CHAPTER 28
Arlowe had texted her, but it had been brief and mainly to say goodnight the night of their fight, if Eline could call it that.
Then, the following day, Eline had tried calling her, but Arlowe had texted her back instead of answering.
Eline knew it was her fault. She knew that what she was doing was hurting Arlowe.
It hurt her, too, but she couldn’t see another way of doing it.
She needed a job. She needed money. She needed a visa.
She also needed Arlowe. It was all too much, and she couldn’t find a way to have it all – at least, not right now – so she would do the thing that made the most sense.
It meant that she would have to miss Arlowe again, which she wasn’t looking forward to, but if it meant that she could come back and they could be together the right way, she had to do it.
“Eline?”
Eline had gone to the same coffee shop where she had met Arlowe for the first time again, needing a break after talking to her possible future boss one more time about the offer he had sent to her via email, and she looked up when she heard her name.
“Hi, Violet,” she said.
“Just here for some coffee?”
“I needed to get out of my apartment for a little while,” she replied. “How are you?”
“Good. I was grabbing coffee for Stella and me, but can I talk to you, actually?”
Then, Violet sat down across from her without waiting for a reply.
“Yes, of course,” she said and pulled her coffee closer to her, wondering what Violet would need to talk to her about.
“So, Arlowe might be mad at me for telling you this first, but you’re here, and it’s your visa, so I think it makes more sense for me to tell you, and then you can tell her.”
“Right,” she said.
“I talked to our attorney, who has some experience in this stuff, and he said that we’re doing all the right things so far, but he’s a little concerned about us having you in mind to begin with. In other words, there are some ethics issues here.”
“Oh,” she said as she looked down at her coffee cup. “Yes, of course. I understand.”
“Understand what?”
“That you can’t go through with it. I don’t want any of you or the company to get into trouble because of me.”
“No, sorry. I should’ve said this differently.
There are some ethical things to consider, yes, but he also said that he’s worked with other companies that have done the same thing.
They have a candidate in mind first, and they have to work their way around the rules in order to hire them.
So, he’s good with it. He just suggested that we not file the application until we’ve conducted several interviews. That way, the timeline tracks.”
“So, you’re still going to do it?”
“Yeah, we’re doing it. It’s a pretty good market for employers right now, so we’ve gotten over fifty applicants. We also have the fact that we moved up the role because we were going to hire it in the next quarter, but we need it sooner.”
“Except that you don’t.”
“Technically, we do,” Violet stated. “I’m sure you know how many hours Arlowe still puts in, which is way more than she should, and we also lost a junior engineer recently, so that has us understaffed.
Really, we have been perpetually understaffed since we started the company.
” Violet let out a little laugh. “We’ve actually been talking about outsourcing some of the work and still plan to do that, so I think we can start interviewing on Monday.
We’ll have you interview after the first few candidates and go from there. ”
“How long?” she asked, picking up her coffee to take a sip.
“Well, that’s the thing – it can take two to six months to hear back about the visa.”
“I thought so,” Eline said.
“But there is a chance that we can apply for premium processing, which is actually only fifteen business days.”
“What?”
“The basic fee for the application is almost three grand, but if you pay them almost another three grand, I guess they actually care enough to review it much faster and either deny or approve the petition within fifteen business days.”
“Violet, that’s amazing. I know it’s a lot of money, but I would pay the company back. You could take it out of my paycheck until it’s all paid for, along with any of the attorney fees that are because of me.”
“I asked him about this premium thing, and he said we could do it, but that it could also flag it and make them look harder. He’s worked with several companies that have done it a few times, and he said he’d had a higher success rate when the application followed the normal process because USCIS wants to know why you need to hire someone so quickly who can’t be a US citizen.
They sometimes tell you to wait longer before reapplying, so in his eyes, the regular process is best and more likely to be approved. ”
“And if it only took two months, that would be amazing. Three would be cutting it close, but four or more, and I’ll have to go home anyway.”
“I know,” Violet said, nodding compassionately.
“We can still try the premium processing, if you want. It’s just less likely to be successful out of the gate.
Apparently, he only recommends doing that for highly specialized fields, like medical experts in something that no one else studies and a bunch of people are sick or something, and being understaffed in engineering management isn’t good enough. ”
“Well, I suppose the full process will be fine.”
“I’ll have the interviews start next week.
He suggested leaving the role open for at least a month and interviewing at least a third of the applicants over the phone or on video.
In his estimation, that’s a healthy attempt.
He said if we could interview fifty percent of those who are qualified, to be extra thorough, and then bring at least a few people back for a second round or have them complete the assignment and all that, we’ll be in good shape. ”
“So, interviews start next week, but you have to keep it open for a month?”
“Another three or so weeks at least, yes. We can keep it open for longer just to look good, but stop bringing in candidates.”
“It’s still another three weeks. That means more than a month of my four months.”
“Yes.”
“Then, we would file the application?”
“Correct,” Violet replied.
“I swear, the moment I got fired, my brain got foggy. Does that make sense? Everything is happening all at once and so quickly, it’s like I can’t process it all.
Please forgive me. So, after that month, it can take a minimum of two months if we don’t do the premium processing – which the lawyer doesn’t recommend, and I agree based on what you just told me.
” Eline looked over and out the window. “That means if it only takes two months, I could be right up against my window, but it probably won’t be two months.
In my own research, I read that on average, it’s three to four months, and that has me worried. ”
“You might have to leave for a few months before you could come back, yes. At least, we’ll have the process going, and as soon as it’s approved, you could book your flight, or likely, Arlowe will want to do it for you the instant the approval comes in.” Violet chuckled.
“I don’t know about that,” she replied.
“Oh, please. You know the second she finds out, she’s booking you a flight.”
“Things are complicated with Arlowe right now,” she said. “She’s upset with me.”
“What? Why? Wait. Is that why she was sulking around the office yesterday and today?”
“I don’t know for sure, but I can imagine. She’s upset because I got a job offer, and it’s one I might take.”
Violet looked at her, confused.
“You got an offer, but you still need us to process your visa?”
“The office is in Holland, not here. My dad knew someone who needed someone like me. We talked, and he made a verbal offer. Then, he sent one in writing. He wants me to start at the beginning of the month, which isn’t that far away. Arlowe isn’t exactly happy about it.”
“I doubt she is,” Violet said softly. “So, you’d take this job, move back home, and return when you could?”
“That’s my hope. I’d make sure to find a replacement before I left him.
I want to be professional, but I also need a job.
I can do that search or help him interview remotely and not on company time, if you’re worried about that, but I don’t have a lot of money saved.
As it is, I can only pay my rent next month. ”
“You know you can move into the house, right? Hell, Stella and I would let you stay with us if you needed to, but Arlowe would happily offer her bedroom and the rest of the house, too, obviously.”
Eline gave her a soft smile and said, “I know. She has. And I appreciate it. I also know that there’s a little pride thing, as Arlowe calls it, but it’s more than that.
When we met at school, it was perfect. It was magic and love, and I thought we’d have that again.
We had the most amazing second first date, and she slept over and held me.
We kissed, and I could see us kissing only each other forever, and I felt like it was finally happening how it was supposed to; without one of us having to leave the other.
Then I go to work, and that all changes.
This time, instead of Arlowe leaving, it’s me, and I know I could stay a few more months, move into her house, and have her pay for everything while we try to work on the visa.
I could even try to work for the Dutch company from here, but I worry that might mess with my chance of getting the visa approved, so I’d merely be sitting around the house all day, waiting for my flight.
We’re already stressed and under pressure.
That wouldn’t get any easier until this is all settled.
And I know she told you that she proposed.
She tells you all everything.” Eline smiled again.
“I love that she has friends like you. I’ve never had friends how you are all friends. ”
“She said you told her no,” Violet noted.