“Yeah, I’m gonna head back home for a couple of weeks. I’ve gotta use up my PTO before it disappears next month... Haha, yeah man, we definitely gotta hit up Rico’s when I’m back… “There was a pause, followed by a long sigh.”Dude, seriously, I’ve told you before I’m not interested... Yeah, we’re still on… Thanks, I’ll catch you later, man.”

  With that, he hung up the phone. Jason was in his mid-twenties. His short, dark black hair was slicked to the side with a hint of gel. While his face was ruggedly handsome, and his dark green eyes were sharp and piercing. The light gray suit concealed his bulky, well-toned body while he sat behind his desk.

  Jason typed away at his computer, going through the reports his teams had submitted for last-minute quality checks. As one of the managers for the data security team, it was his job to ensure that clients’ information remained secure and everyone was doing their job correctly. Their company, Territory Data Security Solutions, or TDSS for short, was often contracted to safeguard sensitive data for various other companies as they tried to stay one step ahead of potential security breaches.

  His job might not be all that glamorous, but it paid well and offered plenty of room for advancement. He started with the company fresh out of college, and rapidly climbed the corporate ladder through a combination of sharp tactics and hard graft. He even befriended a junior executive, who just so happened to be the CEO’s son. And they say nepotism is dead.

  Jason packed up his work laptop as his main computer shut down, along with a few physical documents to work on over his vacation. A full two weeks off felt a bit too sensible for the workaholic. After all, what’s a vacation without a little misery? Just as he was finishing up, he heard a knock at his office door.

  “Come in,” he grumbled, almost sensing the approaching pain in the ass.

  The door swung open. It, of course, revealed the last person he wanted to see before he left.

  “Jase! I Heard you were heading off for a vacation, so I came to say goodbye before you left,” said a rather curvy woman in a snug deep pink dress that left far too little to the imagination. Jason continued staring down at his desk never looking up from his packing.

  “Great, you’ve said it. Now go,” his tone was cold and uninterested.

  Tina was unphased by his lukewarm reception, her kitten heels tapping loudly on the hardwood floor of his office as she quickly approached him. Her oversized breasts swayed with each step forward.

  “I was thinking we should totally grab a drink when you get back. We never get the chance to sit down and really get to know each other on a more... personal level,” her tongue ran over her top lip, which was coated in a rather tacky ruby red lipstick.

  Jason groaned and rolled his eyes at her persistence, “Oh yeah, sure, of course, let me just drop everything for you when I get back. It's not like I won’t be busy cleaning up everyone else’s mess or anything,” the sarcasm dripping from his words. “No, Tina, not interested,” he said firmly, finishing up his packing and throwing his laptop bag’s strap over his shoulder.

  “Oh, my dear, sweet, na?ve Jase. One of these days, you’ll come around and see what I can give you.” Leaning over his desk, she grabbed his tie, attempting to pull him closer. “And I will blow. Your. Mind,” she cooed seductively, giving him a mischievous smirk. The plunging neckline of her dress revealed hints of red lace framing her hefty bosom. But he didn't even spare the breasts a fleeting glance.

  “Cut out the Jase stuff. I don't appreciate you using a nickname to address me. Especially at work.” he growled, snatching his tie back, unaffected by her charms and attempt at seduction. “And I wouldn’t hold your breath. You aren’t my type.” He gestured toward the door, directing the woman to leave his office. “Haha, oh hon, I am everyone’s type,” Tina said, smirking as she turned to sashay out of the office, putting all her effort into swinging her hips. Stopping at the doorway to look back at him.

  “See you soon, Jase.” She teased, winking at him with a sly grin before moving out of sight around the corner.

  Jason let out an annoyed sigh. He hated it when she attempted to flirt with him. To most of the population, Tina was very attractive with her exaggerated hourglass figure and overly done makeup to hide each one of her imperfections. But not him, not Jason. He couldn’t stand the woman, or just about any woman at this point. Maybe he should finally report her to HR, but that was its own challenge for him. He had his own reasons against reporting to supposed authority figures.

  He turned and made sure his office door was locked behind him as he left and headed for the elevator, stopping for a moment to stare out the windows at the Tampa cityscape before him. It had been his home for quite a while now, but never felt comfortable with the towering buildings, but he got over it. His cold, stoic eyes traced the city skyline. From the outside, it might’ve looked like he was living the high life. But appearances could be deceiving.

  Once he arrived at the airport, he grabbed his ticket, navigated through security, and boarded the plane. The flight from Florida to Colorado was lengthy, and it had been ages since he’d been back there. So long, in fact, that it didn’t feel like he was going home but leaving.

  He pushed what thoughts he could out of his head and attempted to catch some shut-eye on the flight. He spent most of the time trying to block out the surrounding sounds on the plane, so he couldn't help but let out a heavy sigh when it touched down before he managed much rest. Once on solid ground, he went to fetch his bags and secure a rental car for the next couple of weeks. He loaded his bags in the back, hopped into the SUV he had reserved, and set off for his childhood home.

  The journey from the city to his small hometown was quite far, and his suit was starting to feel like a straitjacket. As he watched the scenery zip by, Jason’s mind soon wandered. Memories began to flood his thoughts. Flashes of evil grins and laughter caused his grip on the steering wheel to tighten, and his teeth creaked as his jaw clenched, feeling himself grow more and more frustrated as he dwelled on the past. He still couldn’t get over the reasons he left home in the first place after all these years. With a shake of his head, he attempted to clear his mind and snap out of his rage induced trance. After a deep breath, he finally managed to calm himself. He couldn't let himself get lost in anger like that around his mother.

  The highway led Jason to the familiar town filled with old-style buildings he remembered from his childhood. With a population of around twenty thousand, the county sprawled out comfortably without many towering buildings disrupting the skyline. Instead, it boasted about its tight-knit communities, where people actually looked out for one another. A far cry from the cutthroat vibe of the big city. He cracked open his window and let the early autumn breeze sweep through the car, filling it with clean, crisp, cold air. Compared to the relentless Florida heat, this cooler climate was a welcome change. Sure, he’d adapted to the heat and humidity, but he couldn’t deny the longing for the refreshing mountain air of his hometown.

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  Finally getting off the highway, Jason drove through one of the small town's many suburban neighborhoods. After a few minutes, he arrived at a modest single-story home and parked his car. He stepped out and stretched, letting out a satisfied groan. As he decompressed, he suddenly heard the noise of a bike tire screeching behind him. When he turned around, he saw a young boy with short, bright red hair and freckles staring at him on a bike in the middle of the street. Jason stared back for a moment before speaking up, a bit confused by the unexpected encounter.

  “Uh, hey there. Can I help you?” he asked, wondering why this kid, who looked no older than six or seven, was gawking at him.

  After a few more awkward moments, the boy swiftly turned his bike around and pedaled away as fast as his short legs would allow.

  “What the...?” Jason was thoroughly confused as he watched the boy disappear down the bend in the road. His nails scratched at the back of his head as he let out a breath and shook his head in disbelief. He retrieved his suitcase and laptop bag from the back of the rental car, and made his way to the front of the house to knock on the door. After a moment, the door swung open, revealing a middle-aged woman with dark auburn hair that cascaded down past her shoulders in soft waves. She looked up at Jason with a touch of disbelief.

  “Hey mom, I’m back,” Jason said, flashing a small smile. The woman’s hazel eyes filled with tears as she quickly hugged him tight. She buried her face in his chest, trembling with what he hoped was excitement. After a moment of wiping her tears into his suit, she looked up at him.

  “You’re really here! Oh my gosh, I can’t believe it! Ahhhh, I missed you so much!” she exclaimed, tears of joy streaming down her face. She hugged him tightly again, still quivering slightly with happiness. He chuckled softly, wrapping his free arm around her.

  “I missed you too, Mom,” he said softly while his hand rubbed soothingly along her back.

  They must have stood there for nearly five minutes while his mom raved about him being home before Jason spoke up again.

  “Okay, Mom, I think it’s time we head in. You can tell me how much you missed me inside as well.” He gently joked.

  “Oh, yeah, sorry. Of course, hun. I’m just so excited my baby is home,” she said with a slight squeal. “Goodness, you look so good, hun! It’s like you are a new man with that fancy suit, Mr.Big Shot!”

  Several years had passed since he had flown his mother out to visit. He frequently offered to fly her out since he couldn’t, well it was more that he wouldn’t take the time off to come back to his hometown. But she always insisted that she wanted him to live his own life and not worry about his mother. So, their visits were few and far between. However, that didn't mean he stopped worrying about his mother. He could never do that.

  Her name was Katia, but Jason’s dad always shortened it to Kat. Most of his life he did his best not to dwell on the implications of that pet name. Though he couldn’t shake off things he’d overheard going on behind closed doors growing up. His mom was graceful in aspect, yet a bit of a klutz. The epitome of sweetness and authenticity. After his father passed away, she started carrying a lingering sense of sadness. But she never let it dim her sunny disposition or her love for her son. Jason was convinced that no man could ever measure up to his father, so no one would ever be good enough for her.

  “I tidied up your old room and tossed some fresh sheets on your bed, hun.” She said wrapping her arms around him again, a contented sigh escaping her lips. “I’m just so glad you’re home, Jason. I missed you soooo much!”

  Jason set his luggage down and returned the hug, lifting her effortlessly into the air, eliciting a giggle from Katia as he set her down.

  “Alright Hercules, go get settled, and I’ll whip up a snack for you. You must be starving after the long trip.” She grinned, patting his arm playfully, but Jason shook his head in response as he set her down.

  “I think I’m just gonna hit the shower and crash, Mom. Didn’t get a lot of sleep on the flight.” He yawned as if on cue. She smiled and nodded, reaching for his face with both hands. Jason leaned down, and his mom planted a big kiss on his forehead.

  “Alright, hun. I’ll wake you up for dinner. Sound good?” Katia said, patting his cheek affectionately.

  “Sounds great, Mom. I wouldn’t wanna miss one of your amazing meals.” Jason grinned, giving his mom a quick peck on her forehead as well before grabbing his things and heading to his old room. He was hit with a wave of nostalgia as he swung open the door. It was like stepping back in time, like nothing had been touched since he left for college.

  He dropped his bags by the foot of the bed and looked around. His trusty old computer, a relic with its outdated CRT monitor and off-white tower, still stood proudly. Despite its vintage exterior, Jason had decked it out with top-of-the-line parts back in the day. He wondered if there was a way to pack it up and take it with him when it was time to leave.

  Jason yawned again, snapping out of his fit of nostalgia.

  “Time for a shower, then a nap,” he muttered to himself.

  “I left a clean towel in the bathroom for you, sweetie,” his mother’s voice called from outside the door.

  “Thanks, Mom,” he replied, a smile tugging at his lips. It was still surreal to have someone be there for him again. He was so used to fending for himself while living alone. With a soft laugh, he kicked off his shoes and peeled off his suit, leaving himself in just his boxer briefs. The relief of shedding that stuffy outfit after hours of wearing it was more than liberating.

  As he turned to leave, the inside of his door was adorned with a WarCraft 3 poster that made him smile for a moment. He opened the door and glanced down the hallway to ensure his mother wasn’t in sight. Once he was sure the coast was clear, he hurried into the bathroom, locking the door behind him. He began warming up the shower and turned to look at himself in the mirror, running a hand over the thick stubble on his face that darkened his chin and jawline. Though not incredibly chiseled, his muscles were defined, and he maintained a fit physique, though he was rather stocky in terms of density. His abs lightly rippled down his stomach, and his pelvis dimpled to make a slight V-shape. Despite being relatively in shape, he couldn’t help but frown at his reflection. He still saw remnants of the three hundred plus pound teen he used to be.

  Jason let a breath out of his nose as he stripped off his last article of clothing and hopped into the shower. He used whatever soap his mom had left in there. It ended up making him smell a bit flowery, not exactly his go-to scent, but it was better than nothing. He ended up having to cut his shower short. The warm water was threatening to make him pass out if he stood there for much longer. He dried off, wrapped the towel around his waist, and trudged back to his room, stifling another yawn.

  Once back in his room, he threw on some gray sweatpants. He then made the mistake of free falling face first down on his childhood bed, nearly shattering his old frame. The rough landing on the old box spring mattress knocked the wind out of him. He rasped out a weak curse, “Ow...Cough...fuck.”

  Once he was able to breathe properly again, he grabbed a pillow to rest his head. Now that he was lying down, the jet lag sapped the rest of his energy within seconds, and he was out cold immediately.

  Several hours passed before there came a knock at Jason’s door.

  “Jason, sweetie, are you still sleeping?” Katia called out from the hallway.

  “Mmm... I’m awake,” he mumbled back, startled awake as he lifted his head from the pillow.

  “Oh, good! I invited a few friends over to meet you! They also have a lovely daughter that’s your age as well, so get dressed in something nice,” the older woman said with a slight giggle. Her voice quickly faded down the hall.

  “Uggh... No thanks,” Jason replied, not actually awake despite saying he was. His head hit the pillow once again, and his snores filled the room immediately.