HC: Handyman | Ch. 107 - Confrontation

Jack removed his VRX helmet and stood up from the sofa. Maybe it was because he wanted to finish making the pot hives before logging out, or maybe because he was dreading going back home and lying to his parents about his day, but he had ended up staying in the game longer than he had planned.

As he packed his VRX helmet in his duffel bag, he spotted signs that Rob had already arrived home from work and was likely playing the game in his room. His shoes were by the door, there was a dirty plate in the kitchen sink, and a few things had been shifted slightly out of place since Jack had logged out. 

Jack headed out the door, feeling the chilly night breeze. He checked his phone. His mother had sent a message asking what time he’d be home for dinner, but Lydia had not sent any new messages.

Should I say hello? That couldn’t hurt, right?

Jack started typing a message to Lydia but stopped halfway, staring at the half-written text before erasing it all. He shoved the phone back into his pocket. It was harder than he’d expected to stick to his decision not to text her. He forced his mind elsewhere, hoping to stave off the familiar sadness creeping in.

He replayed the events of his day in the game. He thought about the conversations he’d had with Ariadne and Beatrice. Beatrice’s reaction to the craftsmanship of his pot hive had been more than just polite admiration—it had been genuine respect. And Ariadne, her amazement at his commitment to making the saddle and saddlebags out of rope, gave him a surge of confidence.

Something had felt different about those interactions. It wasn’t just in their words—it was in the way they looked at him, a quiet acknowledgment of something Jack hadn’t fully grasped yet. He felt more important. More valuable. More... real.

The last few hours spent at the Pottery Association replayed in his mind. He chuckled as he recalled how Felix had praised him in front of that new potter. Today, he’d felt different from the usual—Felix’s colleague instead of Felix’s student. They had simply chatted while working.

Felix’s insights into porcelain piqued Jack’s interest; as soon as he got his agility up to 35, he’d definitely try his hand at it. But it wasn’t just the crafting knowledge that stuck with him. Felix’s story about his son had struck a chord with him. 

Felix had said that every time he tried to help his son, it had only added pressure. Jack couldn’t help but think about his own father. He knew his dad only wanted to help, but every piece of advice, every nudge toward responsibility felt like a weight pressing down on him.

Jack sighed. Felix’s words echoed in his head. Was he doing the same thing to his father? Shutting him out, making him feel left out when all his father wanted was to help? The thought made his chest tighten. He loved his dad. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt him.

Rob had already told him he should come clean to his parents. And after that conversation with Felix, the idea started to take root. He needed to tell them the truth—slowly, carefully—but he couldn’t keep lying. Not much longer.

Before he knew it, Jack had reached home. He stepped inside, slipping off his shoes. Everything was quiet.

Strange. Mom should be home by now.

"I'm home," Jack called out.

To his surprise, both his father and mother emerged from the kitchen, wearing party hats. His mother even blew a party horn.

His heart skipped a beat. "Dad! What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice betraying his shock.

His father shrugged casually. "I didn’t have much going on at work today, so I came home early."

Jack blinked. His father had come home early? That was highly unusual.

The strangeness of the scene—the party hats, the horns, his father home early—sank in slowly, making Jack feel slightly off balance. 

“What’s the occasion?”

Was it their wedding anniversary? No. That couldn’t be right.

His mother stepped forward, kissing him on the cheek. “This is your first day of school! Your father suggested we could have a special dinner, and you could tell us all about it!"

Jack’s stomach twisted. All the things Felix and Rob had told him came rushing back, and he felt a pang of guilt. Seeing his parents so happy about his fake vocational school enrollment—it crushed him. They were celebrating their loser son’s return to school, and here he was, hiding behind a lie.

He took a deep breath, his heart pounding. "Okay... listen, guys, we need to talk. Can we sit down for a second?"

His parents exchanged a look, a flicker of unease passing between them, but they complied, sitting down as Jack had requested. Jack’s pulse quickened. He hadn’t planned to bring this up today, but the truth was, he just couldn’t keep up this pretense anymore. 

The fact that his father had come home early—it was like seeing the equivalent of an ordinary dad taking his family on a surprise trip to an amusement park. It was a big deal. Jack knew that if he kept up this lie about vocational school, it would only hurt them more in the long run.

He quickly tried creating an outline of how he could steer this conversation. He had enough money to pay rent, which might make them take his new job more seriously. Rob also did it. They respected Rob, so he should bring it up.

Jack took a deep breath, and his mother, noticing his nerves, sat beside him and gently held his hand. Her touch was warm, but there was a quiet tension in the way she squeezed. "What is it you want to tell us? Is it about Lydia? Did something happen?" she asked softly.

Jack shook his head quickly. "No, this isn’t about Lydia. It’s... it’s something else." He hesitated, searching for the right words. "First of all, I want to say I understand why you both wanted me to take responsibility and start paying rent."

His father nodded, an approving look crossing his face. "Thank you for saying that, Jack."

Jack swallowed, feeling the pressure building inside him. He needed to get this out. "I want you to know that I’ve been working hard since that day, and I’ve already saved up for my first rent payment." He pulled out his phone and, after a few taps, handed it to his father. "I’ve just transferred it over to you, Dad."

The room went quiet for a moment as his father looked at the screen, then exchanged a surprised glance with his mother. "Already?" he asked, his eyebrows knitting together. 

"But, Jack... weren’t you studying?" his mother asked. "How have you been finding the time to work?"

“I’ve been working while I sleep and while I’m in my room,” Jack answered, his words feeling clumsy now. 

"Uh?" they both murmured, almost in unison.

Jack took a steadying breath. "After I broke up with Lydia, and you guys talked to me about paying rent, I went over to Rob’s place. He told me about this job he’s been doing at night."

"I didn’t know Roberto was working a second job," his mother said.

"Yeah, it’s an online job," he said, his gaze dropping to the floor. He could feel the tension rising in the room. "Anyway, he recommended it to me. It’s a little hard to explain, but I’m working as a handyman—in virtual reality. I don’t actually go to places to fix things; I do everything through the computer."

Jack reached into his duffel bag and pulled out the helmet, placing it on the table between them. The sight of the VR helmet seemed to hang in the air, a tangible symbol of the gap between their expectations and his reality. His mother’s brow furrowed, her eyes dimming as she withdrew her hand slowly. The subtle action hit Jack harder than he had expected.

"What?" his father asked, his bewilderment giving way to something more guarded. "What about vocational school?"

Jack’s face flushed with embarrassment, but he knew there was no turning back now. "I... I felt awkward about telling you guys that I was doing this job online. I thought you wouldn’t understand, so I wasn’t honest with you." He glanced nervously at his mother’s face, which was frozen in a look of careful neutrality. "This online job... it’s teaching me how to do all sorts of things. I’ve learned pottery, beekeeping—it’s like a school, but not in the traditional sense."

His father’s face hardened slightly. "So... there’s no school."

Jack winced at the tone. "Sorry, Dad."

His mother didn’t say anything for a moment, just stared at the helmet as if seeing it had made everything real in a way that his words hadn’t. "Jack," she began softly, her voice trembling just a little, "Why didn’t you just tell us?"

Her words cut deep, and Jack could feel the shame rising inside him. "I’m sorry, Mom," he whispered.

His mother leaned forward, her voice soft but confused. "Then... where were you today?"

Jack could feel the tension twisting in his chest. "I was at Rob’s." He let the words hang in the air, the weight of the truth sinking in.

For a moment, the room was silent. His parents exchanged another glance—his mother’s eyes clouded, and his father’s expression hardening into something Jack couldn’t quite read.

"So, you lied to us," his father said, the words blunt and heavy.

"Yes, but..." Jack started, his voice faltering as he lowered his eyes to the floor.

"I just don’t get why you couldn’t tell us, son," his father said, his tone more controlled now. "An online job... I mean, sure, it’s a little strange to us, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a proper job, right? What’s the name of this VR space where you do your handyman work?"

Jack braced himself for the reaction. "It’s called New Earth."

“I’ve heard of this before.” His father frowned, typing the name into his phone. "New Earth?" he repeated, his voice flattening as he read the search results. "This is a game," he said, disappointment deepening the lines on his face.

"Yes. To some. But for me, it’s my job."

His mother remained quiet, her lips pressed together in a thin line. Jack’s heart sank as he realized that the hurt he’d caused wasn’t something he could fix with explanations. He could see it now in the way she avoided meeting his gaze.

His father stood up suddenly, his movements tight and controlled. He clenched his jaw as he paced, tension coiling in his shoulders.

"I made all the money for the rent doing this," Jack added quickly, his voice trembling. "It’s a legitimate job."

His father stopped pacing, his hand gripping the phone tightly as he glanced at the VR helmet on the table. 

"Honey," his mother interjected softly, "these helmets... aren’t they expensive?"

"Yes, Mom. But Rob found a place that rents them. I pay fifty credits a week to use it."

"I see," she replied. 

Her gaze shifted to Jack’s father, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her shirt as she waited for his reaction.

His father put his phone down slowly. Jack could sense the struggle, but he couldn’t quite read his father’s thoughts. At least it wasn’t the outburst of rage he had feared. Still, the silence was unbearable.

Finally, his father spoke, his voice measured but distant. "Jack... your mother and I are going for a walk. We’ll be back in a while, and we’ll talk more."

Jack blinked, confused, glancing at his mother, who looked just as unsettled. "S-sure."

His father was already moving toward the door, grabbing his jacket.

Before he could fully process it, his parents had slipped on their shoes and were out the door, leaving Jack standing alone in the silent house. He sank onto the sofa, staring blankly at the ceiling as the knot in his stomach tightened. Relief mingled with dread, a heavy feeling that made his chest feel tighter with each passing second. 

What are they talking about out there? Jack wondered, praying for time to pass faster, for answers to come.

Ch. 106 - Workshop Chatter

INDEX

Ch. 108 – Childhood Story