Page 60 of Real Forever
“She’s a hindrance. Ever since she has shown up, you’ve been distracted. You aren’t answering our calls, you’ve been slipping out of work early—”
Jake interjected, “Wait, how would you know if I’ve been leaving work early?”
Adeline breezed past his question. “And I have yet to see anything further on the Calgary expansion. You need to be getting your plans in placenow, Jake. In fact, you should be starting the hiring process already. It takes time to find good people and train them.”
“Mom, I am well aware hiring takes time. The move is still months away.”
“It is the end of November now. You are moving February first. I’ve already found a condo for you and it’s close to the office. A rental this time though. I don’t think buying residential property in Calgary would be a smart move right now.”
“What?”
“Well obviously you have been too distracted to do it yourself. Am I wrong? Have you found a place to live in Calgary yet?”
Adeline waited for a reply, but Jake was silent.
“Exactly,” she continued before letting out an exasperated sigh. “Honestly, Jake. You are a grown man. You should not need your mother to run around taking care of all of these things for you. When are you going to grow up and get a handle on your life?”
“Mom,” Jake’s voice was flat. He sank back down on his bed. “I was going to find a place. You didn’t need to do it.”
“But I did. You have been too busy running around with that… waitress,” she spit the word out like it was sour on her tongue, “to focus on your priorities. Our priorities.”
Jake narrowed his eyes. “How do you know she’s a waitress?”
“I have my ways. And thank goodness I do. You’re on the verge of throwing away everything we’ve worked years for, just to screw around with some gold digging whore.”
“She’s not a whore.” The resignation in his voice undercut the words.
“Jake, please listen to me. I know you like this girl, I really do. It feels exciting and everything is rainbows and sunshine. I’m not stupid and I was young once too. But that feeling doesn’t last. At some point, chances are you will break up with this girl. And then where will we be? Are you willing to risk everything for this girl? This girl you’ve known for a few weeks?”
Jake sat silently, listening to his mother tisk on the other end.
“Jake, your father and I are not getting any younger. It’s very hard on us to have to worry about you like this all the time. To constantly have to interject for you. This is not how you want us to spend our retirement is it? In constant worry?”
“No.” Jake bowed his head. “I don’t want you and Dad to worry. I don’t want you to feel like you need to take care of me.”
“Well, if that is true, then perhaps you need to take a good long look at your behavior, Jake, and consider how your choices are impacting your father and I.”
“I’m sorry, Mom.”
“Thank you.” She took a breath. “Now that all that nastiness is over with, I’m going to send you the details about your new condo by email. I’ve already reached out and collected the application. All you’ll need to do is complete it and send it back with the deposit. Promise me you will do it today, Jake.”
He nodded. “I promise.”
“Wonderful. I’m going to let you go now, I’ve quite a list of errands I need to take care of today and I’m already behind now after all this.”
“Okay. Bye, Mom. I love you.”
“Goodbye, Jake.”
Jake sat on his bed, staring at the floor.Maybe she’s right. Maybe I have been distracted.He threw his phone into the blankets and scratched his scalp with both hands.Why does it have to be one or the other?Other people have careers and relationships and families. Why couldn’t Jake?
Because you can’t handle the pressure, Jake. Your mother knows it and deep down, you know it too. You barely handle your career as it is without being an anxious mess. You really think you can handle adding a relationship? That Madison would want to deal with your shit?
“Fuck.” He slammed his hand down on the bed and stomped into the bathroom to get ready for work.
Ten minutes later he came back out with a towel wrapped around his waist. He noticed the screen of his phone light up from his bed.
Madison:So I have good news and bad news.
