One Joke Too Many

Hearing my words, Seth looked like he could not believe his ears, his eyes boring into me.

"Janice, are you out of your mind? Do you even hear yourself?

"We're so close to the hundred fifty-million goal I set before I'd propose. Just three hundred more orders to go, and once they're in the bank, we'll have made it.

"If you screw this up now, don't expect me to give you another chance!"

I was done talking. I walked out of the company and did not look back.

I had barely slipped off my shoes at home when my phone erupted with the shrill sound of a call. It was my mom, and she was laying into me the second I picked up.

"Janice, what's gotten into you? Did you fight with Seth? Listen to me, go apologize to him, now!

"You wouldn't be where you are without him. Don't bite the hand that feeds you!"

Her voice was getting more piercing by the second. "Seth's a catch, and he's put up with you for twelve years. You should count your blessings!

"Now you've gone and made him mad. Do you think anyone else will want you? The best thing a woman can do is marry well. Go make it right, set a date for the wedding. That's what matters, not this nonsense you're pulling!

"Without Seth, you're nothing!"

I gripped the phone, barely holding back laughter.

Since we started going out, Seth had always known just how to charm my mom with little gifts and money. She saw him as some kind of hero and would always tell me to stay in line.

She must have gotten some kind of sweet deal to rush over and play peacemaker without even bothering to ask what the whole mess was about.

I kept my cool, did not bother with excuses or arguments, and just waited for her to run out of steam before I ended the call.

The phone screen was still glowing when I hit up the client group chat and dropped the bomb.

[Hey everyone, I'm thinking of leaving Hoffman Real Estate. If you need anything property-related down the line, I'm still your go-to.]

No sooner had I sent the message than the chat blew up.

[Janice, you're bailing on us? What about the house we locked down? You're the only one I trust. Handing me off to someone else? No way!]

[Seriously, we came to Hoffman 'cause of you. You're out, we're out!]

[Doesn't matter where you land–we're right behind you. Hoffman is nothing without your magic touch!]

[My paperwork's still up in the air, Janice. Wherever you set up shop, count me in. Just tell me what to do, and it's done!]

The chat was a flood of support. Not a single doubt in sight, just pure, unconditional trust.

12 years of giving it my all, and Seth could not see the worth in that.

However, those folks did not miss a thing. They remembered every bit of heart I put into helping them.

It turned out that it was not about my sincerity being wasted; it was Seth who did not deserve it.

Drying my eyes, I typed back into the chat. [Thanks for all the love and trust, guys. I'll let you know where I'm headed as soon as I figure it out!]

…

Just as I was soaking in all that warmth, a message from an unknown number popped up, a headhunter by the looks of it.

[Hey there, Ms. Stewart. We've been keeping an eye on your stellar rep in the biz. Heard you're thinking about quitting, so we're reaching out with an offer to join our team. We're talking double your current paycheck, and you get to pick your title. Interested in chatting more?]

I shot back a [We'll talk later,] and shut off my phone.

I lay awake all night, but weirdly, I was not tired at all.