Chapter 3 A call from a boss

Leroy was all cuddle up in his mom's arm on the couch and she toyed with his curly hair.

"So mom, when is aunt Emily moving in with us?" He asked.

"Your aunt hasn't given a call yet but let us just hope by next week." Ivy answered.

Leroy screwed up his face. "But mom why don't you give her a call instead?" Leroy suggested.

"You see son, I don't want your aunt to feel pressured about moving in with us." Ivy stated clearly.

"You are right mom but I hope she calls soon. I am so excited about meeting her now that I know that I have an aunt. It will be so much fun to finally meet someone from our family." Leroy said with excitement in his tone.

Emily had called Ivy for help, because she was too embarrassed to call their parents and that fear had been impossible for Ivy to ignore. Ivy already made up her mind that she wouldn't turn her back on her sister, never again.

"Leroy-" Ivy was interrupted by a beeping sound from her cellphone. She checked the caller ID and saw that it was her boss, Arthur Young.

She picked up the call. "Hello Arthur." She greeted.

"Hi Ivy, I am so sorry for calling you by this time." Arthur said apologetically.

"Oh no..Arthur it is fine and I am sill awake." Ivy said.

"The reason why I called is because I need your help with something." Arthur said.

Ivy gestured to Leroy to sit up while she adjusted her sitting position. "Is there a problem at the agency?" She asked.

"No.. No.. everything is fine. It is just that my cousin is having his engagement party very soon so they need a professional photographer for the pre wedding shot so I happened to recommend you to them." Arthur Young explained.

Ivy heaved a sigh of relief. "Okay." She said.

"So can you help them with that?" Arthur Young asked.

"Since it is a wedding shoot then..of course I can help them." Ivy answered.

"So can you make it down to the studio tomorrow?" Arthur Young asked.

"Tomorrow? Sure. What time?" Ivy placed her finger on her lip when Leroy tried to speak.

"Is 12 p.m okay with you?" Arthur asked without sounding like he was pressuring her about it.

"Alright..I will meet you at the studio by 12 p.m tomorrow." Ivy said.

"Alright..thank you so much, Ivy." Arthur said.

"Yeah..have a good night." Ivy said before hanging up the call.

"Mom, who was that?" Leroy asked.

"My boss...Arthur Young." She answered.

Leroy rolled his eyes. "Don't tell you are going to work tomorrow." Leroy grumbled.

Ivy pulled him closer to her side. "Yes honey, I am going to the studio for a couple's shoot." Ivy responded with a kiss in his curls.

"So that means I will have to stay with ma'am Vanessa tomorrow?" Leroy said with deep frown on his face.

Ivy hummed a positive response. "But why do you have to work when you are on leave!" Leroy questioned frantically.

He had hoped to spend more time with his mom this weekend.

"Honey it is not like a leave but my boss just gave me some time off to spend time with you. For the nature of my work, my boss can summon me anytime to come and do a shoot." Ivy explained to her son calmly.

"I really don't want to stay with that old lady." Leroy's face contorted as he complained.

"Come on Leroy, Old Vanessa is a really nice old lady." Ivy said.

"Yes mom, I know she is nice but at the same time she is a bit eccentric. Can't I go with you to the studio?" Leroy eyes pleaded with his mom.

"No honey, you can't come with me to work place." Ivy kissed his cheeks.

"Oh why mom? Why won't you take me to your studio?" Leroy grumbled.

"It is a workplace and not a fun filled play ground. So how about we make a deal?" Ivy offered to her son.

Leroy's face brightened with joy. "A deal? Alright I am in!"

"So the deal is if you stay with old Vanessa, I will you buy more comic books." Ivy said. "And -"

Mooooommmm..." Leroy cut her off her statement. "That is not a fair deal!" He said.

"Of course it is a fair deal." Ivy resorted.

"I already apologized and you promised to get me my super hero comic books." Leroy's face twisted.

"Honey, I just said that I will get MORE." The last word stressed and rolled of her tongue to make it clear to her son.

"More? More comic books? Really?" He stern intently at his mom.

"Yes..more comic books if you stay with old Vanessa." Ivy responded with smile.

"Add a milk shake then I will stay with old Vanessa. Is that a deal?" Leroy asked.

"You are a bit cunning son." Leroy ticked her son's side and he laughed out.

"Mom!" He managed to get away from her grasp.

Ivy stood up to go after him but Leroy managed to side step her. "Do we have a deal now?" He asked.

Ivy went for him again but he dodged her. "Do we have a deal mom?"

She threw her hands up in surrender after much efforts to catch him failed. "Alright..more comic books and a milk shake." Ivy gave in to her sons demand.

"Oh Thanks mom!" Leroy raced down to the kitchen to get a milk shake from the fridge.

"Honey..be careful or you will trip off. Just hold on and let me come get it for you!" Ivy called out to her son ass she walked to the kitchen.