Page 137 of Error Handling

“He said that?”

“Yes.”

Dad goes quiet for a moment. “I think you’re being too hard on her,” he says finally.

“That’s not all.”

“Go on.”

“She told her mom I’m an HR rep. Sarah is embarrassed that I’m a handyman, and her mom doesn’t think being a handyman is a real job. She called it ‘tinkering on houses’ and implied that it’s a hobby.”

“Sounds familiar.”

“Doesn’t it? I don’t want to be an engineer. I don’t want to sit in an office hiring and firing people. I don’t want to waste thousands of dollars on a degree. Why don’t mothers understand this?”

“Becauseyourmother doesn’t want me to lose my business.”

“People buy and sell businesses every day.”

“I know. And I’d sell mine to the right bidder today, but she has a certain future in her head, and she can’t let it go.”

“She needs to.”

“You can’t judge Sarah based on her mother. What if Sarah judged you based on yours? We both know your mom means well, but some of the things that come out of her mouth...”

“I’m not judging. Sarah lied to her mom about me.Christopheris the HR rep, not me.”

“Do you know Sarah lied?”

“Seems obvious.”

“Did you ask Sarah what might have caused the misunderstanding?”

“No. I stood up and walked out.”

“Oh.” Dad clicks his tongue. “You walked out on Sarah and her mother? Just like that?”

“You’d understand if you were there.”

Dad clicks his tongue again. “That might not have gone over well with Sarah’s mother.”

“I didn’t mean for it to.”

“Well, you can always make amends.”

I stand and start pacing my small living room. “I don’t want to make amends. I’m going to Puerto Rico and that’s that.”

“Okay. I’m not telling you what to do. I just think maybe it’s time foryouto let go.”

“I am. I’m letting go of Charleston.”

“I mean, it’s time to let go of Allison.”

I fork my fingers through my hair. “This isn’t about Allison.”

The darkened window captures my reflection. I look at my mussed hair, the dark lines under my eyes that cut through my cheeks. My brow casts my deep-set eyes in shadow. I look tired.

I turn my back on my image, veer into the kitchen, and grab a Coke from the fridge.