. Everyone except Tom. He knew exactly what she meant. He's going to get the boot. Again. Five jobs in 6 months. He can already hear his mother's shrill, condescending tone saying, "Why can't you hold down a job? You're 35 years old!" 

The truth is, if Tom had his way he'd make music for a living. Songwriting is his passion. As a kid, he couldn't concentrate in class because of the tunes in his head that vie for his attention. To this day, he does not know how he managed to finish high school and get a liberal arts degree. 

Tom entered Cristina's office armed with a rehearsed statement about how he deserves a second chance. Surely a week and half does not give an entire picture of what he can contribute to the company. If she's a reasonable and logical person, she would see that it's in everyone's best interest to keep him on. After all, no one lasts more than 3 months in this job, so he heard. 

"Ms. Acevedo..." 

"Please, Cristina." 

"Okay. Cristina, I know the lateness looks bad and the texting, but my mother is landing in JFK at any moment and she needs me to pick her up. She's sick and I'm the only child..." 

"Tom, right?" 

"Yes." 

"Your resume says that you have been in 15 other jobs before this. All within the same year." 

"I can explain." 

"You don't need to. I was just wondering whether you'd like to take over my job as head of this company." 

----- 

Tom woke up with a splitting headache. He vaguely remembered agreeing to become the CEO of a company that is about to collapse, signed documents, and celebrated over Tequila with a couple of friends. What has he done? What does he know about running a company? The high-pitched ring tone of his iPhone stirred him from his thoughts. 

"Hello?" 

"Tom. I heard what happened. Were you sleeping with the boss or something?" His friend, Julio, laughed at his own joke. 

"No." 

"Why not? Is she not hot enough for you?" 

"It's not that. She is attractive in an understated way. Kind and extremely smart too." 

"So what's the problem?" 

"The problem is she's not attracted to me. Which is good because she saw through my handsome boy facade and saw my intelligent and capable brain so she made me CEO. Isn't that great?" 

"Tomas Alfonso Baez, you are the man!!! But why wasn't I invited to the party last night?" 

"It was no party. And you didn't answer your phone." 

"I was... busy. But congratulations, papi!" 

Tom hung up and puzzled over whether congratulations was appropriate in this case. 

----- 

Tom stood by the huge glass windows and looked out at the New York City skyline that looked pink, orange, and purple against the sun sinking below the Hudson River. The magical sight, however, was lost in a sea of doubt and insecurity that plagued his thoughts since he first set foot in Cristina's office a year ago. 

The company was in dire straits when he first took the helm. Tom was able to change its direction from a certain demise to a tentative success. Everyone, including Tom, was surprised at his aptitude for management. There was no shortage of critics and naysayers. Tom proved them all wrong. Not that he set out to do so in the first place. If he were honest with himself, he'd admit that he simply held his breath during the first 6 months and hoped for the best. 

Tom thought that Cristina would at least stick around in an advisory capacity as he dipped his toes into the water, so to speak. But Cristina vanished into thin air. Rumors circulated that she moved to New Zealand with her fiancé. Still others surmised that she died of cancer. Whatever it was, she was probably desperate enough to leave ABCD with an English teacher who did not even know how to manage his own life, let alone a failing organization. But look who's laughing now, Tom thought. 

----- 

Cristina sat by the harbor and stared at the boats that floated along the Seine. Paris is dreamy in the early morning before all the tourists show up to take pictures and scream at their errant children. As she took stock of the week ahead, she was acutely aware of the fleeting nature of the slow pace her life has taken over the past few months. Soon she will have to face a different reality, whatever that means. The life of a CIA agent is anything but predictable. 

To be continued. 

River Seine.