Chapter 2

Noah got surprised “Wow, I didn’t even knew mom could swear that much.” 

I remember what I was conversing with MC “Hey Noah, I had an amazing idea earlier that might be able to solve your mommy daddy issues.” 

I can see him getting excited “What is it?” 

I leaned close to him “I was thinking that maybe we should get you mom on one of those dating app.” 

His excitement completely disappeared “Ah and why would we do that?” 

“That is exactly what I said to her earlier.” MC screamed. 

“Don’t you guys want your mom to find love again? I mean she is forty, and these days, forty is like the new thirty you guys, and she is beautiful; I mean who wouldn’t want to go out with your mom.” I tried to explain but Noah just like MC disagreed with me. 

“Just so we are clear, our mom doesn’t need to be setup by some computer. But do you know who needs a dating up?” Noah asked. 

“Who?” that was the dumbest question I had ever asked. 

“You” Noah answered. And that was supposed to be a joke. 

I once again got upset. “You know, if I didn’t know better I would still think you guys were siblings.” 

They both laughed at me. After they were done I said to them “You guys done?” They both cracked up again. So I stood up saying “Ha ha very funny. I am going to go now. Because I’d rather have my father lecture me about his fake business than having to here you guys lecture me about how much I need a love life. So: bye losers!” 

Mc walked me out to the front door. I said goodnight to all of them and left. While I was walking home I kept thinking about what MC and Noah had said about quitting. Maybe I should do it, I mean it’s not like I would get that hurt if I quit a silly job like this. But then the idea of not having a job to go to in the morning terrified me to my bones. I mean I have a master’s degree in business management but I am at a job that doesn’t even suit my qualifications. As I was having a debate with my mind I reached home without even knowing it. I opened the door and walked in to the house. I looked around and my dad is sitting on the couch, watching a football game he has already watched like a million times and my mom was in the kitchen, fixing dinner. I walked to wards my dad and sat beside him. I sighed so hard my mom heard me from the kitchen. My dad turned his head to the direction of where I was sitting and asked what was wrong. And I as usual said nothing was wrong. I turned to my father and looked at him in my much paled eyes with no words and turned away to the TV. My dad worried; asked me what was wrong again. But my answers were the same with that ghosted look still on my face. He turned the TV off and he called me with the nick name he usually refers to me, Pumpkin. He said “Pumpkin, what is wrong?” I finally opened my mouth and answered him with the very words he hated to discuss about. I said “It’s problem from work.” 

My dad froze, when it comes to giving advice about my job, dad was never comfortable. I believe he called it “The right to remain silent!” The truth is I sometimes start talking about my job whenever I want my dad to stop talking about     football and he would freeze. At this point I don’t even know why but talking about work made his allergies all worked up. And because I knew he wouldn’t stop asking me what was wrong, I deliberately talked about my job. Like I said earlier he froze. So I stretched and was about to go up stairs but my dad started talking. I have never been shocked in my entire life as much as I was shocked that day. He said with his very soft voice “How much is it really that you hate your job?” 

“Dad I never said I hated my job.” I answered to him. 

“That is not what a little birdie told me though.” he smiled. 

I got so confused until I realized where I was before I came home. So I asked my father “MC called you; didn’t she?” I just knew she had called my father and told him about my complaining when my dad just smiled at my question and gave me no answers. So I smiled back at him and said “Well I must say this is why she is a very good reporter; she is never late to deliver news.” And just when my dad was going to say something my mom yelled “Dinner.” My father got distracted and totally forgot what he was saying. And using this opportunity I would like to let you know that my dad is an easily distracted man. 

We had dinner, we had one of those small talks where we say ‘so, how is work’ and the other person says ‘oh yeah, it’s good.’ After dinner I wished both mom and dad a goodnight and went up to my bed room. At the end of every day, no matter how drained I am I don’t go to sleep without writing about my day. So I took out my journal and started with “dear journal” I mostly write about how tiring my work was and that I wasn’t happy at it. I have lost most of my excitement these days and I don’t know why. I still see my therapist once a month if I am doing good or once a week if I was doing badly. I have already reached the state to see my therapist Dr. Elizabeth Goodman once in two weeks. I am not happy. And maybe the idea about quitting wasn’t so bad after all. But it scared me, my whole life has been about having the right job and the right thing to do but now I feel like I have lost. And if I hear my boss, say “cappuccino” one more time I will really quit; and this time I will quit for real. I closed my journal and went to bed. 

The next morning I woke up feeling like I was living in my worse night mare. I took a shower, went done stairs, had breakfast with my mom and dad and then I went to work. My boss Mr. Bishopp Cussto wasn’t in yet so I waited on my desk. I had my head leaned on my desk when my boss walked in to the room. He asked if I was having a good morning and he went in to his office. 

I got really confused. For the first time he didn’t ask for a cup of cappuccino. I thought to myself maybe my boss have seen my qualification finally to be utilized for more than a cup barer. I smiled alone until my boss buzzed me in to his office. I answered “Sir!” He said with his manly voice “Miss Jona, could you come in for a minute I forgot to ask you something.” 

This is it. I am finally going to be asked to do real work. My face brightened. I walked in to his office with a big smile on my face. He looked up to me and said “I forgot to tell you to bring me my cappuccino!” My jaw dropped: my smile completely disappeared from my face. I just couldn’t believe what was happening. He looked back at me and said “You’re still here, but my cappuccino isn’t. Go, go, go. We have a big day ahead of us.” I started walking out of the office then it hit me. I finally realized that I don’t have to deal with this anymore. I turned back to him and started yelling. 

“You know what you big fat cappuccino loving man, I am done, ok. I don’t like this job, I don’t like these people and most certainly I don’t like you, emphasis on the ‘you’” 

I finished talking and walked out of the office. But I walked to the center of the office, turned my face to Mr. Cussto and I started yelling again. 

“You know what, I am not done. This is possibly the worst company in the world. Everybody sucks. But not me, Oh I am so out of here. I feel sorry for all of you who work in MWD. I mean I have worked here for two years and I still don’t know what MWD stands for.” 

Guy from the crowed said “It stands for magazine…” 

I madly interrupted him and yelled “I don’t care, because like I said I am out of here. And please give my condolences to the next person that works here.” 

I proudly walked out of there. And had I never felt this kind of freedom in a long time. It was like I was being released from hell which was MWD. I walked home in a full speed sometimes even skipping a beat to deliver the amazing news about me quitting. 

I jumped into home and startled my dad. My mom was at work so the first person I shared my happiness with was him. He asked what was making me so jumpy. I, still smiling told him that I quit my job. But instead of being happy for me, his face immediately turned to ash.  

I got confused. My father looked really upset. For a moment silence took control of the conversation we were about to have. In just a while my father snapped at me. He stated yelling. “Why did you do that without consulting me first?” he yelled. I tried to answer gently “Because I am not happy at this job.” 

He yelled again “It’s called a job because it gets you money.” 

“So you are saying getting money is more important than your own daughter’s happiness!” I asked him in anger. 

“I am not saying that money is more important than your happiness; but you need to learn to put your future career before your happiness that can be accomplished through other stuff.” he tried to explain but it only made me more angry. 

I madly said “So you’re saying my future career is more important to you than my happiness?” I can see he was getting mad as well. “Stop twisting my words. I am just saying that you need to think before you make any decision. You are not a child any more. How long is it going to take for you to realize that?” 

I was shocked to hear that. My mom walked in to a silent house with me and my father staring at each other. My mom got confused and said “Why are you two staring at each other like that?” I ran to my room without a word. 

couldn’t help but think what if he is right? What if it was all just an overreaction? I opened my journal and wrote about how I felt when I walked out off that building and how I am feeling now after I have told my father. My feelings have gone from wonderful to worse. At this rate all I want to do is stay in my room forever. Just then my mom knocked on my door twice. I closed my journal and told her to come in. She was holding a tray full of cookies. I smiled at her in “I am pathetic!” way and she smiled back in “It’s all going to be okay” way. She sat on my bed beside me and gave me a cookie. 

“So tell me; what happened with you and your dad?” she asked in a soft loving voice. I answered to her after a big sign “It’s nothing mom. It’s just that I told dad that I quit my job and….” She interrupted me “You quit your job? Honey that is amazing; you have been miserable for the last two year you deserve better.” 

“Wow, why can’t dad be more bright sighted like you? I mean when I told him about quitting, he completely snapped at me. I already feel bad without him going all murderous on me.”

My mom laughed at me. I asked what was so funny and she answered in a loving voice again. “You know your father means well. He just doesn’t know how to speak with anyone gently.”

I answered “I hear you!” in a sarcastic voice.

“So”_ my mom said “You really quit your job hu?”

“Ya; I had to quit sometime. And I just thought the sooner the better. Plus I made a total scene there on purpose.” I answered.

“Well don’t worry about it; you are going to get a better job. I believe in you.” she spoke with a full heart.

“Thank you: mom. I wish dad would be more supportive like you.” I said with a sad face.

“He will be supportive sweetie, you know it takes him time to adjust to the fact that you won’t be working at the magazine.” 

“I didn’t work at a magazine mom!” I said confusedly. 

Mom laughed so hard and she tried to explain “Honey yes you did.”

“No I didn’t! I worked at MWD Company.”

“So, you do know that MWD stands for ‘Magazine Weekly Delight.’” mom explained.

“Wow, so you are meaning to tell me that I worked at a magazine company.” 

Both my mom and I laughed nonstop. The fact that I didn’t even know that I worked in a magazine company was very laughable. My dad had heard us cracking up and he came up stairs to talk to me. He said “Knock knock” because the door was already open. I looked at him without saying anything then I turned back and took a big bite from the cookie mom had given me earlier. He stayed outside waiting to be invited in like a vampire. 

“Come in, Robert.” my mom invited him. He came in and sat next to me. I was still mad at him so I chose not to say a word. He grabbed a cookie and took a bite. Once again silence took control of my room. Dad finally decided to speak.

“Listen pumpkin, I am sorry about earlier.” he said with a low voice.

“Oh, it’s nothing dad. Money is more important than happiness; I got it.” 

I tried to make him feel bad by mocking him. “No, I was just startled when you told me you got fired.”

“I didn’t get fired; I quit dad. There is a big difference.” I got even more upset.

“I am sorry. You are right. I am just worried about your future honey.” he tried to explain.

I turned to him “Dad you don’t have to worry about that. I am going to get another job. And this time it will be better than the last. You know, it will be a job that will excite me and that I will be actually good at and qualified for.” 

“Yes Robert, have more fate in her; she might impress you more than you could expect.” said my mom. “Based on what mom said” I said “I will impress you. You just need to give a little time to find it.”

“Yes, ok. I will have fate in you, and I don’t mean that I never had fate it just means that I want you to be strong.” he finally smiled.

“I promise both of you, I will not fail again.” I smiled as well.

“I know a friend who needs a manager, I can give him a call and ask him to give you the job.” said my dad a little excited.

“No, no, no nepotism dad. I am going to let my work prove its self; I don’t need either of you to get me a job.” I ordered both my parents strictly. 

“That’s my girl!” said dad proudly.

After a while they wished me a goodnight and went to their room. I tried to sleep but I just couldn’t. I got up and sat at my study table and opened my journal. I plugged my earphone in; I put in on the maximum volume and wrote all my wishes. I stayed up all night hopping to find a better job.