“Good for you, sweetie! I’m proud of you.”
Tears filled Jessica’s eyes. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“Go get that big, juicy life that’s been waiting for you.”
Evelyn’s voice came back on the line. “Yes, go, Jess. Go get your big, juicy life. And don’t worry about all the people you’re going to hurt in the process.”
With that, she hung up the phone, leaving Jess feeling stunned by what had just happened. She had just quit her job. After eight years. Holy shit. She was really doing this.
* * *
As the sun started to fade for the evening, she knew her family would be home soon. She was going to have to be careful about how she approached the subject with Mike. After all, it was going to be a massive departure from the life he thought they were going to have. It would mean sacrifice on both their parts, not just money, but a complete change of plans for their future. But it would be better. So much better. After the initial investment, she’d be bringing in some big money. The kind that they’d only dreamed about.
It would take him a while to get used to, but once they got over the initial hurdle, and he saw how happy she was, he’d get on board. She knew he would. But first, they had to clear the air, because if they were barely speaking, she could hardly tell him about her big, shiny plan for her life.
At quarter after four, the back door slammed and the sound of a backpack being tossed onto the floor could be heard from the kitchen. Noah was home. She called a cheery hello to him, then got up from the table just as he was walking into the kitchen. He gave her a nod. “S’up?”
Oh, I quit my job today, got a new one at a law firm and I’m going back to school. You?“Not much. How was your day?”
Taking one ear bud out, he said, “Meh.”
“How was school?” she asked, making her way over to the fridge and opening it. She was going to make supper tonight, nothing too hard, but something that said, ‘I’m mounting my comeback, people.’
Shrug. “It was school.”
“Did you get your physics test back?”
“No.”
He popped his earbud back in and poured himself a massive bowl of Golden Grahams, then sat at the table watching TikTok videos while he slurped up his after-school snack. Jessica took out a container of spinach and a couple of tomatoes and got to work making a salad. She glanced at her son and smiled. He was fine. He didn’t need her to baby him anymore.
Winnie got home shortly after her brother. She stopped in her tracks when she saw that her mom was making dinner. “What’s this?”
“It’s going to be salad.”
“Are you better or something?” she asked, narrowing her eyes.
“I’m starting to feel a lot better, yeah.”
“Thank God. Dad’s been an absolute bear since the accident.”
“True that,” Noah said, shoveling another heaping bite of cereal into his mouth.
“He’s also upset about Grandma,” Jess said, neither confirming nor denying her husband’s bad mood.
“Why? She’s going to be fine,” Winnie said, taking the box of Golden Grahams back out of the pantry.
“A stroke is really scary. They’re lucky Grandpa got her to the hospital in time. It could have been a much worse outcome,” Jess told them.
“But hedidget her there in time, so there’s nothing to worry about,” Noah said.
Winnie shook the box over a bowl, and when only two cereal wafers came out, she huffed. “Come on, Noah. Can’t you leave some food in the house for someone else for once?”
“Sorry, I’m a growing boy,” he said, looking far too amused at his sister’s irritation.
Oh great, here we go.
“God, you’re selfish,” Winnie said, taking the bowl over to the garbage and tossing the small bit of food into the bin. “Worst roommate ever.”
