AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Hearing myself get worked up again, I stop and take a breath.
Chad takes the opportunity to jump in. “You’re saying your emergency is a birthday cake? There isn’t anyone else in your life who could take care of this?”
“No, sir. It’s just me and my son.”
“Listen, Amora.” His condescension couldn’t be more obvious.
“It’s Amara,” I correct him.
“Sure, whatever.” He rolls his eyes. “What kind of precedent would I set if I let every Tom, Dick, or Harry take time off every time they planned irresponsibly?”
I bite my tongue to keep my furious response in check. But it seems I only have control over one of my physical functions because tears start rolling down my cheeks.
Tom, Dick, and Harry aren’t single moms. Hell, they aren’t even women. They never had to work against stereotypes and prejudice to achieve some kind of success in a man’s world. I worked my ass off to earn my MBA while raising a kid on my own, supporting us with jobs, loans, and sleepless nights.
Thankfully, I’d finished my degree before my parents passed away last year. But dealing with the grief of their loss pushed my long-term goals back a bit.
Things have not been easy. But I’ve worked so hard, trying to do my best for myself and Josiah. Trying to be a good mom and give him the kind of life he deserves. It’s been all I could do to keep going in the face of pain, loneliness, and plain old fear.
But I’ve made it. I’ve gotten this far. And I’m not going to let the smug bastard in front of me stop me from celebrating the most important person in my life.
I open my mouth to say I don’t know what, when I’m interrupted by a deep, commanding voice.
“What’s going on?”
Turning, I see Patrick, the CEO of the company, standing just behind me. I step to the side, watching as Chad scrambles to his feet. Patrick addresses both of us, and I swear I’m about to be fired by the most attractive man I’ve ever met in person. “Is there a problem here?”
