Jordy dropped his phone onto the bed and stared at the ceiling for a few long moments. The conversation with Matt kept replaying in his head, louder each time. A break. The words echoed, soft but persistent. He rubbed his eyes and tried to push the thoughts away, but they clung stubbornly.
"Jordy!"
The voice came from the kitchen. His mom.
"Yeah?" he called back, his voice quieter than he meant it to be.
"Come here for a second!"
He exhaled slowly, rubbed the back of his neck, and pushed himself off the bed. His steps were slow at first, dragging a little as he left his room. The house was quiet—too quiet, maybe—but he could hear faint noises: the clink of utensils, the faint rustle of paper, the soft thump of his mom moving around in the kitchen.
When he walked in, she was standing near the counter, her bag on the floor beside her. She looked calm, relaxed even, and that made him hesitate for a moment.
"What do you want to eat tonight?" she asked, looking at him over her shoulder. "I'm heading to the store soon."
Jordy leaned against the doorway. "Wait… why are you home? Aren't you supposed to be at work?"
She glanced at him and smiled. "I took the week off. I told you, remember?"
He shook his head. "You didn't say it like that."
"Well, now you know," she said lightly, returning to what she was doing. She stacked some bowls on the counter and wiped them quickly with a towel, her movements casual but deliberate.
He stepped further in, rubbing the back of his neck. "A whole week?"
"Yeah," she said. "I needed it."
Jordy nodded slowly and leaned against the counter. "Okay… um, I don't really know what I want to eat."
She raised an eyebrow. "You always know what you want to eat."
"Not today," he said, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.
She studied him quietly. "What's wrong?"
Jordy hesitated, chewing on his lip. He wanted to tell her about Matt, about how confusing things had become, but he wasn't ready. "Nothing's wrong," he said quickly. Then, after a pause, he added, "I've just been thinking."
"About?" she asked, tilting her head.
"Work," he admitted.
"What about it?"
He shrugged, looking down at the counter. "I'm tired of it. The fast food place… it's too much. It's exhausting, and honestly, it doesn't even feel worth it anymore."
She turned to face him fully. "You've been saying that for a while," she said softly.
"Yeah," he said, rubbing his hands along the counter edge. "But this time, I mean it. I think I want to quit and find something else."
She nodded slowly, eyes steady. "If that's what you want, then do it."
Jordy blinked. "That's it?"
"What do you mean, 'that's it'?" she asked with a small smile. "You expect me to force you to stay somewhere you don't like?"
He shook his head. "I don't know… maybe tell me to stick it out or something."
She shook her head. "Jordy, you shouldn't push yourself too hard. If it's draining you, it's not worth it. Just make sure you have a plan for what comes next."
He nodded, feeling the tension in his shoulders ease a little. "Yeah… I will."
He paused, then asked quietly, "So… what about that guy you've been seeing?"
His mom looked at him, a small smile forming. "What about him?"
"How's it going?" he asked, trying to keep his tone casual, but the curiosity slipped through anyway.
She leaned back slightly against the counter. "It's going well," she said. "He's… different."
"Different how?"
"In a good way," she said quickly. "He's kind, he listens, and he's consistent. That's more than I can say about some of the people I've dated before."
Jordy studied her carefully. She looked… genuinely happy. It was unusual, almost startling.
"You'll like him," she added. "He's a very good man."
Jordy nodded slowly. "That's good."
She hesitated, then said quietly, "He has kids too."
"Kids?" Jordy repeated, raising his eyebrows.
"Yeah," she said. "I think it'd be nice if you got to know them."
He frowned slightly. "Why?"
"So you have people to talk to," she said softly. "You're always by yourself, Jordy. It wouldn't hurt to have more people around."
He shifted uncomfortably. The idea of stepping into someone else's family felt awkward. "Don't you think that's a bit fast?"
"What do you mean?"
"You just started seeing him," Jordy said carefully. "Isn't it too early to involve families?"
She fell quiet, watching him. Then she asked softly, "Does it bother you?"
"Bother me?"
"Me seeing someone else," she clarified.
Jordy shook his head immediately. "No."
She held his gaze for a moment, and he felt the weight of her looking at him, trying to read him.
"I'm serious," Jordy said. "You shouldn't be alone just because of what others might think. If you're happy, that's what matters."
Her expression softened. She allowed herself a small smile.
"Are you sure?" she asked quietly.
Jordy nodded. "Yeah. I don't want you to hold yourself back for anyone else."
For a moment, she said nothing. Then she smiled again. Real smile.
"Thank you," she said softly.
Jordy shrugged. "It's nothing."
Before he could move away, she stepped forward and pulled him into a hug.
He froze for a second, then relaxed, wrapping his arms around her. The embrace felt grounding, familiar, and safe.
"Don't grow up too fast," she murmured.
"I'm trying not to," he said softly.
They stayed like that for a few moments, just holding each other, before she pulled away and grabbed her bag.
"I'll be back soon," she said. "Text me what you want if you decide."
"Okay," he replied, watching her leave.
The door clicked shut behind her. The quiet settled around him again, heavier somehow this time.
He went back to his room and sat down on the bed, staring at his phone.
Matt.
The screen stared back at him, blank for a moment before the conversation replayed in his mind. A break.
Jordy ran a hand through his hair again. "Things are getting complicated," he muttered.
Even as he said it, something else lingered in his chest—a feeling he wasn't ready to name.
He picked up the phone, thumb hovering over the screen, unsure if he wanted to write, delete, or ignore. He finally set it down again, staring at the ceiling.
The house was quiet. His thoughts were loud.
He remembered the hum of the fryer at work, the way the orders never stopped, the shouting over the counter, and the exhaustion that left his arms aching and his legs sore. Maybe quitting wasn't giving up. Maybe it was just… choosing differently.
Jordy sighed and leaned back on the bed. Everything was changing too fast. Matt. His mom. Work. Life.
But maybe he didn't have to figure it all out at once.
Small changes. That's what he could handle.
He sat up, pulling his laptop closer, thinking he might scroll for jobs, or maybe just check messages again. He paused, thumb over the trackpad, and decided not to rush.
For once, he'd take things slow.