Seduced for Revenge: 4 - Interview

‘Not all blue-eyed men are gun-crazed maniacs.’ 

‘They are not all bad. Some are nice people.’

‘He was one guy, and they locked him up.’ 

Regina recited the positive mantra she created to calm down.

“Reggie Martin?” Jonah asked, looking suspiciously at the roster.

“Yeah, it’s Regina Martin. I signed my nickname when I filled out the form. Is that going to be a problem?” She asked, noticing only men were sitting in the waiting area when she looked around.

“We did not expect—”

Regina raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue. ‘Was he about to say, woman? Are these people sexists? Is that why there are only men here today? I think the Labor Department needs to give them a visit.’

Jonah cleared his throat. “Let us head in so we can start the interview.”

“Ms. Regina Martin, here for the nurse position.”

The men at the table looked at her in surprise. Miss? They tried to mask their reactions, but Regina noticed.

“Mr. Myles Bennet to your left.” Myles nodded in his dark blue suit.

“Mr. Yvan Bennet in the middle.” Yvan had a sheepish smile and a glint of mischief in his eyes. Regina nodded, pretending not to recognize the most famous model in the country. 

With his powder blue suit and slicked-back hair, he looked mature, but his signature smile sent a very blinding signal, and there was no denying it was him sitting across the table.

Who would not recognize Yvan? His face grazed every magazine, tabloid, and billboard ad on the side of buildings and buses.

“And Mrs. Hailey Bennet will be your ward if you get accepted,” Jonah introduced.

“Hello, Mrs. Bennet. It’s nice to meet you. I hope you feel good after meeting with so many people today.”

“Oh, that is sweet of you to ask, dear.” 

Myles looked at her credentials, and Regina was everything they looked for in a nurse. She graduated at the top of her class and worked at Grace Medical way before she graduated. 

Grace Medical was well known all over the world as the hospital that revolutionized the health industry. Innovations and top-of-the-line research came out of this hospital and it was every intern’s dream to get in. 

To get accepted meant the individual had the highest recommendations from their professors. 

 “It’s a bit tiring, but the boys are doing the interviews. I’m just here to see if I like the people they talk to. So far, I’ve seen several hot guys I wouldn’t mind tucking me in.” Regina laughed, and the brothers looked at their mom with surprise.

“I’m so glad you came because you remind me of my best friend. She cut her hair that short one summer and cried a lot after.” Mrs. Bennet looked away, and Regina knew that was her cue to pay attention to her potential employers.

It intrigued Myles and Yvan why their brother approved Regina’s interview when Owen had strictly instructed them to hire an all-male crew for their mom.

As they listened to the exchange, they wondered why their mother opened up when she barely uttered comprehensible sentences when the interviewees were male.

Only a handful of interviewees gave their mom any attention, and those were the candidates that Owen had flagged as “potential.”

Myles, being in charge for the moment, wondered, ‘Why should we follow Owen’s type of questioning when it sounded like they were all applying for a technical job?’

Having their mom interact with the interviewee was more important, as she would spend more time with them. 

Sure, he agreed that the muscular guy earlier would fit as their mom’s physical therapist as she needed more exercise and needed someone stern to guide her, but the nurse didn’t need to be a man, right?

Mrs. Bennet had arthritis, and it was hard for her to use her arms and legs, often using the wheelchair to make her life easier. Exercise would help with her mobility.

The caregiver position was still unfilled as they needed someone to stay overnight when the nurse left in the evenings. And Owen specifically said no women.

“Ms. Martin, why are you leaving Grace Medical to work for us? Aren’t you going to be bored sitting with an old lady all day?”

“I came as a representative of the hospital. The administration has decided that since your mother was a big contributor to the hospital, we should send one of our own to care for her.” 

Myles smelled something fishy about this reasoning, but he let her go. And because Regina was good at keeping a poker face, she made her reason sound like a valid excuse.

She did not want to reveal that being their mother’s nurse would help her avoid facing her traumatic experience daily.

“I really like her. She looks and sounds like Mandy. Do you remember Mandy?” Mrs. Bennet tapped at Yvan’s arm and he smiled at her lovingly.

“Yes, Mom. I remember Aunt Mandy. She was the best.”

Yvan had been observing how his mother’s disposition had changed since Regina stepped into the room, and if he could choose, he would pick her to be his mom’s nurse.

Each time Myles tried to interview Regina and ask about her experience of caring for elderly people, Mrs. Bennet would interrupt them with another story about her and Mandy when they were young.

“I was in college when my grandmother started falling ill,” Regina talked over Mrs. Bennet when she turned her attention to Yvan. 

Myles looked like he was in charge and she knew getting his vote was important.

“I volunteered to care for her during my time off, so I understand how to care for your mother as if she was my own.”

“If I may ask, why do you need a nurse to care for her?”

“Our mother’s memory is diminishing. Her illness can be called different names, and we do not name them in front of her because she gets upset. She has not forgotten us yet, but we do not want to wait for the day we lose her because we have been negligent.”

Regina nodded. Alzheimer’s or dementia is the leading illness amongst older people, and neglect always leads to injuries and complications, thus making the rest of their days more difficult, and most often painful.

“Mom said she does not need a babysitter, so we will not require her staff to wear the standard white uniform. But you can wear those colorful scrubs they wear at the hospitals all the time.” 

Myles was talking about the multi-colored, printed scrubs hospital staff at Grace medical used when they were interns.

“Or you can always wear the sexy mini-skirt ones, too.” Yvan earned a beating at the back of his head as soon as he uttered the words.

“I apologize for my brother. He’s a stupid kid filled with unnecessary thoughts.” Regina chuckled. 

‘I could easily get along with this family. They look like nice people.’

“I like her. Tell her to start tomorrow.” Mrs. Bennet said matter-of-factly.

Regina was surprised, and she looked at the Bennet siblings, wondering if they would hire her on the spot. When they averted their eyes, she knew not to ask.

“Would you like some water?” Regina asked, seeing the older lady lick her lips several times and touch her head whenever she spoke. 

Regina ordered the assistant to get Mrs. Bennet a glass of water and ensure they kept her hydrated throughout the day. She knew dehydration could often lead to headaches, and increasing her fluid intake could help avoid it.

This take-charge attitude cemented Myles’ decision that Regina was the best candidate to care for his mom.

“Thank you for coming, Ms. Martin. My older brother is not here today, and he will have the last say in hiring the candidates, but I feel you are a good fit for my mom. We will let you know the results in a few days.” 

Myles did not want to promise Regina anything, but he would definitely try to convince Owen to hire her. Because, with Regina in the room, their mother seemed like herself again. And it was something he wanted to see more of. He missed his mom before the illness started affecting her.