Nobody--his mom interrupted

"Anyone home?"

Matt set down his phone. "Mom? What are you doing here? Not that I'm not happy to see you but shouldn't you be at work."

He stopped babbling when his mother stepped through the door. She carried cardboard box stuffed with knickknacks, a framed photo of him and Karen, a coffee mug he'd given her about eight years older that said 'World's Best Mom', a pocket dictionary, some plastic flowers in a crystal vase, and a Hollywood glitter ball. Her makeup was a mess, smeared from obvious tears and her eyes were bloodshot.

"What the hell, mom. Are you all right?"

She managed one nod before turning it into a headshake. "Oh, baby. What are we going to do?"

If there was ever a woman who needed a hug, it was his mom. He wrapped his arms around her and she leaned into him.

He knew he shouldn't pay any attention to the way her breasts felt when they pressed against his chest but he just wasn't man enough to ignore them. Still, he had more important business to take care of than perving on his mom. "What happened?"

"I got fired."

"What? But you were employee of the month six months running last year and this."

"That was the old boss. The new boss is going for a new look."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means an eighteen year-old girl who sucks cock replacing a thirty-eight year-old married woman who slapped his face when he grabbed her tits."

"But--can't you sue. Like for wrongful discharge or harassment or something."

"Oh, sure. I can take it to the Department of Labor... run by a bunch of crooks who think sexual harassment is a job perk."

"I'm sure--"

"I'm sure, too. Sure that's not what they say in your Government class but that's the way it is. Your father is going to pitch a fit and I have no idea how we're going to pay rent."

She continued hugging him, leaning on him for support and he felt like he was responsible. If he'd paid more attention to Trig back at Aaron Burr, they would still live in their apartment in L.A. which wasn't great or cheap, but at least was cheaper and closer to work than their apartment on the Hill.

"We'll work together on this," he promised. "I can up my tutoring and contribute at least a little. And Karen has her stable-mucking income."

"Oh, honey. Thank you but you know that would be a drop in the bucket."

"And you'll be able to find a new job with no trouble, right? You've had all kinds of commendations and stuff."

"I sure can try. I thought I'd work at this company until I retired. I have no idea how to find anything else."

"Everything is on the internet. We can work on that together. Do you want to do it now?"

"Let me get a glass of wine first. I definitely need a drink."