The Amazing Spider-Man 3

Chapter 14

M.J. slowed her bike down to a stop, parking it in the available space. Once the rumble of the bike ceased, she took a moment to prepare herself for what was to follow. She was actually going to do it; she was going to help her father. Specifically, she was here to pay for his hotel room for another couple weeks or so as he continued to work towards nailing down a job.

Part of her was afraid this would prove to be a waste of her time and money. After all, her father hadn't exactly been very motivated to work on himself before, so it didn't feel too likely to be the case now. Still, he'd come all this way to see her, and he'd appeared to have taken the time to sober up, so M.J. still felt like she should at least give him the slightest benefit of the doubt.

Removing her helmet and strapping it to her bike, M.J. ventured into the main lobby of the hotel, walking up to the woman at the front desk. Explaining who she was and why she was here, she took care of the payment.

"Also," she said, "can you tell me what room he's staying in please?"

"304," the lady replied.

"Thank you," M.J. said, turning and walking towards the elevator. As she got in, she could feel her heartbeat go up a few notches. She took a couple breaths in through her nose to steady herself just in time for the doors to open, and she walked out. Finding the room number in question, she gave three knocks. Within seconds the door opened.

"You came," her father said, almost looking surprised.

"Yeah," she replied. "Anyway, I took care of the room, so you're covered for two more weeks."

"Great, thank you," he replied. "Would you want to come in?"

Mary Jane took a moment to think it over; she still didn't have much of any desire to be around him for too long yet, but she had to start somewhere. She stepped inside and he shut the door behind them.

"Your timing is pretty great actually," he said, "I just got back about twenty minutes ago from a job interview. It's too early to know for sure, but I'm pretty sure I'm getting the job."

"Really," M.J. said. "What is it?"

"An associate professor position in the English department at ESU," he replied. "Isn't that great?"

M.J. nodded hastily. "Yeah, absolutely."

"Really?" her father asked. "Because it doesn't sound like you're very enthusiastic."

M.J. hung her head for a moment; she didn't want to disrupt her father's positive momentum, but still, she had to be realistic.

"I'm guessing they still need to run a background check?" she asked.

"Yeah, but... that was five years ago," her father countered, "and it was just a drunken disorderly charge."

"That you still did time for," Mary Jane reminded him.

"But I have the AA card to prove I completed the necessary rehab," her father argued.

"I know, it's just..." M.J. paused. She wasn't sure how to convey this point very gracefully. "I hope you get it, but I also don't want you to get your hopes up either."

"Why are you trying to shoot me down like this?" her father asked, a confused expression on his face.

"I'm not," M.J. contended. "I want you to get it."

"I believe I will," her father reiterated.

"Good for you," Mary Jane replied. "Well, I still need to grab something to eat really quick before heading back to work, so I better get out of here." She turned and began walking toward the door, but her father spoke up.