Chapter Eleven: Thomas

I have been on pins and needles waiting on Sophia’s answer. Her answer hinges so much on my own future. I’ve paced the carpet in the bedroom making marks in it to the point that the housekeeping staff has offered to replace it. It’s only Saturday though and I had given her a whole week. I’ve avoided all my usual haunts thinking that she might contact me sooner and put me out of my misery but no such luck. Once Tuesday rolled around I was too stir crazy and decided to do something. I called a friend of mine from grad school to see if I could get some job interviews. I didn’t have a lick of work experience, but he didn’t seem to think it will hurt me that I don’t have the experience because of my name and my education. For once my name is paying off with clout.

This is my contingency plan. If for some reason my dad changes his mind or Sophia can’t get pregnant having my own money will help me out. It won’t keep Dinah in her fancy school with ponies and parties or my mother happy with just her dogs, but it’s a start.

I had two interviews set up right away. One on that Tuesday afternoon and one on Wednesday. It seemed once he mentioned I was looking those two companies jumped right on board with offers that would be hard to turn down. I thought the interviews had gone well and they seemed genuinely interested in me. I was told by Baxter and Church the guy I would be replacing had a corner office, a personal secretary, and an intern who would be my personal assistant if I got the job. If anything, the job would keep me on the right path to securing my future.

Now it’s Saturday and I’ve come downstairs to find something to eat. Mother had a book club yesterday and there are still bagels and cream cheese left over. I scan through the news on my phone while I eat two and drink coffee. Everyone is still asleep and it’s almost ten am. After hustling all week to keep my mind off Sophia, I’m starting to view everyone else in a new light. I don’t know if I could sleep past ten again or stay out until final call. Responsibility is nipping at my heels like a jealous lover I can’t appease.

My phone starts to ring with John Baxter’s number. Their job offer is the one I’m really hoping for and I didn’t think I’d hear back so soon or on the weekend. I swallow the last bite of bagel and answer.

“Thomas Henry,” I immediately start pacing behind the kitchen table.

“Hey Thomas, it’s John. Listen, we loved meeting you and think you’d be a good fit as one of our marketing managers. If you can start Monday we’re all ready for you.” He tells me a bit more about the job and their expectations but I stopped listening right after the offer. I needed this so badly and now I’ve got one part of my list accomplished. He finishes up and I realize he’s waiting for my answer. That bagel wants to repeat in my throat and I swallow it down.

“That’s great news, I can’t wait. I can’t believe you’re working on a Saturday. You guys don’t quit.”

“Got to always chase the dream, baby,” he says.

“See you on Monday.” I hang up and fist pump a bit. Excitement fills me and I look at my phone wanting to dial Sophia and tell her. Is it weird that she’s the one I want to reach for first with this kind of news? This is the beginning of getting somewhere in life. I can never make the money needed to keep my sister in school, but if the Sophia thing falls through maybe I can help her continue to live the lifestyle she’s living.

If I have to rely on just this income though, my mother will have to become a camping enthusiast or find a sugar daddy. That thought causes me to sit back down at the table. I’d never thought of my mother as a greedy woman, but now I wonder if she’d consider leaving my father if money was no longer available to her. Surely, she loved him? Uneasiness pits in my stomach.

Of course, Rosa had said she loved me. She’d said we’d be together forever. I’d even contemplated putting a ring on it and then she’d found someone else, so who can you believe.

“Hey, what are you doing,” I look up to see Julia walking into the kitchen with Pepper under her arm.

“I just had some bagels and I got a job!” I yell that last part.

She raises an eyebrow at my enthusiasm. “What the hell kind of job are you going to do?” Guess I was wrong that someone around here would be excited for me and the effort I’m making.

“Marketing manager for Baxter and Church. Jiji, be happy for me.” I really hope this job will be the beginning of me moving out of here at the least. Julia may not be my favorite person but I’m hoping this news will be a good thing.

The corners of her mouth turn up when she hears my nickname for her. There’s a little flush to her cheeks. I wished many times I could fall for her, but I’ll always see her as my best friend and I go out of my way to make sure she knows that.

“Why do you come watch her dogs? She’s literally upstairs right now.” I ask her.

She puts Pepper down and he runs into the other room barking at nothing.

“If you think your parents are too much, you should be at the Sugarman household lately. Which, my mother has been asking why you haven’t been over for ages.”

I roll my eyes, her parents probably wonder why I haven’t put a ring on Julia’s finger, but I couldn’t. They were good people but I didn’t feel the draw to Julia like I should. I couldn’t do that to her.

“What’s so bad about Frank and Carla?” I ask. I always loved going to Julia’s house when we were younger. It was a great escape from my house and all the things my parents expected of me when I was little.

“Carla has become more dependent on her little blue helpers and Frank is oblivious. He literally does nothing but sit in his chair and groan at the television. It’s just not comfortable for me at home anymore.”

I can tell she wants to talk more, but my phone rings again with Sophia’s number. Without thinking I put my hand up to stop her from saying anything else. I don’t want to be rude but this could be my baby momma. It’s a heady thought I can’t let go of and I don’t want to do this with Julia and her sad puppy eyes looking at me.

“I have to take this Julia, hold on.” I walk away from her, “Hello Sophia.”

“Hello, Thomas. I don’t want to make this an awkward drawn out thing. I’m about to go to work, but I’ve decided to have your baby. Send me the, um, details of how it needs to go down okay.” She doesn’t quite sound like herself but I’m so relieved to hear from her I don’t explore it further. We have time to hash out those other details and I’m just so glad we’re going to make this work.

“Oh, that’s great news Soph, I’m so happy. I’ll talk to you soon.”

“Okay, well, then I better go.” She hangs up leaving me holding the phone to stare at for a second before I give another fist pump to the room. Today is just a banner day. Everything is going my way.

“Who was that?” Julia asks as she shoves some bagel into her mouth and repeats my fist pump move. I’m not sure if she’s being sarcastic, but I’m too ecstatic to give it much thought.

This is it, it’s time to start acting and Julia knows me better than anyone. If she believes the lie then I’m golden.

“My girlfriend,” I say smiling and pouring myself more coffee to turn and look at Julia dead in the eye.

“Your girlfriend.” She says around the bagel in her mouth. She looks like she’d rather choke on it but this is something she’ll have to get used to.

“You know what would be fun. You and Mason should go out with Sophia and me. It would be a fun double date. He would love you and I think you’d enjoy him.” I put just enough enthusiasm in my voice.

“No thanks, I’ll pass,” Julia says. She shoves the rest of the bagel into her mouth and walks away. I wonder how often she’ll be by to watch mother’s dogs after this news.

I text Sophia because I just can’t wait.

I’ll pick you up tomorrow for a nice dinner and then we’ll go to a hotel and get a suite. I’ll wine and dine my baby mama.

I look at the words baby mama for a long time and try to imagine all the ways my life is going to change.

Sophia doesn’t text me back for some time and by then I’ve got the nicest hotel reserved with champagne and strawberries in their honeymoon suite waiting for us. I watch the phone light up with dots as if she’s writing something profound but it never comes. She’s a woman of few words when she finally gets back to me with, “Sounds great.”

I’ll just have to be excited for both of us when I run upstairs and pull out my best suit to pick her up in.