"Good morning! I am Missa Kinam, and I'm here for a job interview"

"Good morning Mrs! Follow me, please!"

The receptionist stood up and led the way through a few hallways and stairs. Behind her, I couldn't help but admire her outfit. A black knee length pencil dress that highlighted her beautiful hourglass figure and red stiletto pumps that made her legs look endless. Geez! Even the receptionist was gorgeous, so what would the HR look like? I ran my hand over my pants.

I did my best for that interview. I asked for Nina's help to go shopping, and I got the light brown suit pants I was wearing. I also went to the hair salon and got some long box braids. I tried my best to cover my face in makeup, and the results was... acceptable. When he came to pick Clara up, Samuel told me I was beautiful. Coming from him, it's hard to assert the objectivity, however, I was really pleased to hear that.

I was asked to wait into a small room. It made me think of an interrogation room, three black chairs around a white table, and that was all. I checked the time on my phone, there was still ten minutes left. I heavily breathed in to gain some composure. I crossed and uncrossed my legs, turned the chair slightly to the side, then back straight in front of the table. My right hand unconsciously reached my mouth and I started chewing my thumb fingernail.

"And please, refrain from chewing your fingernails," Samuel told me when he dropped me off for my first job interview.

It was seven years ago, and I was so stressed that my collar was completely drenched in sweat.

"Don't stress out, it's just like selling something. You have the competencies and they want to buy it. Okay?"

"But I'm not alone!" my voice was high pitched and shaking. My hand unconsciously reached my mouth, but Samuel grabbed it before I chewed it. "It's a market, with lots of providers! Why would they buy my competencies over others?"

"They might not!" He laughed when he saw my distressed face, then cupped my face and warmly smiled at me. "They would take you because you can do an excellent job. But you have to be confident in your competencies for others to put their trust in you. So, you should first take a deep breath to calm down, and whenever you feel your hand going to your mouth, just join your hands and put them on the table. Okay?"

I immediately took my hand off my mouth and put it on the table, just as Samuel showed me. I did not get the job that time, but his tip came out handy. I checked the time on my phone, five more minutes. I quickly went through my notes on the company, and other things that were usually asked during interviews.

The door suddenly opened, and a woman who seemed in her fifties came in, dressed in a colorful wax tailored dress and a head wrap in the same fabric that made her look like a typical rich Ghanian woman. Her way of looking up on me made me think of her as a wicked stepmother. She was followed by a younger man, maybe in his thirties just like me, who looked more accommodating. Was this supposed to be the good cop bad cop thing?

I stood up as they came in, and sat back after the young man gestured me to do so. For almost two minutes, none of them said a single word. They didn't even look at me, they were busy going through their laptops. Was that meant to intimidate me ? If so, they were doing a great job. I was wondering whether I should say something, maybe greet them, when the wicked stepmother raised her head from her screen with a neutral, expressionless smile.

"Good morning, Mrs Kinam! I am Elodie Kwashie, and here is my colleague Caesar Listowel. Thank you for applying at KPL Transport."

"Good morning, Mrs Kwashie, Mr Listowel, nice to meet you!" I tried to keep a calm tone and a smile while talking. Mr Listowel gave me back my smile, but Mrs Kwashie simply nodded.

We started with basic stuffs: introducing myself, my background, what I knew about the company, why I applied, my aspirations... Mrs Kwashie mainly led the interview, her colleague simply adding little questions from time to time. It looked good. I didn't chew my fingernails, I was not shaking too much, I didn't stutter, and thanks to the air conditioner, I was not sweating. It looked really good, until...

"I can see your last activity was about a year ago," Mrs Kwashie looked up from her screen and her cold gaze landed right into my eyes. "Why did you leave your previous job, and what did you do since then?"

I froze. This is what I was afraid of. Having to explain why I had to lose my job and why I didn't go back to work earlier. But I prepared myself for that question. I took a deep breath and tried to smile.

"After my baby's birth, I got sick." There was no need to be too specific. Just the essential "I was in no condition to work for months, so with my previous employer, we agreed not to renew my contract as it was coming to an end. I got much better after a few months, but I took some time to fully commit to my baby, to catch up everything I missed when I was sick."

"You are married and you have a kid, so why not fully committing to your family? Why do you want to go back to work? And in a field where we don't see that many women nonetheless?"

I looked at Mr Listowel, he was not smiling anymore. Were they being serious? Why would they call me for an interview if it is to propose me to be a housewife?

"I love my family, and I would not mind if I had to fully commit to them. But only if I have to. Because I don't think staying home makes me that happy. And I can't make them happy if I'm not. As for the field, I love data. They are quite thrust worthy. I love working with them, and I'm really good at it. And maybe there are more men in the field because other women are rather encouraged to commit to their families."

Stepmother blankly stared at me, and I started wondering if I went overboard. I did tell the truth, but not all truths are to be told anywhere. I gulped and looked at Mr Listowel. He had a smile, so discreet I wondered if I was not imagining it.

"In case you were picked for the position, when do you think you could start?" Mrs Kwashie went back to her screen, with a total lack of reaction towards what I said. The ultimate poker face.
.

I was welcomed by a heavy, hot and wet air as soon as I got out of the building. Lately, it looked like the sun got closer to earth. At least in our city. I took my suit off and started walking randomly. Clara was supposed to stay with her dad until evening, so there was no need for me to hurry back home.

I slowed down and stopped in front of a cozy four story building, its facade almost entirely made of  window walls mirroring the streets. It sure was a beautiful building, but what caught my attention was the poster printed on the whole second floor window wall. Various people captured in all kinds of impressive dancing poses. And with a curvy font, the words 'Freedom Dance School' were written in the middle.

When I was in my first high school year, I went to our school cultural week recital, and I saw for the first time the dancing club performing. The spectacle completely hooked me, and I've wanted to join the club. But I knew nothing about dancing, and I was afraid I would not get along with the other kids, so I never went. In college too, there was a dance club, but the admissions were through an audition, so I never dared.

But I've always been interested in dancing. I enjoyed all the dancing shows I could find, I learnt a few steps in the secret of my closed room, but never dared to perform in front of anyone. Except Nina and Samuel.

"You know I love you," Samuel was trying hard not to laugh when he saw me dancing for the first time. "But maybe you should just keep up with watching only."

"It's not like I was planning to become a professional!" I managed to keep my embarrassment hidden. I never asked him to watch, I was simply enjoying my free time in my living room.

I sighed and smiled. Back then I was planning to start some class. Samuel's reaction made me change my mind.

"Would you like to come in, madam?" I turned around to see a young woman standing next to me. She gave me a bright smile and pointed out the poster. "You're interested in dance school, right? I work there so I can help you."

"Well..." I was taken off guard. At first, I was not considering going in, but now that she came to me, I thought I could at least take a look.

"My name is Karen by the way," she held her hand out to me.

"Missa," I shook her hand and followed her inside the building. The air conditioner immediately relaxed me.

Karen greeted a few people in the hall and quickly went up the stairs. Too quickly for me to follow the pace. When I finally reached the second floor, I was exhausted. I was not very sporty, maybe Samuel was right, dance was not for me.

We were in a wide and empty room, with a whole wall covered with a mirror from floor to ceiling. Karen was waiting for me, with the exact same smile.

"Amazing, right?"

"Totally!"

I smiled back while going through the pictures framed on walls. They were, just like the poster, people and groups of people of all ages, captured in stunning dancing positions. There were many genres, from what I could identify as affro to ballroom dancing.

"Are you a dancer?" Karen joined me in the contemplation.

"No, simply an amateur."

"Would you like to learn?"

"There was a time I wanted to," I turned around to look directly at her. "Now it's too late."

"And why is it too late?"

"I have my family to take care of, and I'm actually looking for a job. I don't think I will have enough time for that. Plus, I'm really awful, it would take ages for a grown up woman like me to start learning."

"I think you simply don't want to get out of your comfort zone," she shrugged and her smile faded away. She suddenly looked very serious. "I bet you're the kind of person to stick to their routine and who is afraid of the change. You put it in your mind that you're not good, and you don't want to make an effort to change it."

"And who are you to judge me?" I didn't like her condescending tone. Who was she to act like she knew me?

"At least you've got some character," she said with a smile after a few silent seconds. "I like it. That's why..." She gave me a fold presenting the school and all the modalities. "I have an hour left before my next class. I can give you a free class right now, it will be my warm up. If you're in, you can join me in front of the mirror. But if you have to take care of some family matters, I totally understand."

She then turned around and stopped in front of the mirror to start warming up. It took me almost five minutes to make up my mind. I threw my bag, suit and heel in a corner of the room and walked towards her.