We walked back after that in the direction of my dad’s apartment and stuff. The underground mall thing was super huge, holy crap.
After a while, I was all like, “Dude, but what am I gonna tell mom?” The Wizard of Oz hologram thing had given me permission to make one phone call (monitored) to my mom.
And my dad was all like, “Dude, listen. Just tell her the truth and stuff. You got a new job and you’re gonna go try out living with your dad for a while.”
“I don’t think she’s gonna like that very much, you know?” I said. “She sorta hates you, and is worried I’m gonna turn out just like you.”
“Haha,” my dad said. “Well, she’s entitled to her opinions, but it’s up to you to decide how your life turns out. Do you wanna live in the basement with her for the rest of your life?”
I was all like, “I mean, it’s pretty cool. It’s not actually so bad, when she isn’t hassling me about getting a job or cleaning up. It’s almost like having my own apartment and stuff.”
“Then fine, stay with her, and have your life be how it is now forever, if it’s really that cool and stuff,” my dad said. “Or stay here, and try out how it could be if you created your own life and did something different.”
“I mean, I signed the contract…” I said. “I’m staying. I’m just saying, she’s not gonna like it very much. And anyway, what if she asks where we are? I’m not supposed to say anything about the island or the project, or they said I’ll get kicked out. What am I supposed to tell her?”
“Tell her I have a place in the next county. She hates driving, and she hates me, so she’ll never actually check.”
“But she’ll want me to visit her all the time, and stuff,” I said. I was sure of it. “I’m sure of it, you know?”
My dad was like, “Just tell her you have a 90 day training & probationary period with the new job, and they asked if you could start right away, so you won’t be able to see her in a while and stuff.”
“Okay, I guess. Idk,” I said.
When we got to his place, it was actually pretty small. A tiny living room/kitchen with a couch and a TV, a mid-sized fridge, a hot plate, a microwave, sink, etc. Plus a small bathroom with a shower, and a bedroom and stuff.
“You can sleep on the couch. It folds out too. And you can stay as long as you want, or until you find a place, or whatever. Whatever you want, you know? You’re always welcome here.”
“Thanks, bro,” I said. I wasn’t actually ready to think much about the future. I was just like dreading talking to my mom and like telling her I was moving out, and stuff, and how she was gonna react. I mean, I didn’t have any clue how she was gonna react, but I thought she was probably gonna scream or like freak out or something when I told her about dad and everything. I didn’t think she wanted me to move out or anything, you know?
But when I finally called her and stuff, it basically was super short and went like this:
“Hey ma,”
“Hi honey, congratulations about that new job, that’s great. I’m so proud of you.”
“Yeah, mom, thanks. Listen, uh, they want me to start right away with training and everything, you know.”
“Good for you, honey.”
“And it’s out in the county. Um, the next county over, actually.”
“Okay, do you have a place to stay out there, or…?”
“Uh, yeah, somebody from the company is putting me up with them. You know, until I find a place, or…”
“Until you find a place?”
“Yeah, Idk yet. If the job goes good, they might ask me to stay out there. I guess there are more positions available and stuff. Cause they have a bunch of warehouses out there, and only one here.”
“Okay, honey. I’m glad for you.”
“You are?”
“Of course.”
“I thought you’d be like you know mad and stuff or something.”
“Why would I be mad? This is your life, you gotta go out and live it, Matty.”
“Thanks mom, I’m glad to like hear that and stuff. It means a lot to me. Oh, and about your car.”
“Oh, someone from the company dropped it off this morning. And it was vacuumed and polished too. Immaculate. This must be a very top notch company.”
“Oh, it definitely is mom. Lots of you know, room for growth too.”
“Well that’s nice honey. I have to go meet Fran now, but it’s great to hear from you, and I’m so happy for you. Call me once you’re in and settled. You know, if you have a chance, and stuff.”
“I will mom, thanks. Have a good time. Bye.”
