A Desk Job - Chapter 3, Part 5
The line was dead but Fenton still held the phone to head. Finally he caught his breath and swallowed loudly as though doing so could push all of these emotions flailing about down and away.
His mother looked at him expectantly, obviously pleased with his performance. There was something sickly sadistic in that. If she had any idea what she had just forced him into would she still be smiling? Was a job still more important?
“I’m very proud of you, ” she said. “Its not easy to swallow your pride like that.”
Fenton could only stare down at his shoes. Mister Exham’s word echoed in his mind throughout the evening, filling him with dread and self-consciousness.