shuffled through paperwork piled on her desk. Two
new sexual abuse cases sat staring at her as she continued to sort
through paperwork.
As grueling and horrific as they were,
sexual abuse cases intrigued Robin. Robin had been trained as the
agency’s sexual abuse specialist. She had been taught interviewing
techniques, early warning signs, healing suggestions for the
survivors, and appropriate ways of testifying in court.
Many of the other cases on her desk were
fraudulent claims. Numerous times, individuals called into the
agency with false allegations. Unfortunately, the agency often
found itself in the middle of feuding families and custody battles.
Luckily, the state laws allowed for an escape and the agency calmly
stepped away from those matters once such a discovery was made.
Robin’s desk phone buzzed. She assumed
another client waited on the other end of the line. She picked up
the receiver listening for the screener’s voice, but instead, Shawn
Portman’s voice came through. He summoned her to the conference
room on the third floor.
Shawn Portman had been the agency’s fearless
director for many years. He had endured many public and political
battles as he struggled to keep the agency’s integrity intact. Well
trained and knowledgeable, he had always managed to emerge from
sticky situations triumphantly.
Shawn’s assistant director, Monica Valence,
filled the duties Shawn became overwhelmed with. Mostly, that had
been personnel duties. As insightful as he was, Shawn depended on
Monica to fight the public relations battles and the personnel
conflicts. She had never disappointed him in her role.
Robin slowly pushed open the large wooden
conference room door. At the table she saw Shawn and Monica and, to
her surprise, Paul. Timidly, she walked to the empty chair at the
end of the table and sat down.
Already, rumors circulated the agency about
the candidates for the supervisor’s job. This would be Robin’s
opportunity to find out whether the rumors were true. Jim told her
he was brought to the conference room and given a verbal rejection.
Terri said that someone in the juvenile ongoing department told him
Shawn sent an email rejecting the simple inquiry into the job.
Others who interviewed talked about the horrible awkwardness of the
interview process. However, Robin was interviewed and felt no
negativity regarding the experience.
Robin waited patiently as Paul spoke first.
“Hello Robin.”
“ Hi Paul.”
With a genuine smile, his eyes offered
comfort.
Shawn began. “Robin, we carefully considered
all of the candidates for Paul’s job.”
A long pause followed. Time seemed to stand
still. The lump in Robin’s throat dropped to her stomach.
Rejection; she knew that feeling.
“ We’d like to offer the
position to you,” Shawn continued.
“ Really?” Amazement and
delight filled her spirit.
“ Yes,” Monica interjected.
“You are very qualified and we took many things into consideration.
You are well educated and came highly recommended.” She glanced at
Paul. “Do you need time to think about it?”
“ Not at all; I am very
sure about taking the job!”
“ It is a salary position,
sixty five thousand a year,” Shawn continued.
Robin’s mouth started to drop but then she
gathered herself and stayed composed.
“ Sixty thousand is the
base rate for the position and the five thousand is for the on call
responsibilities. A year from now, Monica will review your progress
and you’ll be eligible for an increase.”
Monica spoke up. “The on call duties are
split between all of the supervisors. Your health and retirement
benefits won’t change, of course. We’ll be sending you to training
to make sure you’re prepared for leading your department. Each
month we have an administrative brunch, which you’ll be invited to.
They’ll be other things, of course, but we don’t want to overwhelm
you.”
They all chuckled happily.
“ I understand,” she said
graciously.
“ The
new sexual abuse cases sat staring at her as she continued to sort
through paperwork.
As grueling and horrific as they were,
sexual abuse cases intrigued Robin. Robin had been trained as the
agency’s sexual abuse specialist. She had been taught interviewing
techniques, early warning signs, healing suggestions for the
survivors, and appropriate ways of testifying in court.
Many of the other cases on her desk were
fraudulent claims. Numerous times, individuals called into the
agency with false allegations. Unfortunately, the agency often
found itself in the middle of feuding families and custody battles.
Luckily, the state laws allowed for an escape and the agency calmly
stepped away from those matters once such a discovery was made.
Robin’s desk phone buzzed. She assumed
another client waited on the other end of the line. She picked up
the receiver listening for the screener’s voice, but instead, Shawn
Portman’s voice came through. He summoned her to the conference
room on the third floor.
Shawn Portman had been the agency’s fearless
director for many years. He had endured many public and political
battles as he struggled to keep the agency’s integrity intact. Well
trained and knowledgeable, he had always managed to emerge from
sticky situations triumphantly.
Shawn’s assistant director, Monica Valence,
filled the duties Shawn became overwhelmed with. Mostly, that had
been personnel duties. As insightful as he was, Shawn depended on
Monica to fight the public relations battles and the personnel
conflicts. She had never disappointed him in her role.
Robin slowly pushed open the large wooden
conference room door. At the table she saw Shawn and Monica and, to
her surprise, Paul. Timidly, she walked to the empty chair at the
end of the table and sat down.
Already, rumors circulated the agency about
the candidates for the supervisor’s job. This would be Robin’s
opportunity to find out whether the rumors were true. Jim told her
he was brought to the conference room and given a verbal rejection.
Terri said that someone in the juvenile ongoing department told him
Shawn sent an email rejecting the simple inquiry into the job.
Others who interviewed talked about the horrible awkwardness of the
interview process. However, Robin was interviewed and felt no
negativity regarding the experience.
Robin waited patiently as Paul spoke first.
“Hello Robin.”
“ Hi Paul.”
With a genuine smile, his eyes offered
comfort.
Shawn began. “Robin, we carefully considered
all of the candidates for Paul’s job.”
A long pause followed. Time seemed to stand
still. The lump in Robin’s throat dropped to her stomach.
Rejection; she knew that feeling.
“ We’d like to offer the
position to you,” Shawn continued.
“ Really?” Amazement and
delight filled her spirit.
“ Yes,” Monica interjected.
“You are very qualified and we took many things into consideration.
You are well educated and came highly recommended.” She glanced at
Paul. “Do you need time to think about it?”
“ Not at all; I am very
sure about taking the job!”
“ It is a salary position,
sixty five thousand a year,” Shawn continued.
Robin’s mouth started to drop but then she
gathered herself and stayed composed.
“ Sixty thousand is the
base rate for the position and the five thousand is for the on call
responsibilities. A year from now, Monica will review your progress
and you’ll be eligible for an increase.”
Monica spoke up. “The on call duties are
split between all of the supervisors. Your health and retirement
benefits won’t change, of course. We’ll be sending you to training
to make sure you’re prepared for leading your department. Each
month we have an administrative brunch, which you’ll be invited to.
They’ll be other things, of course, but we don’t want to overwhelm
you.”
They all chuckled happily.
“ I understand,” she said
graciously.
“ The
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