Maryam Mazda sat in the waiting room waiting for her interview. Now and then she glanced up as one does when conscious they are under observation and the eyes of a dozen others in the waiting room averted and pretended to be absorbed in the magazines on their laps or some imaginary thing on the opposite wall.

She smiled to herself knowing her olive skin and jet-black hair stood her out in the crowd of Caucasians in the room. She waited a few seconds and glanced up again quickly to see those eyes boring into her again. This time she locked eyes with them all and smiled winningly. Their eyes opened wide in surprise and most of them gave a tentative smile in return. She knew there was no animosity in those people as they studied her. They were simple people not used to seeing foreigners in this part of the country. Probably most of them had never been out of this large town quite far from the state capital where she had recently been working.

Her husband Rostam was the eldest son of a notable Parsee industrialist family and in line to take over the full responsibility of this family company that produced industrial chemicals. But he’d been taken from them at a relatively young age leaving her with two young children to bring up by herself.  His legal will had given her sole inheritance of his stake in the company, but this had been overruled by her father-in-law who’d never been in favor of the marriage.

Parsees had suffered greatly from Muslim invasion and oppression in the early centuries of our current era and their ancient Zoroastrian religion suppressed. As Maryam’s parents had been Muslim this was a great betrayal by their eldest son Rostam in considering a Muslim girl as marriage partner. However, they’d tolerated Maryam as their son was the linchpin of their rapid expansion in business but now, he was no more with them she was out of favor with the family.

Maryam had been one of those Iranian refugees that had fled persecution in their homeland with her family when the revolution occurred and her earliest memories growing up were not of Iran but of this country now her chosen home. She was unaware as a child of her parents struggle to learn a new language and accept work that was far below their status in life before they fled from Iran. Maryam’s father had been in banking in Iran and therefore able to rescue some of their wealth getting it out through the international banking system but was unable to save their extensive real estate assets left behind these now being confiscated by the new regime. So, there was enough to establish the family but a humiliation for her father to have to accept lesser jobs because of his limitation in English.

So, Maryam realizing she was estranged from her Moslem family through her marriage to a Parsee knew she’d be unable to return to her family on her husband’s death. She fought for her rights by taking her in laws through the courts to claim her inheritance and they’d come to a compromise. She signed over her rights on family agreement to a very substantial payout and fled the city to get away from pressure from both her parents and her in laws to take the children away from her. She had a girl and a boy, and she knew both sets of grandparents would have their eyes on them. She was particularly afraid of the powerful Mazda family who would have their eye on Rostam’s son. They considered this child to be one to eventually take a prominent place in their corporate holdings and they’d insist he went to the best schools. Maryam was happy with that but didn’t want to let them have access to the children to attempt to turn them away from their mother at this young age. Her son could make up his own mind when the time came for him to choose his future by himself on maturity. As for her daughter, she wanted her to have the right to choose her own husband in future rather than be forced into a marriage she didn’t want.

She’d been able to purchase a beautiful home in this town and still have enough invested to provide enough for their daily needs and a good education for her children in one of the private schools in town. But she needed to work as she was not one to laze around the home and had occupied a responsible position in the city and in the early years before they had children, she’d attended university and obtained an MBA.

Local citizens were not hostile to her sudden appearance in town. She was more a curiosity because of her olive skin and jet-black hair and the locals watched her carefully for her first few weeks living there and eventually accepted her as part of the scene. Maryam was happy that in this semi-rural setting each home had plenty of yard space and parks and within ten kilometers of the town boundary there were farmlands and a large river where locals swam and fished. There were very few industries, so pollution was at a minimum and it was nice to breathe the pure air after the smog of the city she’d left.

She’d been lost in her thoughts now the waiting room people had lost interest in her and now surprised when her name was announced, and the secretary motioned for her to enter the room as one of the applicants exited. She hastened toward the door and entered an office.

The one behind the desk smiled and indicated she should sit. It was much more casual than the city where you could face a group of somber people after previous interviews and the usual personality and psychological tests and knew you were now fighting a small number of the best educated applicants in a final review before the lucky one was chosen.

Maryam relaxed and smiled back as the man introduced himself as the CEO of this milk product industry the largest employer in the town. In the city the CEO would never have been involved in such an informal situation, this being the preserve of the Human Resources person. But she was on sick leave today and the CEO decided to fill in for her. They couldn’t afford to leave this position unfilled waiting for the HR person to return.

The man had introduced himself as Bill Meyers indicating casually, he was the CEO. He checked her paperwork again to refresh his memory and then turned to her.

“I think you’re overqualified for his job Maryam as you’ve worked for a very large corporation in a responsible administrative position. Why don’t you tell me why you decided to leave the city and come to our town? That’s quite a sacrifice don’t you think? This culture is quite different to what you are used to also. While our hundreds of workers are dedicated and good at their work it’s a more relaxed atmosphere and we are on first name basis rather than the formality you’d be used to in your previous position. Do you think you could work within our cultural setting? Judging by this paperwork you would find the job less challenging?”

“Well, I’ve studied the job requirements and know I can handle the job. I’ve also worked with difficult people in the city and know how to get the job done in the nicest way possible. I love the town atmosphere and think I’ve broken down prejudices against the fact I look different and am not a threat to the town. I would enjoy the informality you describe and fully intend to win over those who may not be happy if you appoint me which I hope you will.”

Maryam then launched into her life story, covering it as quickly as possible knowing there were others the CEO would probably have to interview. Then she sat waiting for Bill Meyers response.

He sat silently for a while processing her story then made eye contact with her and came to a decision.

“Maryam I’ve decided to recommend you for this position and will call a meeting of the board members available tomorrow and its fairly certain they’ll go along with my recommendation, However I do need to interview others who are asking for the job in fairness so I can give a description of each applicant to the board as they have the final word and I’m obliged to go through that process. I’m hopeful the board will go with my recommendation but will contact you when the board has met and acted. In the meantime, you can call me Bill and I’m looking forward to working with you as the CFO of the company if board members agree.

Maryam was excited, feeling on top of the world and pleased at having something to occupy her talents while her children were in day care or school. Bill Meyers had been very comfortable with her observation she’d be able to deal with the core hours of business and he was equally comfortable with her request to conduct some of the responsibilities of her work at home online evenings and weekends. As the CFO she knew there would be times when the board was called for a night session and would have to seek out trusted people in town who were looking for work in the home and prepared to occasionally look after her children at night if there was to be a company function and take her children to health care related appointments or occasionally pick up her children from daycare or school. She headed for the newspaper office to place that ad having a strong feeling she’d get the job.

Bill Meyers phoned Maryam the next afternoon to confirm her appointment and request she present herself the following morning to be introduced to the administrative staff and orient herself to the job with those under her span of control as Chief Financial Officer. Things were moving quickly, and she realized she needed to have urgent help in the home to enable her to do this job successfully. Failure was not possible as her reputation around town would be impacted if she failed when one of the leading citizens had placed faith in her.

The orientation was successful and those who’d have to work under her instructions in financial administration workforce skeptical when they heard a stranger to town had been appointed as their next CFO, and a foreigner at that, soon understood this woman was experienced in the financial world and personable enough to fit in as team leader rather than top-down administrator. Maryam immersed herself in the history of the company quickly and studied systems and performance in place. But she was having trouble getting suitable help in the home and realized this could very quickly impact on the quality of her work and even possibly her job.

Fortunately, the period of her initiation into the way this company functioned took place after Christmas break giving her time to get on top of her job while much of the town was in holiday mode and a significant number of staff were taking their vacation during this holiday season. She’d tried out several people in her home and things had not worked out for one reason or another. Sometimes there was incompatibility between housekeeper and children, or they were not serious about putting in their hours. This could not go on much longer as after the first week of the new year the factory would be back to normal hours and full production.

She’d formed a friendship with Bill Meyer’s wife who was a migrant from Europe and knew how difficult it was to adjust to a different culture. Helga Meyers pulled out all stops to introduce Maryam to the leading women of the town and assist in finding the most trustworthy tradespeople to deal with for household needs. The business contacts Maryam already had in the city were useful in facilitating better procurement methods for the company she was responsible for and previous contacts in city banking also proved to be helpful. Her company was part of a parent company specializing in rural products wholesaling to supermarkets and exports. But both Helga and Maryam had reached the end of their combined efforts to solve Maryam’s house management problem. They had managed to get an older lady who was loved by the children and efficient in management but due to health issues she’d indicated she’d not be able to continue much longer.

Maryam was finishing up at the office and giving final instructions to her secretary for the following day and checking on appointments when the secretary’s phone rang. Maryam indicated she should take the call, so she picked up the phone and gave the usual courteous greeting then listened. She looked up at Maryam and put her hand over the phone while she whispered.

“Your housekeeper is on the line wanting to speak to you and says someone called Somayeh is at the door with a suitcase asking for you and wanting to move in.”

Maryam frowned. It was an Iranian woman’s name and her younger sister had been called Somayeh, but she hadn’t seen her for fifteen years since her father had cut her off from contacts with the family when she eloped with Rostam at age twenty. She’d been made aware her father was responding to the Iranian community pressure to have her included in potential matchmaking within the community. Maryam was of age now. Rostam was fighting with his father to approach for her hand in marriage and that was a definite no. So, the couple solved the problem by eloping and having a civil marriage with trusted friends in attendance. Maryam had learned through contacts her sister had graduated and worked in the telecom industry. She took the phone from her secretary.

“Would you please put this lady on the phone I want to talk with her.”

After a couple of minutes’ silence, a familiar voice spoke.

“Maryam please don’t be angry with me, I couldn’t think of another place to run to, and it was not my fault that father refused to let us contact you. They want to marry me to some much older rich guy with children and I’d just be a slave in the home. Please let me stay!”

“Does father know you are here and how did you know where I lived Somayeh?”

Maryam had felt confident her present whereabouts were not known to her parents and in-laws but now had a sudden fear of them showing up to try and take the children and she had no guaranteed home keeper for the future to see the children were protected in her absence. She knew no one except those on the school records as authorized could take them from school but wanted the protection of anonymity as insurance against harm. Somayeh quickly responded.

“Father has no idea where you are and seems to have written you off, so you have nothing to worry about there. I worked in telecoms, and you remember you have a phone account with our company, and I was in administration with access to those records so have known where you lived for a long time now but didn’t share that with family. Please Maryam pity me and let me stay.”

“Give the phone to the housekeeper Somayeh.”

There was a brief pause.

“What do you want me to do Maryam?”

“Make up one of the guest rooms and help her move in. She’ll be staying with us for a while. Somayeh is my sister.

A half hour later Maryam pulled into the driveway in her Lexus and retrieved her briefcase and notes to work on in the evening after the children had been put to bed. Jane the elderly housekeeper appeared at the door to let her in reporting that her sister was unpacking in the guest room she’d prepared watched by the two children.

“Thanks Jane you can go home now.”

She strode to the guestroom and Somayeh stood uncertainly to gauge her sister’s mood.

“I’m sorry, thanks for rescuing me, Maryam.”

Maryam sighed and stood looking at her. So many wasted years being cut off from her mother and siblings. She’d grieved over that for years until her grief was spent and now didn’t know how to relate to this stranger who was her sister. No longer the gangly early teen she was then. Now she was a beautiful woman and Maryam fully understood the clash between the older generation of Iranian immigrants and their children who grew up in a society with different cultural values and individual freedom. Then she moved forward to hug her sister shedding tears as she did. Somayeh gave a sigh of relief. She was safe now.

Later, after the children were formally introduced to their aunt, eaten their supper, and been put to bed by both sisters, they retired to the lounge room and caught up with family business over those fifteen years of separation. Somayeh inquired about job prospects in this town and Maryam had a sudden inspiration this may solve her immediate problem. She explained her problem with caring for home and children short term and asked if her sister would be willing to take on that responsibility while the search continued for a long-term trusted housekeeper. Somayeh was delighted to be given this opportunity and quite willing to make it a long-term responsibility, but Maryam said no. She wanted her sister to have an independent life as she was of marriageable age and deserved to have the happiness of a home of her own choice but for now Maryam was grateful for her sister’s willingness to help her out.

Then Somayeh remembered her peace offering and excused herself to retrieve it from her room. She returned quickly with two parcels she’d hastily packed into her suitcase when her parents were absent from home at the supermarket. She’d left a note for her parents on a hallway table so they wouldn’t report her missing. No doubt being just a woman her father would shrug it off as he had when Maryam eloped with a resolve, she too would be written out of the family circle forever. Fortunately, in this country it would be less likely she’d be hunted down by the family and forced into a marriage of their choice or at the extreme an honor killing.

“I know you probably don’t celebrate Christmas and New Year in the Western way Maryam but in case you do I bought you a couple of gifts. Too late for Christmas but at least I can wish you a Western celebrated Happy New Year.”

Maryam hastily removed the wrappings. One was a beautiful new office desk set and the other a new iPhone. Maryam cried. She’d not received a gift since Rostam died and it deeply moved her to receive something from family. She stood up and hugged her sister.

“Thank you, sister, for these beautiful gifts and a Happy Western New Year to you also.”

Conclusion

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