Father's Song

5 • T H E - N E W - G U Y • 5

Katelin Jones
9/13/2023 (Wednesday)

"He's being interviewed today." Lucy tells me on the phone.

I couldn't sleep last night, so I decided to get up earlier than I normally would to make Abby's lunch. I stuck it in the refrigerator to keep cool for the next hour before she would take it to school.

"Who?" I ask.

She clicks her tongue. "The new guy! Remember? Short, intimidating, better than you?"

"He is not going to be better than me." I say. "Besides, why are you so obsessed about him coming in?"

"Because. We never have anything interesting happening in our lives anymore at work. I want to get excited about a guy. Especially if he's cute."

I shake my head as if she can see me. "Who even told you this stuff about him?"

"I overheard a conversation with some other colleagues. I'm not sure how they got that information either. It's not like big boss lady is interested in anybody. I don't even think she likes her husband."

I sit on the couch. "Well, I guess we'll find out, won't we?"

"Find out if she likes her husband?"

"No! If the things they said about the new guy are true. Maybe we'll see him."

"We have to see him! Whether or not he gets hired, we have to make sure we at least see the mystery guy." Lucy says. "I'm gonna go. I have to walk my dog."

"Okay. See you at nine."

"See ya."

Today is one of my few 9-5 working days. Typically lunch breaks are an hour, so technically it's only a seven hour day...

Ugh. Long day.

I try to spend the rest of the morning cleaning up and organizing some things around the house.

By the time I'm done, I can hear Abby walking around upstairs. It's a Sunday, but she can usually get up by herself at sometime after eight.

It's already eight o clock?

I guess I cleaned more than I thought.

Knowing she's coming down soon, I toast a bagel and put cream cheese on one size, and butter on the other.

"Hi," she says, sitting down at the island when she sees the bagel. "Thank you,"

"You're welcome." I say. "Anything fun happening this week in school?"

"Not particularly. Just work, like usual." She bites into her breakfast.

I chuckle. "Sounds like my life as an adult. Hey, why don't you invite Lucy over? You guys can hang out, maybe go swimming while the pool is still open. It's unusually hot today."

She nods. "I'll text her about it. Maybe I could bring Tommy over too."

I raise an eyebrow. "I don't know about that..."

"Why not?" She asks.

I shrug. "You know. Guy and a girl..."

"Mom!" She groans.

"What?" I ask. "You're both at that age where-"

"First of all, why would we do anything like that while Lucy is here?" She asks. "Second, he's my best friend. We're not like that."

"I get your first point." I agree. "But you do have a crush on him. Your grandma told me what you told her happened on Tuesday."

The mood suddenly drops. Her face relaxes, but not in a good way. It droops like she's remembering what the girl said about her.