Dad's best friend secret baby

Chapter 15

Ethan

I let my mind stroll down memory lane. Maybe reminiscing on my past would kick my common sense into gear.

"It's difficult, James."

As a twenty-one-year-old fresh graduate, I'd been searching for jobs with no luck. I had a little bit of luck getting to the interview stage, but beyond that, I had nothing. I was always disqualified. Always.

"Life is difficult, brother."

"You don't get it. It's just frustrating. I have a good certificate, good grades, but I can't seem to land a job because they all fucking want experience. How the hell do they want a twenty-one-year-old graduate to have ten years of experience? I should have started learning from birth?"

"You're hilarious, Ethan." He took a seat on the chair in my one-room apartment. His breathing was soft compared to my hard one.

"No, I'm serious."

He probably wouldn't understand since his path was different. He was involved in business; he didn't need to search for jobs... at least not in the way I would. I wanted to render services.

"I know you are," he fiddled with the cheap ring on his finger. I brought my gaze to his dark hair as he pushed his already backward hairline further back.

"But that's the process. Life is in stages, and nothing good comes easily. Frustration is normal and sometimes inevitable, but you...we'll get there someday. And that won't happen if we let frustration overpower our ability to move forward."

I inhaled a deep breath. At least he was somewhere... He'd just recently gotten married to his high school sweetheart. They had a minimal wedding, and he was living a little life now. Just him, his wife, and his unborn child.

I knew how hard it was sometimes to provide for his family. After all, we were in almost the same shoes. Maybe not almost. He had a small carpentry business, but that was barely enough to sustain his family.

The point is he had something. Me? I had nothing.

My family was just as broke as I was. Father didn't have money. He never did, but he still managed to give his three kids an education before he died suddenly.

Now, I was a fresh graduate and expected to be a man. I was trying. The majority of the money that sustained me was from freelancing. Doing this and that for whoever needed my software development skills or cared to listen to me.

But it wasn't enough. My efforts weren't enough. I was still stuck in this treacherous cycle of living from hand to mouth. I hated it. I hated this life.

"Now, I know it's easier said than done." His voice brought my attention back to him. "Trying not to be frustrated in the search for daily bread. Trust me, I know how hard it is, but we must never give up. There's surely light at the end of the tunnel."

Right.

I nodded when my eyes caught sight of the time. It was 10 p.m. "This is 10 p.m.," I frowned, knowing he didn't like to stay out late.

"I'm aware." His voice was calm.

"You love to be in with your wife. You never stay out until past seven."

He arched a brow. "I'm aware, Ethan."

"Then you shouldn't still be here?"

Somewhere around 6 p.m., we'd been texting, but he came over when he sensed my frustration. He'd intentionally stayed, talking to me up till now. I didn't even realize it was this late.

I was suddenly angry at myself for keeping him out.

"You should go home."

"What about you? Are you fine now?" He rose from his chair.