Jag Älskar Dig (I Love You)

She took a breath before typing in the news to the Philippines and gulped at the images she saw. Her chest heaved as she scrolled through the images when something buzzed beside her. Without looking at the number, she read, Can I see u today?

Her sadness was quickly replaced with a swooping motion on her stomach. Oh. My. God. Taking a breath, she texted back, I'm job hunting today and then Minnesota friends are coming. I think my brother and sis in-law too.
K was his only reply. Giana frowned at that short reply and wondered if she should text something else. However before her fingers could type something out, he texted, Good luck. Txt me the good news.

"Yeah that didn't make me nervous at all," she said aloud and went to her email to find Headmaster Belmonte had sent her the recommendation she had asked for along with an update that everyone was still okay. As she organized everything, she didn't hear the door slowly open.
"I was trying to think of how to show you what happened but not upset you," Emma said softly.
Giana lifted a shoulder. "Not like its your fault roomie."

"You're getting together a resume?" Emma asked.
Giana nodded and attached her teaching recommendation on. "Yup. I think I should be decent with this. Two year graduate, did an internship at the Smithsonian and my teaching post."
"I think its more than okay," Emma laughed. "I have breakfast out if you want some."
Giana followed her out with her resume in her hand. "So are you decorating a house today?"
"Office work," Emma said. "And I won't be quite done by the time Leo and Trang get here so don't go snooping around for MacKinnon."
That worked. Giana fully planned to take the girls to Emma's work and they would prank her there. "Okay. Yeah so I'm trying this Filipino American Center place first."
Emma nodded. "Sure. Or you had that summer internship at the Smithsonian before college started. Try there if worse comes to worse."

A few hours late, Giana would have to try the museum. But first she saw the person calling her phone and laughed. "Sup Ted?" She asked her brother's former college roommate. "Are you coming with Chris and Leah?"
"No...I'm stuck in DC but don't bite my head off by my first message," Ted instructed and she laughed. "Your brother says you better find a job-,"
Giana knew where this was going. "And don't go to a murder capital of the world type of place because of my social justice anthropology major," she finished for him.
"Sorry," Ted laughed. "Though I'm sure you figured that was coming from Chris."
"Oh of course. What's the second message?" Giana asked.
"What does busted mean? Emma Facebooked me about something I asked you about," Ted asked. "Maybe I sent you something by accident."
Giana recalled her lie from yesterday. "No, uh..." she laughed. "Emma has a first draft pick hockey player living above us and keeps bugging her for a date. I met one of his teammates future wife the other day and didn't want to get yelled at for it. Like I was plotting behind her back. So I lied and said you asked about the disbanded Iraqi Republican Guard."
"Ohhh. Damn I could've lied about that," Ted laughed. "So. Anyways, it seems like you're looking for a job right now?"
"Yup. I tried a Filipino-American Center but got turned down. The president guy Jose and his wife Bea said they had nothing for my skill level but they're totally having me volunteer and I'll get to perfect my Tagalog."
"Okay. That's cool at least. You still have my name down as a reference," Ted asked.
She nodded. "Of course. We'll see how this museum thing goes. I'll have to talk to you later because I'm at the museum now."

Taking a moment, she breathed in and out then opened her eyes to see a lady in her 80's struggling with the massive doors. "Here," Giana said and held open the heavy door. "Do you need help with those boxes?"

The lady smiled. "If its not too much trouble dear."
Giana gladly took the heavier boxes while ignoring the pain in her shoulder and arm. "I'm Giana Russo by the way."
"Ruth Johnston," the lady replied and opened the trunk to her car. Giana deposited her box and lifted one Ruth was carrying into the trunk for her. "Here," Ruth said and started to dig in her wallet for money.
Automatically, Giana took a step back. "No, no, no."
Ruth put away her wallet. "Are you sure?" She asked incredulously.
"Of course!" Giana promised. "I mean, in general you should just help people but I especially just came back from living in the Philippines. So..." Giana blew out nervously. "I'm looking for a job here. Hopefully they have something for anthropology."

"Hmm..." Ruth hummed at her. "How very nice. Well! I'll let you be on your way! Thanks Giana and good luck with your job."
Giana smiled and parted to go find the help desk inside the museum. She was then directed upstairs to a Doctor Schulz and knocked quietly at the door. When she heard a come in, Giana slowly opened the door. "Hello, I was wondering if I could drop off a resume," she said quietly as if she were in a library.
Doctor Schulz glanced at the header of her resume. "Giana Russo?" He asked. "I was told to give you a job."

Her spine straightened and she blinked in utter confusion. "How am I getting a job when you just glanced at my name?" Giana asked. "It's not because I survived that volcanic eruption that just happened in the Philippines, is it? That's a bit silly if that's the case."
Doctor Schulz removed his reading glasses. "I was told by one of the board members to hire you without question."
Someone at the hospital? Giana wondered. For sure not anyone from the Avalanche. Or...
"You seemed to impress one of our board members," Doctor Schulz said. "I'm not sure of the situation but I was told simply to hire you."
Again, she blinked. "Board member..." she murmured and wondered if it was that Ruth lady from outside. Instead of asking, she cleared her voice, straightened her posture and set her resume down in front of him. "I don't get jobs handed to me. Please interview me." When he stared at her, she poked it closer to him.

After making a noise in his throat, he read and let off a lot of curious hmms. "Very interesting. Don't think bad of me for saying this, but you seem like one of the popular peppy cheerleaders but the brains of a scholar."
"Uh, well," she said awkwardly. "I suppose it doesn't say it in my resume but I had to be convinced by my brother to not go to Honduras to try to help the country somehow but instead went to teach in the Philippines."
Doctor Schulz let out an ah sound. "Of course. Brave of you-,"
"But stupid?" Giana filled in for him with a smile. "Yeah. My big brother told me to go on to grad school or go teach abroad."
"At least it seems like you respect your brother," Doctor Schulz smiled back at her.
"Yeah. He and my eldest sister are cool. The twins need their egos deflated, Dad needs to lighten up some things and definitely put down the work phone and my mom needs to stop screaming about whatever the new protest fad is now. I suppose not Occupy Wall Street anymore."
His brows furrowed together. "What they think about you going into anthropology?"
"Nothing helpful to their careers," Giana said. "And the English teaching they said was people's excuses for not knowing what to do for a job."

As Doctor Schulz read, he said, "You did gymnastics growing up and then cheerleading, excellent grades, you seem more than handy with languages and you have a calling for social justice. I hardly think that's not knowing what to do with your life or something embarrassing."
"Ah, thanks," she said. "I mean, I'm not exactly experienced in museum work just a summer internship-,"
"Which you got a glowing review for," Doctor Schulz replied. "And from one of our affiliate museums no less." He finally finished reading. "I don't see why we can't find you something to do. Maybe assist a few of the history curators."
Giana perked up. "That sounds interesting. What history departments exactly."
"Native American and Ancient Civilizations. Ancient Civilizations being the Greek, Roman and Egyptian ones," Doctor Schulz replied and smiled as she gaped. "If you don't mind, I'll keep this for the time being so your possible future bosses can read this. I'll call you tomorrow Miss Russo."
"Y-y-yeah!" She stammered as he laughed in delight. "Of course! Yeah, call me tomorrow! Totally!"

Giana managed to wait until she was down the block before she started whooping with excitement. She hadn't exactly imagined working with history stuff but it still sounded seriously cool!
"Well, someone's excited," a guy commented behind her.
"Oh shut up Matt. Wait, HEY!" A slightly familiar voice called behind her.
Spinning around, she squinted at the girl and said, "Uh...Ashley? Haley's friend?"
Ashley smiled. "Soooo. You got that job Haley showed you?" She asked hopefully.
Giana shrugged. "They weren't hiring but were totally down for giving me volunteering. And I get to keep learning Tagalog so I totally owe Haley coffee or something!" Ashley's boyfriend laughed. "But seriously! I might be assisting at the museum for the Native American exhibit curator and the Ancient Civilizations! I get the official yay or nay call tomorrow!"

Ashley's boyfriend smiled. "Ancient Civilizations as in mummies? Better hope its not like that Mummy movie," he teased.
As Giana laughed, Ashley smacked his arm hard. "MATT! You're such a jackass!"
"Hey right now I'd take a live mummy over another volcanic eruption," Giana said honestly.
Now that she had Matt in front of her, she was about to ask his opinion on the Nate and Emma matter but he said instead, "So. Gabe said he wanted you to come to the pre home opener party tomorrow? The players bring their girlfriends and wives."
Making a face, she answered truthfully, "I barely met him. Like we haven't even been together for more than thirty minutes! I mean, we've sort of texted but he hasn't said anything like that."

Ashley curiously cocked her head to the side as Matt nodded. "I suppose I see your point. Plus didn't Haley say you were hurt?"
"I'm on some heavy drugs," Giana admitted.
"Plus that's kind of a crappy first date, let alone getting to know each other. Through a pro sports team event," Matt mused. "Yeah. I get where you're coming from one hundred percent."

Giana felt her phone buzz from an alarm. "Speaking of which I need my meds," she sighed as Ashley awed with sympathy. "I guess I'll see you two later."
"Right. I'll pass on the message to Gabe," Matt said. "And I'm Matt Duchene by the way."
"Giana Russo. See you guys later," Giana said. As she walked away, she didn't bother to look up that she had just talked to another one of Colorado's high draft picks but her possible new job.

Notes