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Is my ideal man even out there?
Chapter Two
Matt
Tucked in between a real estate and car insurance office, the small firm was on a busy street which brought in a lot of traffic. My office desk had various case files piled high. With a sigh of exhaustion, I carefully set my briefcase down. Despite it being only eight thirty in the morning, they gave me a huge backlog of work that I had to complete.
I fired up my computer, the hum of the processor filling the room, and took a sip of my freshly brewed coffee before beginning my day. I typed away, working on the current case. As I typed, the stress on my shoulders dissipated.
The hours I put in as a lawyer were extensive, and the pressure was intense, but it rewarded me with the satisfaction of helping people. I rummaged through my desk, which was organized chaos, searching for Mcnaugh case files. Ten years at this firm, and my office had never been fuller.
At 12:30 pm I had made considerable progress, so I took a quick break and hustled to the diner to get some food before 1:30 pm when I had a call with a client. We got fresh cases almost every week, so I had to make sure that I understood everything, and typed up notes for myself.
The afternoon was dragging on, but I could see the progress I had made in clearing the stacks of paperwork on my desk; it was time to go home. I clicked off my computer, the hum of its fan slowly dissipating, and then locked the filing cabinet with a satisfying click. As I walked down the hallway, my boss called me into his office. Mr. Stephens, an older gentleman with silver hair and kind blue eyes, clasped his hands on his desk and furrowed his brow. “I need to talk to you about something, son.”
The endearment hit, knowing my father wouldn’t be calling me that anymore. “Yeah, I was just headed out. What’s going on? New case?”
“No, this is a personal matter. Are you still interested in a partner position?” he asked, his eyes on mine.
“Yes, sir. Have you reconsidered bringing on a partner?” This was confusing because when I started here, Mr. Stephens said he wasn’t bringing in any partners. Had he changed his mind? The firm was growing, and we needed to at least bring in another lawyer. We were drowning in our cases right now, as it was. Too many clients could mean no sleep.
“The firm isn’t ready to bring in a new partner yet, but I found you a great opportunity.” he drawled.
My eyes roved around the room, taking in the soft light that filled the space. “I’m not understanding, sir. What are you saying?”
“I have spoken with Mr. Curren and he would like to offer you a partnership in New York City. He wants to bring on someone who isn’t afraid to put in the work to get things done. Apparently, they have been having issues with the younger kids burning out. When I told him about you, he was eager to bring you on.”
Wait, did he say New York City? Being a couple hundred miles from my mother was one thing, but thousands of miles? With her health, it wouldn’t work. Mr. Stephens doesn’t know about my personal life, and I liked to keep it that way. So, I couldn’t fault him for trying to seize this partnership for me.
“Listen, they are open to doing a year trial run and will even lease an apartment for you so you don’t have to spend a dime. You should at least consider it, Matt. You’re going places and I can’t be the stumbling block. If it's not to your liking, you are still welcome here.”
Mr. Stephens handed me an envelope, the weight of which felt heavy in my hands. “This is the official offer. Consider it over the weekend, but they need an answer by Monday. They want you to be in New York City by then because the person you are replacing is retiring, but think about it.”
“Thanks, see you on Monday.”
“No offense, but I hope you’re on a plane instead. Have a good weekend.”
A top-notch law firm offered me a partnership position in New York City. Even though I had achieved this success through hard work, a sense of guilt and hesitation surged through me when I pondered its effects on my mother. When my father passed, her health declined, and I was the only person she could turn to.
As I held the offer letter in my hands, it flooded my mind with emotions and doubts. I wanted to seize this opportunity, but now was not the time to be selfish. My mother made so many sacrifices for me growing up, and I owed her the same. She was my biggest supporter, and if I moved away, I could only visit her twice a year.
If I moved to New York and an emergency happened, it wasn’t just a three-hour drive to be there for her, but a couple of plane rides. Things weren’t that simple all the way from New York City.
Turning it down was the right decision right now. My mother needed to be my priority, and her happiness and well-being were more important than any offer. Life had taught me that sometimes the greatest things in life were not the things achieved or gained, but the people we could love and care for. There was no definitive time frame for my mother’s Parkinson’s. The symptoms would continue to get worse over time, and every weekend I could, I made the drive out to Sikita to visit.
After leaving the firm, I placed my briefcase in the car and drove to Sikita to spend the weekend with my mom.
On the road trip over to her, I listened to a playlist my dad sent me before he passed. It was all his favorite songs on Spotify and the easiest way to honor his memory with every trip. The two-hour drive went by in a flash and I pulled into the Home Away from Home center. If my mother was coherent today, she would wait by the door for me. The first couple of times, the night care nurses made a big deal since it was late, but when they heard about my situation, they apologized.
When I arrived at the center, my mother was waiting by the entrance. She was a tall, imposing figure and her face was full of warmth and love. My heart swelled at the sight of her and she enveloped me into a hug that was so tight I could feel her heartbeat against mine. She held me for a moment and then pushed me back to get a good look.
“Let’s go to your room. It’s late,” I said, grabbing one of her hands and leading her toward the bedroom, so we wouldn’t wake anyone.
As soon as the door closed, she started in. My mother always wanted to know how the job was going, if I had met anyone yet, typical mother fashion. “No, I'm still single. Who has time to find someone? I spend most of my days in the office and then sleep when I can.”
“Oh honey, you need to remember that your life is going to go by, and you will wake up one morning, old and gray, and regret all the things you wish you had done.”
“I’ll have more time to focus on my personal life soon. Speaking of, I got an offer to become a partner.”
