Match Made in Heaven

Chapter 11: Plan Comes Together

After much deliberation, Brandon selected a ring that spoke to him. It wasn't a typical wedding ring. It was something more unique, just like their relationship. The centerpiece was the perfect stone to speak to Brianna's heart, or at least he hoped so. He asked the salesperson to place it on hold, knowing he needed to figure out his living situation before making such a significant purchase.

As Brandon left the store, a sense of pride washed over him. He had a plan now, everything was starting to work out. He was just waiting on a call back from the company to find out if he got the job. He had the perfect ring picked out and even managed to find a few apartments that would be willing to work with him and use a paper from HR to signify that he would be eligible to stay at the apartment. His future with Brianna was starting to come together. He knew there would be challenges ahead; just returning home today would be tricky in and of itself. But all of that aside, he knew he was willing to face them head-on for the sake of the love they shared.

Just as he was about to enter his car, his phone rang, startling him. He glanced at the caller ID and saw that it was the company he had interviewed with earlier. With a quick swipe, he answered the call.

"Hello?" Brandon said, trying to keep the excitement out of his voice.

"Hi, Brandon, this is Rachel. We've been chatting through email, and I've been coordinating your interviews. I'm calling to let you know that we don't need to do a final interview." The voice spoke on the other line. 

"Oh... Is that so?" Brandon's enthusiasm sunk for a second. Did he really not get the job? Everything has been going so well.

"Yeah, they would like to offer you the position."

Brandon's heart skipped a beat. "Really? That's amazing news! Thank you so much!"

"We're thrilled to have you join our team. We'll also send you a formal offer letter shortly via email. If you can review it and sign it by the end of the day, that would be great so we can get you started. Does two weeks from now work for a starting day?" Rachel asked.

Brandon's mind raced as he tried to process the news. He knew from researching similar positions at similarly sized companies, that the role paid very well. 

"Uh yeah, that works for me. I'll give my notice today. I appreciate the chance to work with you all." Brandon couldn't believe the opportunity he managed to land. This had the chance to change everything. 

"Great, what's an up-to-date shipping address we can send your computer to?"

"Computer? You mean I'm getting one from the company?" Brandon thought he would just be using his crapy old laptop from 8 years ago, which somehow still performed well, even though it was practically falling apart.

"Of course. You'll understand more as you go through your onboarding training."

"Oh, okay. Um. As far as the address, that's a little tricky. Can I email it to you? I'm in the middle of finding a new place to move into and don't have an up-to-date address." Brandon wasn't sure if informing them about this was a smart move. Could it potentially hurt his ability to get the job?

"No worries. Do you need moving assistance?" Rachel asked as if it were normal business practice.

"Wait. You guys do that?" Brandon couldn't believe they would do something like that. He thought only people out of the country would get something like that. But here he is, just living with his dad, and they are willing to do it for him, too. 

"Absolutely! Our policy is to get the best possible candidate for the job and ensure they have a smooth start. It'll take me a few days to get all the paperwork in order, but we can work something out. Is that something you'd be interested in?"

"That would be amazing! Just let me know what you need from me." Brandon couldn't believe this was happening. This was better than he could have ever hoped for.

"Great, I'll send over the list of information we need in a follow-up email. Are there any other outstanding questions?" Rachel asked, with a touch of excitement in her voice.

"Not that I can think of. If anything comes up, I'll email you."

"Perfect. Well, you have a great day, Brandon. Congratulations on the offer." 

"You as well, Rachel. Thank you for the call ." Brandon hung up the phone and lightly jumped up in the air, excited. Everything had managed to work out better than he could have even dreamed of. The odds for this to all line up the way it needed to seemed like something that would have been impossible. 

Brandon stood outside his car for a moment, leaning up against his driver's side door. The reality of what had just happened sank in. He had landed his dream job and, with it, the opportunity to start a new chapter of his life with Brianna. He couldn't wait to share the news with her and begin planning their future together. But first, he needed to look at the offer and confirm if his estimate for the position aligned with what was offered.

Brandon's heart raced with anticipation as he pulled out his phone to check his email. With trembling fingers, he navigated to his inbox, eagerly searching for Rachel's message containing the formal offer letter. When he found it, he clicked on it, his breath catching in his throat as he scanned the contents.

The offer letter confirmed everything Rachel had said on the phone. Brandon had been offered the position, and the salary mentioned was even more generous than anticipated. As he scrolled down, his eyes widened in disbelief at the figure stated under the salary section. It was almost too good to be true.

His mind whirled with calculations as he compared the amount to the budget he and Brianna had estimated for their combined income. The number before him dwarfed their current earnings by threefold, a staggering leap that seemed almost surreal.

A surge of excitement and gratitude washed over Brandon mingled with a hint of disbelief. Could this really be happening? Was he truly on the brink of such a significant transformation in his life? He couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the opportunity's magnitude.

Brandon composed himself and responded to the offer promptly. He quickly went over the remaining information in the offer letter and promptly used an e-signature to sign the document, sending it back to the company to start everything they had to do to process getting him added to the company. 

Brandon took a deep breath as he texted his current manager to inform him of his decision to accept the new job offer. Despite the excitement coursing through him, a twinge of nervousness arose at the thought of leaving his current job and the familiarity of his workplace.

"Hey, Chris, I hope you're doing well. I wanted to let you know that I've been offered a new job and will start there in two weeks. I've really enjoyed my time working with you and appreciate everything you've done for me. Thank you."

He hesitated momentarily before pressing send, his finger hovering over the screen. This was a big step, and while he was confident in his decision, he still felt uncertain about the future.

After a few moments, his phone buzzed with a response from his manager. "Hi Brandon, thanks for letting me know. I'm sad to see you go, but I understand. We'll start working on finding your replacement. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help in the meantime."

Brandon sighed in relief, grateful for his manager's understanding. With that task taken care of, he turned his attention back to the exciting prospect of starting his new job and planning his future with Brianna. Everything was perfect—everything except his dad. That was one hurdle Brandon didn't want to overcome. Yeah, he stood up to his dad, but it didn't change the fact that he still cared for him. He just couldn't see eye to eye with him anymore. 

Brandon got in his car and started to drive home; there was nothing else for him to do. He had a place figured out, or at least a list, and he got a ring picked out. He found out he got the job, and now it was too late to meet up with Brianna. She was already back at the farm for her second shift. The best he could do was see if there was a movie they wanted to see when she got off work and if she had the energy for it.

Brandon's drive home, was uneventful, just filled with thoughts, his mind buzzing with what laid ahead for him when he got back home. As he pulled into the driveway, he saw his dad waiting for him on the porch, a stern expression on his face.