"Well, I must say your application is... extravagant. You are one qualified individual." The Sargent states, glancing up at me from the top of his glasses.
"As I'm sure you've heard, our lead detective Mr. Johnson is retiring next year. We will need someone to fill in for him and help keep our town safe. I'm sure he wouldn't mind taking someone like you under his wing to teach you how things work around here. You're lucky you came with this at just the right time, we don't just let anyone waltz in here and get a job. You do know what this means, kid, correct?" He sets my application down onto his desk before folding his hands and staring into my eyes.
"Yes sir, I do. Thank you." I sit up straighter. I have to keep a straight face but it's so hard when I want to jump up and scream like a five-year-old.
I stand up from my seat and begin to make it for the door before I hear the Sargent scoff behind me.
"You gonna leave without the job description and schedule, kid? And here I was thinking you wanted this job." He says with a sarcastic smirk before neatly stacking a few papers and stapling them together and holding it out next to him.
I could feel the embarrassment creeping up my neck and spreading to my cheeks. I gave him an apologetic smile before snatching the papers and awkwardly speed walking out of his office and out of the building.
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I swear I must've read through the stack of papers at least a million times by now, soaking in the title, "Junior Detective". I couldn't help but skip down the sidewalk on my way home, it was hard not to. It's not everyday you get your dream job working under someone you've looked up to since.. well, forever. When I reached the door to the house, I couldn't help but swing it open with a happy squeal. I threw my shoes into the corner and smiled with content that all these years of studying wasn't just a dumb waste of time. Absolutely nothing could ruin this moment for me!
CRASH
"You almost broke my record player!" A female voice shouted from upstairs.
The noise barreled down the stairs and settled into your brain causing the worst headache imaginable.
"Cut it out you two! I'll call mom, and you know how she gets when her works interrupted." I shouted back up the stairs to my insufferable siblings. Unfortunately with all the school, I haven't been able to find a stable job and get my own place. Fortunately, my mom was generous enough to let me stay here in my old room until I can find a sufficient source of income. Right as I found my comfortable spot on the sofa, I heard the familiar jingle of keys. I would be able to recognize this sound anywhere, I've known it all my life. My father awkwardly pushed the door open with one foot, balancing two grocery bags in his hands and a stack of envelopes in his mouth safely secured by his teeth. He wobbles over to the kitchen where he sets down the bags and lazily drops the stack of envelopes almost on the edge.
"Long day, huh?" I said with a playful smirk.
He glanced up at me and let out a long sigh, followed by his signature smile. Before he could think of something else to say, he noticed the thick stack of papers sitting next to the groceries. It only took him five seconds to read the title and his head snapped to me with a wide smile plastered on. He ran over to me and engulfed me in his famous bear hug.
"Oh kiddo, this is amazing! I can't believe you're finally getting a job, especially this early out of college.... considering it's, well, you." He said before playfully nudging me with his elbow.
I couldn't stop myself from smiling. "Yep, I start on Friday. I'll be working under Mr. Johnson- the detective." I forcefully stopped myself, something about saying the name of someone you look up to and now work under just feels... wrong.
"You know he's retiring and they're desperate. Sargent said I fit the qualifications perfectly." I said, trying to act cool about the whole thing and like I wasn't currently on cloud-9.
My father smiled at me, stopping to open his mouth like he was about to say something before, as if on cue, the twin monsters came running down the stairs in a fit of laughter. They crowded around him, showing him all the things they've done today; colored pictures, their colorful nails, the normal kid stuff. I used this as an opportunity to snoop around the groceries that were, of course, unneeded. Unfortunately, the only thing I found that I would be slightly interested in was a bag of apples. An unsecured bag of apples might I add, because right as I picked it up to inspect it, one of the, happened to roll out and knock the entire stack of envelopes over. With an annoyed sigh, I hurried to pick up the cursed apple and the envelopes, only, one specifically caught my eye. It was a red envelope. A bright red, as if it was from a children's show with a wax seal that presumably was once bright green but is now murky and crumbling. I glanced back at my father before slipping it into my pocket and placing everything else back onto the counter neatly. I used my siblings distractions as an excuse to boot up the stairs and into my room.
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I sat on my bed, carefully running my hands over the crumbled wax seal before gently turning the envelope over. I was met with no trace of a source this mysterious envelope came from, only our address scribbled onto it in... pencil? It was hard to tell since it has been smudged almost completely. I ran my fingers over the edge before peeling one back.
Jingle Jingle
I heard the sound of my mother's keys in the door. Filled with the excitement of showing her my accomplishment of the day, I threw the envelope into my desk drawer and sprinted down the stairs.