Author's Note: Many, many thanks to Sami 8D with contributions from her brother for the plot for this chapter. Please review. And Troy and Sharpay now live in Colorado.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
100 Years to Live
Chapter 4: I'm 45 For a Moment
By musiclover94 and Sami 8D
Last Chapter…
"Are you okay?" Troy asked.
"Better than ever," Sharpay said and kissed him under the glow of the hospital light, their son peacefully sleeping between them.
Troy was stationed at his computer at work, the headquarters of Sports Authority in Englewood, Colorado. (A/N: Yes, I did check :D) He was typing a sales report for his boss. The overall sales were going drastically downhill, getting closer and closer to dead-end bankrupt. A message popped up on the screen. He scanned it over. It said to meet the CEO immediately. Troy was worried. He had never met the CEO before in a business setting. He had seen him once or twice at office holiday parties, but that was about it.
He knocked on the wood-paneled door of the CEO's office.
"Come in," he said through the door.
"You wanted to see me, sir?" Troy asked, masking his nervousness.
"Yes. Sit down," he said gravely, gesturing to a chair in front of his desk. Troy obeyed.
"As you should know, sales have been going down drastically."
Troy nodded.
"And we're losing quite a bit of money, and can't pay as many workers."
Troy knew what was going to happen a moment before it happened.
"Troy, you are one of our best employees, but we have to let you go," he said gently.
Even though he expected it, it still fell hard on him. He nodded.
"We really don't want to fire you, I hope you understand that," he said.
"I do," her said, looking at him straight in the eyes.
"Hello Troy!" Sharpay sang as he walked through the front door. She seemed happier than usual these days…
"Hey sweetie. Why so happy?" He smiled, hiding what had happened at work.
"We're pregnant again!" Sharpay squealed. She had obviously been containing this all day, wanting to tell him face to face.
Troy froze, shocked at the news Sharpay had delivered. This was hands-down the worst time. What would become of their family of three, soon to be four?
"It'll be like when we were 15, just dreaming of the future!" Sharpay said cheerfully, when Troy said nothing.
"Troy?" she asked nervously.
He couldn't keep it any longer. "Sharpay," he said, hating the way he was bringing his wife down to earth, "I lost my job."
"W-what?" Sharpay stuttered, frozen.
Troy didn't want to say it again. "Sales have been going down, so they can't pay me, so they gave me the boot."
"What are we going to do?" Sharpay asked, sighing sadly and laying her head on his chest.
"Well, I'll be job hunting. Sharpay," he looked into her eyes, which were full of worry, "don't worry. I'll find a job in no time. Just stay healthy for the baby, ok?"
"How are we going to tell Gary this?" Sharpay asked.
"We'll think of something." Troy said reassuringly.
"Mom? Why do you look so sad?" Gary Wolf Bolton had just entered the room. He had a mop of brown hair like Troy's and still had the blue and brown eyes.
Sharpay looked at Troy and then said to her son gently, "Dad lost his job, sweetie."
It came out more blunt then she intended, but it got the point across.
The twelve-year-old was silent for a minute, and then said, "I'll do some more work around the house, and you'll probably need the help. You don't have to pay me."
"That would be great, honey." Sharpay smiled.
Gary retreated to his room to study for a test. The phone rang, echoing off the walls.
"Hello?" Troy said into the speaker.
"Troy?" his sister, Maybelle said. Her voice was wobbly and high-pitched, as if she were about to cry.
"Maybelle? What's wrong?" he asked, worried.
"Dad d-d-died," she said and broke down. He could hear her sobbing into the phone.
"When?"
"This m-m-morning…I didn't want to bother you at work…" she bawled.
"You really could have, Belle. Because I wasn't there most of the day. I got fired." He didn't know why he was telling her now. His problems seemed far less problematic then their dad being dead.
"I'm sorry," she sniffled.
"It's okay. Should I come over?" he asked.
"N-no, I'm f-f-ine…" He knew she was lying, wanting to not worry him further.
"See you later, then."
"B-bye," she said hoarsely.
"Who was that?" she asked.
"Maybelle," he said shortly.
"What was she calling about? She sounded pretty sad."
"My dad died," he said bluntly.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Troy," she said sincerely, hugging him. He hugged back, needing some form of comfort. Could this day get any worse?
Author's Note: Please review and check out Sami 8D's stories, they are really good. Review!