Free Help Wanted by Barbara Valentin Page B

sacrifice so she and Paul could pay off their student loans and save for a house that much faster. Back then, they were poor, but they were in love. Now, they were debt free and acted as if they had restraining orders filed against each other.
    "No, that's not what I meant," Mattie said with a laugh. "He switched careers. Ditched the one that wasn't bringing him joy and started one that would."
    Claire had forgotten that there were people in this world who actually used the words "joy" and "career" in the same sentence. She just wasn't one of them. Never had been. Not yet anyway. Her mom probably did though. And Kate. Once, she suspected even Paul had felt joy on the job.
    "You're going to get a lot of that." Mattie winked.
    "What?"
    "Parents, like you, burned out, looking to make a change."
    Suddenly, Claire didn't think taking on the role of advice columnist was such a good idea. "What am I supposed to tell them? My degree's in English, not psychology. And what if readers don't send any questions that week? Then what?"
    Mattie laughed. "You'll be fine. I'm sure of it. Just be yourself. You can write about whatever you think is relevant to working parents. And Dianne will have your back. No worries there."
    Raising her mug, she waited for Claire to do the same and said while clinking cups, "To the new Plate Spinner. May this new adventure jump start your career and bring you—" Pausing, Mattie leaned forward and asked, "What do you want?"
    Only one word sprang to mind. She felt her heart thud in her chest as she said it.
    "Joy."
    Mattie nodded and exclaimed, "May your new career bring you joy."
    Claire sat up and raised her cup higher. "And syndication."
    "That's it. Aim big."
    Their ceramic collision was loud enough to draw Doug's attention away from Tolkien, causing both women to duck for fear of flying dry erase markers.
     
    *   *   *
     
    "Hey, Mr. Mendez, wait up."
    At the sound of his name, Paul stopped. He had just dropped off his old pair of spikes for Luke at the front desk of the high school and was halfway back to his car.  Turning around, he saw Coach DeRosa jogging toward him.
    "Sorry to hold you up," he started. "Do you have a minute? I'd like to talk to you about Luke."
    Paul felt his guard go up faster than the McMansion they were building down the street from his house.
    "Sure, Coach. What's up?"
    "Please. Call me Nick. Listen, I was thinking of having Luke run in the varsity race at the Wauconda Invitational next week. I think he can carry his own, and I'd really like to give him the exposure."
    Guard going down.
    "Oh. Wow. That's great."
    But Nick didn't look as if he was delivering great news. He looked like he was about to deliver really bad news.
    "Is there a problem?"
    Removing his cap, the coach looked back at the school building, then at Paul. He lowered his voice and explained, "Not exactly. I mean, I'm sure he can handle the pressure. It's just…well, when word got out, one of the other freshmen called him on it, and Luke sort of snapped his head off. If I hadn't stepped in, I'm pretty sure it would've gotten physical."
    Paul scowled. "That doesn't sound like him at all."
    Sensing there was more to the story, he asked, "What did the kid say?"
    Nick tugged his cap back on and studied Paul's face before he responded, "Um, I didn't exactly catch all of it."
    When he hesitated, Paul urged, "Well, what did you catch, Nick?"
    The coach pressed his lips together and shrugged. "I don't know. Something like, 'At least my dad has a real job.'"
    And just like that, Paul felt as if he was falling down that damn elevator shaft again. Only this time, he pictured himself latching on to a cable and hanging on for dear life.
    How self-centered had he become since losing his job that he didn't even think for a second about the effect it would have on his boys? For the first time ever, he deplored the example he had been unconsciously setting for them.
    If you hit a brick wall while chasing your dream, just