by Ali Parker
“And yours,” he said, looking over at me and smiling. “Mom, I’m having a really good time.”
“Me too, buddy,” I said, sitting up. “How about that lunch now?”
“Yeah.” He sat up, too, and crossed his legs.
I sat out the sandwiches, the pasta salad, the chips, and the drinks that we’d picked out. I handed Mikey a napkin and smiled as he tucked it into the collar of his shirt like Dalton always did to him. He took a long drink of his water and sat back, letting the sun hit his face.
“Do you know who I was thinking about the other day?”
“Who?” I asked.
“Mr. Truitt,” he said, making my heart drop. “When will we get to see him again? He was funny. I liked him.”
“I don’t know,” I said. “Everything is busy over there, and I took this new job, so I’ll be really busy starting on Monday. We’ll just have to see, buddy.”
I didn’t know what to tell him, so I left it at that. The truth was, I wasn’t sure we would ever see Elon again. I hadn’t spoken to him since I left, he had stopped trying to get ahold of me, and life was moving on, whether I wanted it to or not. It wasn’t good for Mikey to get attached to him. I didn’t know if he was going to be in my life from one day to the next. The best thing was probably for him not to be around so there was no chance of Mikey getting hurt. I knew it was a terrible reason for me to lie. Hurt was part of life, but he was only eleven, and I wasn’t ready for him to see the truth about relationships, which was mainly why I had stayed single for so long. I didn’t want to be the mom who constantly had different boyfriends, and I didn’t want to bring anyone around him until I knew it was for real. With as much as I had been working since he was little, I didn’t have the time to meet anyone anyway.
I had to start thinking of Elon as part of my past, someone I had something special with for a little while and then moved on from. Moving on was the most important part of it. If I was ever going to be successful in my ventures, I couldn’t sit around thinking about Elon. Yet, my mind wouldn’t let it go, even as hard as I was trying. I kept asking myself if I was doing the right thing, if I had made the right choice by cutting him out of my life. I could never really be for sure about it. I would just have to trust my choices and be firm on them. Otherwise, I was going to be wrought with regret, and that was something I didn’t want to deal with.
“I’m going to go play on the slide,” he said, handing me the other half of his sandwich. “I’ll save that and eat it later when I’m hungry again.”
“Okay.” I laughed. “I’ll be right here.”
I watched as he ran off toward the slide, laughing at his growing clumsiness. I wanted what was best for him, and Elon was no longer part of that plan. I figured that maybe I was lucky it had ended so quickly. I had protected Mikey from the pain of getting attached. That still didn’t help the fact that I was. Trying to avoid thinking about it anymore, I packed up the leftovers and joined Mikey on the playground. We had a fantastic rest of our day, playing, running around, and then going for a walk through the city like he loved to do. By the time we got home, we were both exhausted, and he jumped into the shower while I put everything away.
“Mom,” he said, yawning when he came out in his pajamas.
“Yeah, buddy,” I said.
“I’m really tired,” he said. “I think I’m going to go to bed.”
“Wow, all right.” I laughed. “I won’t be too far behind you.”
“Will you tuck me in?”
“Of course, I will.” I smiled, walking into his room behind him.
He climbed into the bed and turned over on his side as I pulled the covers up to his neck. I smoothed the hair down on his head and leaned forward, kissing his cheek. He kissed me back, and my heart melted.
“Mikey, I want you to know something,” I said. “I don’t think I could be any prouder of you. You are the kindest, sweetest, and most thoughtful young man I have ever met. You work hard to do your best at everything, and you never forget your manners and your values.”
“Thanks, Mom.” He smiled big. “I want you to know something too.”
“What’s that?”
“I am really proud of you too,” he said. “I’m proud of you for doing what you think is best for us and for always being such a good mom, no matter what. Even when you come home from visiting grandma and you look so tired and sad, you make sure to be there for me. I love you very much.”
“Aw,” I said, tearing up. “I love you too, big man. That really means a lot to me.”
“Good night, Mom,” he said, yawning again. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Good night, sweetie,” I replied, kissing him one last time and walking from the room.
The couch was calling my name, so I walked over and plopped down, lying on my back and looking up at the ceiling. My son telling me he was proud of me and thought I was a good mom and noticing what I went through with my mom meant more to me than I could ever tell him. He wouldn’t understand at this point, but when he got older and had kids of his own, he would realize how much he did for me by telling me something simple like that. I was moving on. I had to, and I wasn’t going to look back.
Chapter 49
Elon
I was up way before my alarm, and my mind was going a million miles a minute. I was thinking about everything from Amanda to the company and back again. I had gotten up and went out into the living room, grabbing a cup of coffee and watching the sun come up in the city. I was still holding that damn piece of pink paper, and I had read it about a hundred times since Dalton had given it to me. I thought I would be angry she chose that avenue to tell me the news, but more than anything, I was sad she wasn’t going to be there with me any longer, that she had given up so easily on us and on the company. I understood why. I understood what was at stake for her, but that didn’t make my heart feel any better at all. I got up, walked over to the counter, and grabbed my phone, dialing Marcus.
“You’re up early,” he said.
“Yeah, I couldn’t sleep,” I said. “I figured you’d already be up because you’re one of those morning people.”
“That I am.” He chuckled. “So, what’s going on?”
“You want to meet me at that French breakfast place on Sixth? I need some advice about stuff that’s going on,” I said.
“Yeah, man, I can be there in thirty if that’s okay,” he said.
“That’s perfect,” I replied. “I’ll see you then.”
I hung up the phone and raced to get ready, having already showered. I jumped in the car, and my driver took me over to the place, arriving as Marcus was walking up to the front doors. I smiled as I got out of the car, relieved to see a friendly face.
“Hey.” He smiled, giving me a hug. “Good to see you, man.”
“You too,” I said.
We went in and grabbed a table, chitchatting about his life and a few other things before delving into the deep stuff. Marcus looked good, happy even, and I almost felt bad for putting my crap on his shoulders. He was my best friend, though, and up until that point, I had never really had any drama in my life.
“So, what’s going on? You said you needed to talk,” he said.
“Yeah,” I replied with a sigh. “Things have taken a turn. Amanda ended up leaving the company, taking the deal from Diamond. I couldn’t talk her out of it. In fact, I haven’t talked to her at all. She sent it in a letter and won’t answer any of my calls or texts. Clayton happened to show up the same day, but I was able to put him off with a lie about where Amanda was, trying to buy myself some extra time. This project is due by next Friday, and I’m hoping to be able to knock it out without them noticing. Or maybe I could even get ahold of Amanda and somehow convince her to come back to us. It’s a huge mess. I’m a huge mess. This is not how I saw things going for myself or for the company.”
“Besides you, who’s the next in charge after Amanda?” he asked.
“I suppose that would be Dalto
n,” I said. “He’s in charge of everything that has to do with the graphics and art of the project, checking it before it goes to Amanda or me.”
“Is he capable? Do you think he could lead the team through this project?”
“I think so,” I said. “He can be a bit flighty, but he’s capable of doing it, has their trust, and I’ve seen his leadership skills. He’s new to the management field, but we all start somewhere, I suppose.”
“So, this is what you do,” Marcus replied. “You give him the opportunity to take the lead with you on this one, letting him know that no one will know Amanda is officially gone until after the project is complete. If he does well, he takes her place and the board will have seen his work when the project is over.”
“I get all of that,” I said.
“Then what are you asking?”
“I came here because I wanted your advice on what I can do to get Amanda back,” I said.
“Elon,” Marcus said, shaking his head. “Amanda is the least of your worries right now. Your company is handling one of the most important projects it has ever had, and you’re worried about the girl. I’ve known you a long time, man. I really have, and you’ve never shirked your responsibilities for a girl. I don’t really understand what’s going on with you.”
“I love her,” I said plainly. “It’s as simple as that. I love that girl. She’s the girl I never knew I needed, but when I got her, I couldn’t figure out how to do without her. It’s completely fucked me up. I’ve tried to do what you suggested, focusing solely on my company, putting her out of mind and forging forward, but then I got her letter, and everything came crashing down in my head. I don’t sleep, I can’t focus, and nothing seems important to me anymore. I don’t know, man. I feel like if I can’t get her back, none of this is important anymore. I can’t take the company with me when I die, and what good is it to me if I can’t even keep the work flowing through it. Shit, we’ve been without a technical artist for the whole week, and the project is due next Friday. We can’t even find a decent one to hire these days because I can’t offer the kind of salary Diamond does, which is why Amanda left in the first place.”
“You have no choices here, Elon,” Marcus said with frustration. “You either pull your head out of your ass and fix your company, or you don’t, and you lose everything you’ve worked for. You’re the only one in that building who can do it at that point. You’re the boss, and until you mess up and get removed, you’re in charge of it all.”
I sat there staring at Marcus, his words ringing through my head. I was the only one who could fix any of it. Just at that moment, I got an idea, something I hadn’t even thought about in the slightest until he brought up me being the only one in charge. It was perfect, more than perfect, and would solve all the business issues I had.
“Why do you look the Grinch when he got a terrible, awful idea?” Marcus said, looking at me carefully, his eyes narrowing.
“You are a genius,” I said. “It was there right in front of me the whole time.”
“Uh-oh,” he sighed.
“One of my biggest problems right now is that I’m shouldering the weight of everything because I started this company on my own,” I said. “There’s no one to pick up the slack or even to step in when I’m incapable of doing something. I’ve wanted you to work for me for years.”
“Yes, but I am working myself up in my own company, remember?”
“Right, but what if rather than working for me, you worked with me?”
“Is this a trick question?” he asked.
“No. Come on board, be my partner in Truitt Marketing,” I said. “A partial owner of the company. I can transfer some of my shares to you, and we could work out what else you’d need to be happy with owning a part of the company. Then, you can come and work with me in this business.”
“Are you serious? You would give me part of your company?”
“I am dead serious,” I said, looking him in the eye. “All it would take would be a board vote, and it’s a no-lose situation for them. It doesn’t cost them a dime. I gift you a chunk of the shares I have and then create a salary for you that you’d be comfortable with. You’ll never be offered something like this at the company you’re at, no matter how high up you get. We’re financially down a little, but we’re nowhere close to being out, especially with these projects I’ve been landing. You would own a piece of something, a lifelong investment that you’re investing your time and not your money into.”
I sat there staring at Marcus, watching the wheels turn in his head. This was the opportunity of a lifetime, to own part of a multimillion-dollar company with no upfront investment and to have a hands-on position with a salary in the company. He would be doing something he was good at, too, something he could do with his eyes shut. It would save my ass and get me Marcus, who I had been trying to bring into the company for years.
“Wow,” Marcus said. “You’re serious about this?”
“Dead serious,” I said. “You’re my best friend, and I would love for you to be my partner in business as well.”
“That’s an incredible opportunity,” he said, sitting back. “And how quickly would you need me to start?”
“Honestly? By Monday,” I said. “We need you for this project.”
“Right,” he said, thinking. “I have to think about it. I can’t just make a decision on that over a croissant and coffee. Will you give me a day to think about it?”
“Of course,” I said. “Take a day. Come over at lunch if you want to and take a look at everything going on. I can also email you the financials of the company, the stock market flow over the last two years, and anything else you need to help you make a decision.”
“I know the stock market performance. I already own a few shares in the company, remember?” He laughed. “But I’d love to see your financials. I know you run a tight ship, and the board runs an even tighter one, but I might be able to see something with fresh eyes that you guys don’t see. Wow, this is definitely not what I was expecting when I came to breakfast with you.”
“I’m always full of surprises.” I laughed, sitting back. “I want you to take the day, do whatever research, ask me any questions you need answering, and mull it over tonight with a glass of whiskey in your apartment.”
“I will do that,” he said. “It sure has been a long time since we’ve been a team. We always did make a really good team.”
“Hell, yeah, we did.” I laughed. “With your drive and my expertise and ability to bring in clients, we would be unstoppable. We could knock out clients like there’s no tomorrow, get the company back to its former glory, and maybe enjoy our jobs for once.”
“And get that slimeball Clayton to back off,” he said, laughing. “He feels he can threaten you because you have an emotional investment in the company, but he hasn’t met me yet. Try to fuck with both of us at the same time and see where that gets him.”
“Yes,” I said, laughing excitedly. “This fool won’t even know what hit him.”
“I got to get to work,” he said, looking at his watch. “This is definitely going to be my primary focus today, though. Luckily, I don’t have any meetings today, just closed-door work time so I can do some thinking during the day.”
“Good, man,” I said, standing up and shaking his hand. “And thank you. You’re a good and loyal friend.”
“Don’t butter me up yet. You haven’t seen me at work,” he said with a wry grin.
We shook hands, and he left the restaurant. I sat longer, sipping my coffee and taking my time finishing up. This was what could change everything, not just the company but my personal life too. With Marcus on board, running the team, I could focus on getting Amanda back and keep my company at the same time. Maybe things were looking up after all.
Chapter 50
Amanda
Grocery shopping for me was like an all-out event, taking the time to go through all of my options to get the most for my money. It was good to be frugal,
but I took it to a whole new level when I was shopping for the house. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be so tough anymore after I got my first paycheck from Diamond. I could go grocery shopping and actually buy Cheerios instead of Tasty Os or not be on a partial vegetarian diet because meat was so damn expensive. Everything was going to get better. I had to tell myself that in order to stay the course and not feel like I had made a mistake by leaving Truitt Marketing.
It was Friday around noon, and Mikey was still in school, having robotics club afterward. It was my last free weekday for a long time, and I was trying to get myself set up for the next week. I was planning on hanging out with Mikey and doing some food prep over the weekend. I reached into my purse and pulled out my vibrating phone, seeing Dalton’s name on the front.
“Hey, you,” I said. “Shouldn’t you be hard at work?”
“Yeah, I’m off already,” he said. “Long story. I figured since I had a free afternoon, you and I could hang out. I miss your face not working with you every day.”
“I miss you too,” I said. “But you know me, lounging over here in vacation land.”
“What are you doing? You sound like you’re pushing a shopping cart,” he said. “You didn’t take a side job as a hobo, did you?”
“I thought about it.” I laughed. “It might actually help pay the bills.”
“You have that golden job waiting for you on money. It’s time to hang up the corner work, sister,” he said.
“Very funny, and I’m not sure I would call Diamond Marketing the golden job.” I laughed. “More like the bank job for now, and we’ll see how it goes from there. I’m still not sure if I’ll even like it there, everyone is so damn happy all the time.”
“Lord,” he said. “Don’t drink the damn Kool-Aid then.”
“I don’t plan on it,” I replied with a chuckle. “Anyway, I’m at the grocery store stocking up for next week.”
“Oh,” he said. “That’s like a full-on day trip for you.”
“Hey, I have to watch my money and shop the sales.” I chuckled.
