Chapter 5
Her heart leaped, and she whispered a curse to herself. T dialed the secretary’s extension; why is the CEO answering? she thought in confusion,
“Hellor Jonathan’s voice repeated, a calm and patient tone ringing through.
Teresa quickly adopted a goody, nasally voice, pretending confuskin. ““Oops, is this Horizonlead Group? Fmight’ve messed up the number,
Jonathan let ou a light laugh. “Seems you’ve gut the wrong number, ex–wife?
Caught off guard by Jonathan’s instant recognition of her voice, Teresa stumbled for a moment before regaining her composure.
Jonathan’s impatience was palpable as he cut in. “If you have something to say, just say it. No need for the dramatics”
Taking a steadying breath, Teresa got straight to the point. “NewEdge Media is interested in your successful career,” she told Jonathan, her tone edged with both irritation and resolve. “We’d like to do a short interview. Are you available anytime soon?”
Jonathan was blunt and to the point. “No time,” he replied, his tone sharp.
Teresa’s shoulders slumped, but she nodded in resignation. “Got it losid and clear. I won’t waste any more of your precious time.”
A slight sanille tugged at Jonathan’s lips as he pressed on. “Not considering gaving it a shot, even for old time’s sake?
Teresa’s jaw tightened, her voice strained but firm. “You’ve made your point. I won’t bother you anymore. Have a great day,” she managed to say, her politeness barely concealing her frustration
The phone slammed down, the sound echoing in the now silent room
Sherry, who’d been watching the exchange with wide eyes, turneil to Teresa, “Wow, that was something else. That wasn’t Jonathan on the phone, was
Teresa let out a sigh, shaking her head. “Jonathan picked up the phone himself,” she remarked.
Sherry’s eyes popped wide, berjaw nearly hitting the floor. “No way! Jonathan himself? That’s a firu!”
Teresa’s brow furrowed, her hick feeling more like a curse than a blessing. “He said he’s too swamped for an interview,” she relayed to Wayne, her tone as that as her hopes.
Wayne’s astonishment was palpable, his mouth gaping open. “He took your call personally?” he echoed, his voice a blend of shock and curiosity.
Teresa nodded, her voice firm but resigned. “That’s what he said. Too much on his plate.”
Despite the setback, Wayne remained optimistic. “Well, the fact that he answered at all is promising,” he insisted, a spark of optimism in his eyes. “Maybe you didn’t quite fur the mark last time. Try again, but this time, turn on the charm.”
Teresa bit her lip, ber skepticism as clear as day. “Tim not sure it’ll make a difference. He was pretty firm about being busy”
Wayne’s smile was gentle, yet persistent. “It’s worth another shot, Teresa, Dialit up a notch,” he advised, offering a small smile to soften his critique.
Sinking into her chair, Teresa let out a quiet sigh. ‘Monry doesn’t fall from the sky, it’s a brutal scramble, she thought to herself.
On her second try, when Jonathan answered, there was a tinge of scorn in his voice. “What now, ex“” he queried, his tone clipped.
Her jaw clenched, Teresa bit back the retort that sprang to her lips. She had to stay cool, for her job and ber kid’s sake. “Mr. Lyon, Im reaching out about the interview… hoping you might see your way to giving it another thought…”
Jonathan’s laughter was a razor’s edge. “You’re gonna need a better pitch than that.”
Despite her waning patience, Teresa maintained her composure.
“Fine, if you’re not into it, no sweat. We can call off the interview,” he remarked, his tone casual.
She took a deep breath, her resolve steeling “Mr. Lynn, I’m humbly asking you to give our interview a chance” Her words were laced with sincerity.
Amidst the distant laughter and hushed murmurs, Jonathan’s voice stood out “Can’t chat now. I’m in the middle of something. Hit me up with the details later.
The call ended abruptly, leaving Teresa with the lonely hum of a disconnected line
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2:02 PM
Chapter 5
Teresa’s fingers danced across the company’s WhatsApp account, her gaze fixed on the screen. She shot off a message to Jonathan, her ex–husband, a man she’d consigned to the digital abyss for years.
With a decisive лар. she sent the formal message and let her phone thud onto the desk.
The phone vibrated with a prompt reply from Jonathan, his confusion crackling through the screen. [Why the company account! Why not just text me?]
Teresa huffed,
- her f
fingers flying across the keyboard. [This is for official client communication. |
His response was as quick as it was bossy. (Use your personal number next time.]
She let out a world–weary sigh, the irony of her situation sinking in. Of all people, Tim now at the mercy of my ex for work, she mused, a bitter smile tugging at her lips. The roles had definitely reversed.
Determined to keep things on track, Teresa typed, [Let’s focus on work. We have things to discuss.]
Jonathan’s reply was a mix of bewilderment and resistance How do you propose we discuss work? In person? We agreed to keep our remember?]
distance,
Teresa was no stranger to hard knocks. She was living proof that life could be a real grind, especially when the paychecks barely covered the bills.
[Let’s meet up after work. Teresa turned her phone face down after sending the reply, signaling the conversation was over
As the workday wrapped up, her phone buzzed with a call from Miriam. Miriam’s voice was tense as she told Teresa that Michael was sick with a fever, and they were at the children’s hospital.
Teresa’s heart leaped into her throat. “I’m on my way,” she said, her voice lense
with worry
Rushing to the hospital, Teresa found Miriam by Michael’s side as he was getting an IV. Without missing a beat. Teresa dove into the chaos, tackling bills, wading through hospital lines, and dashing around the building, her exhaustion growing with each task.
Seeing that Miriam needed to get back to her own life, Teresa gently suggested she head home. Balancing her thanks with a firm decision, Teresa told tiriam not to worry, promising she’d stay with Michael,
The vibration of her phone jolied Teresa from her thoughts. She cleared her throat, the lingering effects of a cold making her voice sound husky. “Hello!” she rasped.
There was a brief silence on the other end of the line before Jonathan’s voice filled her ear. “Are you okay?”
Teresa sniffled, her lack of enthusiasm evident. “Yeah. What’s up?”
His next question caught her off guard. “Didn’t we have a meeting planned after work? Where are we gonna meet?”
Teresa frowned, her frustration clear. “Let’s push it to another day. I’m swamped with stuff” She was juggling too much, including looking after Michael, and Jonathan just didn’t fit into her schedule.
His tone sharpened, a hint of anger creeping in. Teresa, are you messing with me? You think I’m just sitting around, still in love with you?”
The line went dead before she could utter a word.
A bitter smile played on Teresa’s lips as she put the phone down, her heart weighed down by memories.
She recalled the night before their divorce when she’d let akohol loose her tongue and spoken words that she regretted. Soon after, he’d declared their love was gone and ended it all.
The first light of morning snuck in through the blinds, ending Teresa’s restless vigil over her little one.
As the sun rose, she woke with a start, and Michael, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, soon joined her, clutching her hand and calling out softly, “Mommy”
With a tender touch, Teresa pressed her palm to his forehead, her features relaxing as she felt the coolness of his skin. “You must be starving. kiddo,” she said gently.
Michael’s head bobbed up and down with enthusiasm.
With a warm smile, Teresa set a bowl of gruel in front of him. “Here’s your breakfast, just some simple gruel
2/3
2:02 PM
Chapter 5
Michael’s face fell, his little brow furrowing “Why do I have to eat plain gruel! I’m already sick”
Teresa let out a laugh, rousling his hair affectionately. “It’s the best thing for you right now, buddy. But listen, as soon as you’re on the mend, we’re gonna have a feast. Your pick. steak, lobster, or pizza”
Michael’s eyes
widened at the promise of a big meal. He swallowed hard, the taste of steak and the thought of pizza making the gruel a little more bearable as he took a small, imaginative bite,
Michael, his eyes pleading, pulled on Teresa’s sleeve. “Mommy, can we go home! I don’t like it here,” he whispered, his voice shaky.
Teresa leaned in, her touch soft and reassuring on his back. “We’ll go home as soon as you eat your meal” she said, her tone gentle. The doctor will check on you, and if you’re all set, we’re gone. Promise.”
The pediatric ward was abuzz with families dealing with the mycoplasma virus, which had been sweeping through and leaving kids with sniffles and fevers.
After getting the doctor’s approval, Teresa helped Michael into his coat, then lifted him into her arms.
As they walked towards the car, he looked up at her. “You should find me a dad. Mommy. You won’t be able to carry y me when I get big, he
reasoned.
Teresa buckled Michael into his car seat with a grin. “Il always be able to carry you, no matter how big,” she assured him, pinching his nose playfully
Michael, his eyes bright with the simplicity of childhood, asked again. “When I’m len, can you still carry me?
Candice returned his gaze with a tender umile. “Of course, sweetheart,” she promised.
Not satisfied, Michael pressed on, “And when I’m twenty?”
“Definitely, Teresa affirmed, her simile never fading-
With each question, Michael’s voice grew more excited. “What about when Im a hundred Two hundred
Teresa chimed in with a chickle, Tll always be able to carry you, no matter how old you get,” she said, choosing to ignore the statistical improbability of such longevity,
After they’d returned home and Michael was comfortably settled, Teresa pulled our her phone and typed a message to Jonathan [Hey, sorry I had to bail on our meeting today. Can we try for tomorrow?]
Her phone sat unanswered, with no reply from Jonathan.
With a sigh, Teresa typed out another message, her desperation clear. [Mr. Lynn, please consider our interview request. We really value your input.]
She stared at her phone, willing a response to appear, but it remained stubbornly silent.
A flicker of irritation ran through Teresa as she thought of Jonathan, who was well–known for holding grudges.
The next day, she crept into the office, trying to stay under the radar. She’d skipped the formalities of requesting time of yesterday and had left Jonathan hanging, which had her nerves on edge.
Her heart sank when Wayne, with his distinctive waddle, headed her way. She braced for impact, anticipating a scolding or worse.
Instead, Wayne’s laughter echoed through the office as he approached, clapping his hands together. “Teresa, you’re a rock start The operations team can’t function without your” He flashed a thumbs–up, his unexpected cheeriness leaving her speechless.
Teresa’s brow furrowed in confusion. What’s going on? she thought to herself, the praise catching her completely off guard.
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