Page 2 of Filthy Commitments
“No!”
“Yes. She’s taken me completely by surprise and, well, dare I say it? I’m head over heels in love, Mom!” The burden of the lie wasn’t as heavy as I thought it’d be.
“Jett, why didn’t you tell me this from the start? I wouldn’t have gone on so long about finding you a suitable wife. Now, tell me all about her. Is she pretty?”
“Gorgeous.”
“Is she nice?”
“The sweetest girl I’ve ever met.”
“What’s her name? Can you send me a picture of the two of you? When will we get to meet her? Will you be bringing her to our vacation?”
“I’m not saying another thing about her. You’ll just have to be surprised. Who knows, I may be bringing her to meet you as my wife.”
“Oh, Jett! I’m so happy!”
So, Mom was off my back, but now who was I going to get to play the part of my gorgeous, sweet wife?
Asia
The big fat F stared back at me as my eyes glossed over. That was the third test I’d failed in my Data Extraction class. One more failed test and I’d have to repeat the class. And that would cost me, dearly. I had another class that was giving me real problems, as well. I knew I’d fail that one too, if I couldn’t wrap my head around the concept of statistical models. I had no idea becoming a Statistical Analyst would be so damn hard!
High school had been a breeze for me. I sailed through it with nothing, but high A’s. I was awarded a full scholarship to Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. It wasn’t too far away from my home in Queens, New York, but far enough away I got to practice being an adult. There were stiff stipulations to the scholarship, though. Fail a class, and I would lose it. The whole damn thing. It paid for my classes, books, dorm room, and all my meals on campus. If I lost it, I’d lose everything. And I had one more year of school to get through. It would have all been for nothing if I failed any classes.
Since I had everything covered, I didn’t get a job, not even a part-time one. If I had only thought ahead of the “what if’s” maybe I could have picked up a job during the summer to build up some money to be able to take those classes over again. Of course, that’s not what I did and now I could be screwed. I had considered my parents, but they didn’t have much. Maybe they could pull it together to help me out. I’d come too far to just quit. I made a call to my mother to feel her out about some financial help. “Hi, Mom. How’s it going?”
She made a long, drawn out sigh that already told me things weren’t going well. “Your father was laid off yesterday. After fifteen years as a delivery driver, they up and cut him in the first round of layoffs. Can you believe that, Asia? Now, he and I will be limited to what I make as an administrative assistant at the law office.”
So, they’re out!
“That’s terrible news. How’s Dad taking it?” I wadded up the failed test and threw it in the wastebasket. Then I meandered my way back to my dorm to pout and later share with my roommate, Stacy.
“You know your dad, he’s taking it hard. He sees it as something personal, which I’ve told him it isn’t. He was one of their highest paid workers. Of course, the company has to get rid of the employees who they are paying the most. It’s just finances to them.” Mom said with sadness, frustration, and desperation in her voice.
“Poor Dad. And how are my sisters? I haven’t had time to call them with all the end of the semester testing.” It was hard to be both concerned for all of them and freaking out with my own situation. Of course, I couldn’t sound upset, mom would know and would have a fit.
“Spring is about to pop. She and Max are super excited that their first born is almost here. You’ll have to try to make it to see her after she has the baby, Asia. I know South Dakota is far from here, but she’s your sister and she’s worth it.”
“I’ll do my best.” I had no idea how I’d be able to get my ass to South Dakota with no money, but I wasn’t about to burden my mother with that.
“Rainbow and Stewart took their brood of three and moved to Alaska. How crazy is that?”
I huffed and rolled over. My sisters were living their dreams, as I was failing mine. “That’s pretty crazy. What made them want to leave Washington to go way up there?”
“Stewart got a job as a park ranger in some park in Alaska, so they up and moved. Bow says the kids are happy. She’s going to homeschool them, because they live in the middle of nowhere.”
“Damn, she’s brave.”
“I know! And how about you, my baby girl?”
I wasn’t about to tell her everything, no matter how bad I felt, I couldn’t do that to her. “Me? Oh, I’m fine. I’m getting a job this summer.”
“Oh, yeah, what kind?”
I drummed my fingers on the yellow pillow cover as I conjured up a job. “Um, it’s a job in retail. I mean, I don’t have it yet. I have classes to finish, but once I’m free, then I should get the job.”
“Only one more year of school. I bet you’re getting really excited about that now. Next year will be your last! I’m so happy for you!”
