The Dirty Word

"Why is ambition still seen as a dirty word for women in the corporate world?” Rachel posed the question to Naomi, her friend and Phi Beta Kappa sorority sister, while directing the caterers to the kitchen. “Especially in the corporate world?”

The sorority house was a hive of activity today, with food deliveries and event planners busy with setup both inside and outside. Phi Kappa was known for its extravagant soirees that were the talk of the town for months, and each member was assigned a task to make sure everything went smoothly.

“Did you have another interesting debate with your crush, Professor Bloom?” Naomi rolled her eyes and set a vase of fresh orchids and lilies on the entryway table.

“His mother was at his office when I went to sign my contract," she elaborated.

“Is that why you missed graduation rehearsals?” Professor Logan Bloom was her mentor and academic advisor.

"She was telling me not to pay attention to naysayers and told me of her earlier experiences. When she accepted a position as an economist at an oil company, her new boss told her he was getting the same brains for less money. She didn't know whether to be flattered or offended.”

"Was she replacing a man?"

"Yes."

"I bet she was offered less than him."

"Obviously."

“What a dirtbag!”

Tonight, their sorority would be hosting the last hurrah before graduation tonight, and they were making sure everything was perfect before opening their doors at six later that evening.

Rachel flounced around the table, fingering the white petals of the lilies, squinting her coffee-brown eyes. “Prof has offered me a position as his research assistant.”

“Wow! You’ll be working at the World Bank! That’s great news!” Her friend threw her arms around her before stepping back. “Why don’t you look excited about this? This is what you’ve always wanted. You should be ecstatic!”

“I am.” She smiled, revealing a dimple in her right cheek. “I just-this is me stepping into reality. I’ll be rubbing shoulders with corporate giants. I’m a bit nervous, that’s all.”

“You? Nervous?!” Naomi snorted, and they continued walking around the mansion, supervising the preparations. “You teach aerobics classes in high school. Was sophomore class president, became a member of the National Honor Society, and was on the senior class executive board,” she laughed and ticked off all her friends’ accolades on her fingers. Not to mention, you’re the co-founder of Women in Economics and Government. You were born ready for this, babe,” she encouraged her overachiever of a friend. “Remember, anything a man can do, a woman can do better?”

“The real world is different, though.” Rachel voiced her concerns, swishing her silky brown ponytail. “Ambition triggers toxic competition, sabotage, and hostile work environments. The sad reality is that women even pit themselves against other women, undermining, insulting, and bullying strong-willed, goal-oriented women.” She could relate. She had faced her fair share of insults and hostility, on campus grounds and even beyond. “Instead of cheering on the enterprising, driven woman, they drag her down at every turn, making her feel bad for wanting more. They are her strongest critics, and even worse than their male counterparts.”

“If you check on social media, you’ll find it’s mostly body shaming and dragging another woman. Especially those in the spotlight and positions of power.” Naomi stuck out her bottom lip and slowly shook her head, gliding a hand over her recently blown blonde hair. “Why is our gender so self-destructive?”

“That’s my question.” Rachel stopped, supervising the cleaners who were dusting the crystal chandeliers close to the grand staircase. “Be careful with that, please,” she issued a warning and moved on.

“We’ve seen that here, haven’t we? Damned if you do, damned if you don’t…” Naomi stopped outside the side doors and stared at the swimming pool gleaming under the sun like a sapphire. It was perfect. “Remember the sorority wars, backstabbing and Riverdale drama we’ve endured throughout the years?”

“Don’t remind me,” Rachel sighed and massaged her forehead. “We need more lounge chairs on the other side of the pool, and the caterers need to set up another bar close to the pool house.” Her long athletic legs strode along the inviting swimming pool, heading to the bar to check if it was well-stocked. Shortages were a no-no and an embarrassment. “We don’t want the inside bars getting congested.”

In her book, congestion was a sign of disorder and incompetence. Words that should never be uttered in the same sentence as Phi Beta Kappa. At Harvard, they were known for their excellence above all else.

They hopped onto the barstools and elegantly crossed their legs, draping their dresses over their knees before going over the bar menu and tasting a few cocktail samples.

“How was dinner with your parents last night?” Naomi asked.

“Same as usual.” She huffed and paused her perusal. “They were asking if I’m seeing anyone and if I am, I should lock him down while we’re both still in college.” Her parents had set the bar very high. Her dad was an ophthalmologist, and her mom and college professor of French. They had given her every advantage and made it clear that failure was not an option.

Her companion grinned over the menu. “Are they still giving you the good ones go young speech?”

“I get where they’re coming from.” Her parents had married young, her mother dropping out of college when she got pregnant with her. “I don’t want to end up like my mom.”

“To her credit, she did go back to college and to complete her degree,” Naomi advocated. “She also spearheaded an NGO to prevent NIHL in young people. That’s commendable.” Noise-induced hearing loss was a common and concerning problem among the youth and was caused by sudden or prolonged exposure to loud sounds. The condition was also irreversible.

Abigail Rosenburg was a strong advocate, ran awareness campaigns, oversaw the programs, and supported research to reduce hearing loss.

“Don’t get me wrong,” she said, biting her lip. “My mom is my inspiration. She has achieved a lot and contributed to her community in a big way. I just don’t want to put my dreams on hold because I got pregnant.”

“There are lots of ways to prevent that, Rach,” her friend giggled softly. “And we already agreed to stay away from the college brats. They have nothing to offer us. If you marry someone who is already established, you know he won’t have to run to mummy for help and will support you emotionally and financially.”

She raised a slender finger and smiled. “Good point.”

“What’s going on with Andrew? Have you gone on that date yet? Or you’re still not sure?”

“Andrews checks all the boxes,” she said, twirling a finger around a strand of hair. “He’s a wealthy businessman. He’s into philanthropy like me. He challenges me intellectually and is good-looking. I could do a lot worse.”

“So, what are you waiting for?” Naomi laughed before popping an olive into her mouth. “Go on that date already.”

“I have to travel to São Paulo with Prof and a few people from his department next weekend. I will only be able to meet him until the following weekend.”

“Let me share a test I always do to determine if a guy is worthy of my time.”

Rachel huddled closer and grinned. “I’m listening.”

“First, you agree to go on a date, and then you bail at the last minute,” Naomie whispered, a naughty grin on her heart-shaped face. “You can pretend you have to rush to a business meeting. His reaction will tell you all you need to know,” she went on, her blue eyes glowing. “If he’s unbothered and he totally understands that these things do happen, it shows that he will be supportive of your career.”

“Okay…” Rachel nodded at intervals.

“If you really want to take the test to the limit and see if he’s a keeper, ask him to come to São Paulo for a date.”

“But he’s currently in New York.” Surely no guy would be willing to travel thousands of miles for a date?? “Isn't that too extreme?”

“If he really wants you,” her friend said with an all-knowing look. “He’ll move heaven and earth to be with you.”