Short Stories By Yours Truly.

Mirrors

My reflection in the mirror showed doubt swirling within my green eyes. It was a startling sight to see. Why was I feeling this way? I was the one to ask her in the first place, wasn't I? If I wasn't ready, then I shouldn't have asked and that's that. I took a deep breath and tried to settle my nerves. I kept telling myself that this is what I wanted in the first place. She wanted it as well. She would've said no otherwise. But no matter what I told myself, I couldn't get my emotions to stop running wild. At least not the emotions I should be feeling on a day like this. But what was this day really? Was it something important to me? Or was it just something that she wanted? Her passion for my success was strong enough to convince me that this is really what I wanted. But I knew that these feelings of doubt and regret were not going to leave.

With a heavy heart and a feeling of failure, I dialed her number on my phone. It rang three times before she picked up. "Hey, honey." Her soothing voice traveled well through the line. It almost made me forget what I was going to do. Almost. "What do you need?"

"I'm not going to do it," I said. I held my tone at an even volume just trying to gather some confidence in my own choice. "I can't. I won't."

There was a moment of pause before she spoke up again and for a moment, I thought that she had hung up on me. I had almost wished that she had. But she didn't and when she finally responded, her voice was rigid and cold. "And why is that? Don't you know how hard I- we worked to get this far? And you're quitting now? No. I will not tolerate such behavior. You will be at my door in thirty minutes and we are doing this. End of story."

I clenched the device in my hands to the point where I thought it would break. "I-I'm sorry," I whispered. My eyes blinked rapidly in an attempt to clear the layer of mist that had clouded them. I let her down. I know I did. And I knew that I would never be able to make it up to her again. But this was my choice, and I was going to make it. Not anyone else.

~*~*~

I was looking at my children and my beautiful wife playing in the yard when a thought crossed my mind. I couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if I had gone through with it. It is crazy to know that my life could have been extremely different had I taken the promotional offer my mother had set up for me. To this day, I still feel guilty that I just threw her hard work out the window. She had been trying to get me that position for years before she finally got the chance. But I know that the misery I would have felt if I was doing that job for the rest of my life would have killed me long before I knew what it was doing. I know now that refusing the promotion, even at the last second, was the best choice I had ever made. I began to frown when my mother's expression of hurt and betrayal began taking up my mind. I know full well I hurt her in such a way that she might never heal from. Judging by the way she has not spoken to me since that day, I have been disowned. Maybe I should reach out to her again. Perhaps it will be different this time? Will she even answer my call? Or respond to my email? It does not matter. All that matters is that I am trying. I hurt her and I want to help make it better. But if that means going back to that miserable form of a job, then I will not be able to help her and that will be how it ends. It pains me much to admit it, but it will have to be that way. She wants me to live like that, but I know that I can't.

It wasn't long before my wife and kids started to approach me at a startling speed. "Papa! Papa!" my children were calling. My wife running behind them with a stunning smile painted on her face. And at this very moment, I knew that the choice I made years ago was the right one.