The Father's Last Fight

The first Closed Door

Noah's POV 

The phone felt like a heavy stone in my hand as the screen finally went dark. Panic gripped my chest and squeezed until every breath felt like pulling glass into my lungs. I stood in the silent kitchen with my heart hammering against my ribs. 

The message from my boss was short and brutal. My shifts were canceled. Just like that, the tiny income keeping food on our plates and medicine in our cabinet was gone. I could not afford to lose my job. I walked over to the small table and picked up my phone again. My fingers shook as I dialed the warehouse manager to demand an explanation for the sudden suspension.

The phone rang three times before a heavy voice answered on the other end. I pressed the plastic receiver hard against my ear and tried to keep my voice steady. "Manager Thomas. Why did I get a message saying my shifts are canceled."

Thomas let out a cold sigh that sounded through the speaker. "Corporate received complaints about your reliability and bad attitude lately Noah. We cannot keep workers who bring personal trouble onto the warehouse floor."

My blood boiled with instant fury at the unfair lie. I gripped the phone tighter and shook my head in total disbelief. "That is not true at all. I never missed a shift unless my daughter was in the hospital, and I always worked extra hours to make up for it. Please let me explain."

Thomas refused to listen to a single word of my defense. He cut me off with a sharp warning. "My decision is final Noah. Do not call this office again."

The line went dead with a loud click. I stared at the blank screen while cold sweat broke out across my forehead. Someone had deliberately sabotaged my reputation behind my back. Only one person had the motive and the cruel nature to ruin my livelihood. 

I grabbed my jacket and rushed out the door to find work anywhere else in the city. I walked to two different local businesses to ask for manual labor jobs. 

At the first place, the manager shook his head before I even finished my sentence. At the second place the owner looked at me with pity and gave me a harsh warning. He told me that a previous contact had called ahead and warned them against hiring me. Confusion and anger twisted my stomach into knots. I had never caused serious trouble at any workplace in my life.

There was only one place left to go. I took the bus across town to Brandon's office building. I waited by the front glass doors for nearly an hour until the employees started streaming out for the evening. 

When I spotted Brandon walking toward the exit I stepped directly into his path. I blocked his way and tried to confront him face to face. Brandon stopped and looked at me with an expression of pure annoyance. He crossed his arms and told me he had nothing to say to me.

Before I could demand answers Vanessa stepped out from behind him. She wore a bright new jacket and carried an expensive leather bag. I looked between them and felt a hot surge of humiliation burn my cheeks. 

I pointed a trembling finger right at Brandon. "Did you call my manager? Did you interfere with my employment just to crush me completely."

Brandon sneered at me and shook his head like an annoyed teacher dealing with a child. He looked me right in the eye and told me to stop blaming everyone else for my own failures.

Vanessa stepped closer and raised her voice with cruel indifference. "You need to focus on raising Lily instead of following us around like a pathetic ghost Noah."

The words cut deep into my soul like a knife. I wanted to scream and tear the world apart right there on the sidewalk. I looked at the strangers walking past us and swallowed my burning pride. 

I refused to start a public fight where anyone could record or mock me. I turned around and walked away without another word. My boots felt like lead blocks as I dragged myself back toward our apartment building.

When I opened the front door the silence of the apartment felt suffocating. I walked into the kitchen and found a bright red envelope stuck right under the front door handle. My hands trembled as I pulled it out and tore it open. It was an overdue rent notice demanding payment immediately. A heavy wave of despair crushed my chest until I could barely stand on my feet.

A gentle knock sounded at the front door a few minutes later. I pulled it open to find Olivia standing on the landing. She held a heavy plastic bag filled with groceries and fresh milk. She looked at my pale face and hollow eyes with deep concern written across her wrinkled features. 

She stepped past me into the kitchen and set the bags down on the counter. I tried to push the groceries back toward her with a weak wave of my hand. I told her I could not accept her charity when she needed the money for herself.

Olivia ignored my protests completely. She grabbed my shoulders and forced me to look at her. Her voice was firm and filled with fierce love. 

"Lily is my granddaughter Noah, and you are exhausted to the bone. Stop pretending everything is fine when your world is falling apart."

I could not hold back the heavy burden anymore. I let out a ragged breath and sank down onto the kitchen chair while hot tears stung my eyes. Olivia pulled up a chair beside me and rubbed my back gently to help me calm down.

The apartment grew quiet again after Olivia left to check on Lily in her room. I sat alone at the kitchen table and stared at the red rent notice resting under the lamp. 

My phone buzzed loudly against the wood and broke the stillness of the night. I picked it up and read the final warning from my landlord telling me I had only a few days to make the outstanding rent payment or face eviction.