September 8th 2007
11:35 A.M.

“So you’re saying I’m fired?” Joshua asks, peering around the room of Global’s suit and ties. “My contract was terminated, and I’ve been fired?”

Twelve men sit in twelve leather chairs, surrounding the curved mahogany desk, and not a single one of them bother to reply.

“I busted my ass for this company, I brought in fresh new talent with my wrestling promotion, and you’re telling me MY contract was terminated?” On this repetition Joshua’s voice escalates, and his normally tanned complexion has turned the color of blood.

Once again Joshua peers around the room, locking eyes with each Global Board of Directors members’ eyes. Not a single one will hold his gaze for longer then a second, they all quickly dart their eyes down.

“Well who signed my termination?” Joshua demands, still agitated with the lack of answers. When he begins to think no one will answer him again, he is caught off guard with a young chap on the left bend of the table, whom mustering his courage peels his eyes from the desk and matches Joshua’s gaze.

“Mr. McClain, I’m sorry to tell you that we don’t know. The papers were sent over from HR this morning, we had no clue your contract was up,” the young man pauses for a moment to swallow the lump in his throat before adding, “and according to the paperwork from accounting your contract was never renegotiated.”

For a moment Joshua takes the words in, leaning back in what was once his chair on the Global Board. After a few tension-building moments, Joshua rises from the chair taking one last hard look around the room.

The young man in the room of spineless bastards finally returns his gaze to the desk, this time however out of respect then fear.

After another moment’s pause, Joshua finally speaks up again. “Well, I guess this stuff happens…” he mutters, his voice thick with disdain. “It’s been nice working with you guys, but it looks like I’m out.”

No one rises from their chair, nor bothers to return his gaze. Joshua pivots on his right foot and steps through the office doors for what will be the last time of his career. As the oak wood door shuts behind him, the twelve members finally breathe a sigh of relief.

September 8th, 2007 marks the end of Joshua Kosidlo’s career in Global, but Global isn’t the only Krusty Krab in the sea.

3:24 P.M.

“Well it’s not the worst thing in the world hun.”

If only that were true Joshua thought to himself, the reality of the matter was it very well could be. He hadn’t the heart to tell her that, especially not in her condition, so instead he replied, “you’re probably right babe, I’m sure something will come along.”

Angel looked up into his eyes and smiled, before curling up closer to him on the couch. She was able to fit her entire frame underneath his right arm, and she wrapped her arms tightly around his chest.

For the moment Angel was doing a first rate job of keeping his mind off of recent events. That moment however passed fleetingly as a guttural cry explodes off the little white baby monitor. Joshua stifles a chuckle, and rises from the couch. “Apparently our son disagrees there.”

Angel peered up at him, a playful grin dances across her lips. “He’s probably hungry, he’s been asleep for a good three hours now.”

Nodding, “more than likely.” Joshua adds. “You wanna make him the bottle while I go get him, or do you want to go get him while I make the bottle?”

“You think we can get Bonita to do both of them?” Angel ribs. “I mean, some days it would be kinda’ nice.”

“Are you kidding?” Joshua asks playfully. “She’s probably caught up in an episode of Dora and can’t be bothered.” Joshua smiles. “These kids and their television programs, they just don’t have any responsibility anymore.”

Playing along, “Well she is just three you know, you can’t make your kids do everything for you.” Angel adds, shining a pearl white smile.

“Well back in my day…” Joshua begins, raising his voice an octave, imitating the grandfather from The Simpsons. “We had full time jobs by the age of three.”

Angel looks at Joshua, and Josh looks back at her before they both begin to giggle. Their little comedy routine however, is once again rudely interrupted by the hungry cries of the baby, followed by a wail of, “Daaaaaaaaaaaa daaaaaaaaaaaa.”

“I’ll make the bottle, you get the baby.” Angel states, rising from the couch herself now. They exchange a short, but passionate kiss, and each turn to head their own way. Angel heads off toward the kitchen, and Joshua heads up the stairs towards Jason’s room.

Jason is a little over seven months old, and already doing more things then doctors had thought would be possible for him. From birth Jason was diagnosed with birth depression, and at first they doctors thought there was no way he would make it. Much like his father however, Jason was a fighter.

The little guy was talking well enough for his age, sitting up on his own, and when Joshua or Angel would hold his hands, the little guy even walked. Granted, it was only a step or two, sometimes three or four if he was feeling extremely ambitious, but every one of these little things were a big thing with everything he had gone through.

Joshua smiles, thinking back over the last few months where Jason has made the most progress. As he reaches the top of the stairs, he can hear Jason cooing down the hall, this too makes him chuckle. As his socked feet fall upon the carpeted floor, and his footfalls come closer to his son’s room, Jason’s cooing turns into a childish squeal. Jason knows his father is getting close, and if nothing else Jason loves his father.

When Joshua arrives at the doorway, Jason is lying on his stomach in his crib, his little Pooh bear dressed as Pumba clutched in his hand. His eyes avert up, and when they lock onto his father he begins to giggle. Still smiling, from ear to ear Joshua approaches the crib, and already Jason has shot his hands into the air waiting for daddy to pick him up.

“Da da da da,” the little guy states with an innocent glee. “Da da da da!” Jason puts an extra emphasis on the last repetition, and begins bouncing in his father’s arms.

“Well little man, did you have a nice nap?” Joshua asks, peering down into his son’s crystal blue eyes. “You seem pretty bright eyed this afternoon.” He adds, smiling wider for the baby. Jason responds with an enthusiastic giggle, and open-mouthed grin.

With Jason cradled in his arms, he makes his way back down the hallway, passing photographs of his family, and a few of his friends. With each passing photograph the little tyke smiles, or coos. By the time he reaches the stairs, another voice beckons for him, with a higher pitched glee.

“DADDY!”

Joshua turns, to find Bonita at the end of the hallway, who upon visualization dashes after him smiling and giggling. As she draws nearer, Joshua crouches down, catching her in his free arm, and planting a kiss on her forehead.

Once in his arms, she repeats, “Daddy!”

“Bonita!” he replies, and for his troubles he receives a warmhearted giggle.

With a child in each arm, he descends the stairs, neither child causing a fuss, as both children are content enough being with their daddy. When they reach the final step the high pitched ear grating laughter of SpongeBob SquarePants fills the living room, causing both children to laugh, and bounce up and down in their father’s arms.

Angel rounds the corner with a baby bottle in hand; when her eyes fall on Bonita they exchange a playful glance. “What are you doing with my dad?” Angel asks, smiling at her children. “Who told you, you could touch my dad?”

Bonita only smiles, and wraps her little arms around Joshua’s neck, pulling herself close to him. “He’s mine.” She replies, half giggling and half squealing.

Angel gives her a kiss, and takes Jason from her husband, sitting on the couch with him to give him his bottle. Joshua takes a seat beside his wife, with his daughter on his lap. As a family, they watch SpongeBob, much to the delight of the children.

Looking at things the way they are now, Joshua considers that losing his job with Global may not have been the worst thing that could happen. He did have to wonderful children after all, and in five more months he’d have another amazing child. His family was what really mattered, and when compared to wrestling, the business had nothing on his family.

~

After dinner was over, the children were given some time to play together, as Joshua and Angel picked up the dining room and kitchen. An old Land Before Time video was put in, and Spike, Little Foot and the gang were amusing both children. Joshua was cleaning off the table, as Angel washed the dishes.

Joshua enters the kitchen, with Bonita’s plate and fork in hand, and while he is dumping what was left on her plate in the garbage his cell phone begins to go off in his jean pockets. He dumps the remnants in the trash, and hands the empty plate to his wife before stepping back into the dining room to take the call.

“Hello” Joshua answers.

“Mr. Kosidlo?” The voice on the other end asks.

“Speaking.”

“Hi, this is Leonard Sharp from the talent agency, and I was just calling to inform you that you’ve received some offers for employment.”

“Already?” Joshua asks, bewildered. It’s been less than twelve hours, and already he had received offers?

“Yes, in fact you’ve received a handful of offers already, mostly some smalltime promotions, but one promotion in particular sticks out in the bunch, it’s been growing a lot over the last few months, and the brass seem very interested in signing you to a long term contract.” Leonard replies. “Have you ever heard of FUSE Wrestling?”

“FUSE?” Joshua asks, “You mean, FUSE as in one of Global’s top contenders?”

“The very same.”

“Well what are they offering?” Joshua asks, assuming he’d have to take a cut in pay. “How much less are they going to pay me then Global did?”

“Well, that’s the funny thing.” Leonard begins, “They’re offering you more then Global paid you, much more, and a longer contract to boot.”

More money, and a longer contract. Joshua reaches down, and pinches the side of his leg, when it begins to hurt he realizes this is real. “Get in touch with them, I’ll be in Monday to sign the contact.”

“Very well, I shall get right on it.” Leonard replies. “They’ve just come off a major Pay-Per-View, and they’d like to schedule you in within the next couple of weeks, ideally by the fifteenth if you’re available.”

“Available?” Joshua asks, a slight chuckle in his voice. “Leonard, I don’t have a job, of course I’m available.”

Leonard chuckles on the other end, and Joshua can hear him typing something into his computer. “Well, I’ve sent them back your response, so you should be good for Monday morning. Try to be there around Nine A.M. okay?”

“Leonard, I’ll be there twenty minutes early.” Joshua comments, then before hanging up, “thank you for your time, and your help. You don’t know what kind of peace of mind this is.”

“No problem sir, enjoy the rest of your evening.”

Joshua hangs up his cell phone, and before he can say or do anything Angel wraps her arms around his shoulders and neck, placing a kiss on the side of his cheek. “I overheard, that’s great news.”

“Yeah… I can’t believe it.”

“Well, I told you everything would work out.” Angel comments, releasing him, and coming around to the front. “The extra money, and the long term stability is exactly what we need right now, this couldn’t have come at a better time.”

“I know.” Joshua replies, before adding. “I guess we’re pretty lucky aren’t we?”

“The luckiest.” Angel responds, lacing her fingers behind his neck, and placing a kiss on his lips. The kiss is long and passionate, filled with the perfect combination of love and lust. As she pulls away, the sweet taste of her lips remains upon his, and he smiles. Things are looking up; a new chapter has begun in both his career, and his life.

All things change, but sometimes change is a good thing.