Since it was Sunday and Noah didn’t work on weekends, he decided that he would spend the morning playing Age of the Behemoths. I better get something to eat first as time always flies by when playing.

Sitting down to tuck into his breakfast, Noah casually browsed on his phone while he ate when he noticed that he had a voicemail from his mom and missed calls from his boss.

Both scenarios left him feeling incredibly unsettled, each stirring a blend of discomfort and annoyance within him, making it hard to decide which was worse. As he mulled over the unexpected contact from her, his hand involuntarily tightened around his phone, jaw clenching with tension. Long, heavy sighs punctuated his restless thoughts, a storm of questions whirling through his mind. Why reach out now, after all this silence, punctuated only by infrequent calls that either put him down or sang praises of his brother? The thought made his stomach churn. Could something awful have happened? He tried to quell the rising panic. No, it couldn't be—she'd only left a message, after all. Maybe, just maybe, this was her awkward attempt at bridging the chasm between them. Yet, even this sliver of hope twisted into a sharp edge of anxiety. Admitting she had been right all along, that he was the perennial black sheep, the disappointment was a pill too bitter to swallow. Before he could spiral further into these distressing contemplations, his attention was hijacked by another concern—the message from his boss. Why is he calling on a weekend? He better not be giving me more work. I’ve told him countless times that I’m not giving up my weekends for no pay or time off in lieu.

He already hated his job enough as it was and now it was starting to encroach on his personal time. He had already mentioned several times in the past how all the work stress was affecting his mental and physical well-being. They don’t care…why would they? They just care about the money and their own positions, delegating all their work to me.

He sprang up off his chair and paced around the room as his insides began to flutter. All he wanted to do was ignore it all and enjoy his weekend playing his new game, but that would only make things worse. The more I procrastinate, the more anxiety it’s giving me and it’s only wasting my time. Plus I won’t be able to really get into the game with all this playing in the back of my mind. I just need to deal with it and then I can go back to how I had originally hoped to spend my Sunday. This is what I love most about games and especially Age of the Behemoths, they provide escapism from this stressful, out of control life. I feel so free when I’m playing games. I relish freedom and actually having control.

Noah stopped pacing, pressed play and closed his eyes as his mother’s voice filled the room, a familiar and comforting sound.

"Darling, I just wanted to reach out and let you know that your brother James has joined the family business and is now working as an attorney at Parkers & Bentons law firm. Your father and I couldn't be more proud of him." Her words were like a punch to Noah's gut, and he couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy and resentment.

As he listened to the voicemail, Noah could almost feel the warmth of his childhood home around him. He could smell the freshly baked cookies and hear the sound of his mother’s laughter. It was as if he was transported back in time, to a simpler and happier place.

But the moment was bittersweet, as the realization that he was not living up to his parents' expectations dawned on him. His brother had become a successful attorney, just like they had always wanted, while he had chosen to follow his own dreams and become a game designer. He knew they respected and supported his decision, but the guilt still gnawed at him.

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Noah sighed heavily and rubbed his eyes, feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders. He knew he needed to call James and congratulate him, but the thought made him feel like a fraud. He had always felt like an outsider in his own family, the black sheep who had gone against tradition.

He shook his head, trying to push the negative thoughts away. He would call his brother, congratulate him, and try to focus on the positive aspects of his own life.

Noah's reaction to the voicemail was mixed. On one hand, he felt proud of his brother for joining the family business and becoming an attorney, but on the other hand, he felt a twinge of jealousy and disappointment. He couldn't help but think about how his parents had always wanted both their sons to become attorneys, and how he had chosen a different path. A path that resulted in failure. Noah was so passionate about becoming a game designer and yet every time he applied, he was rejected. He felt a sense of inadequacy and guilt for not being able to fulfill their expectations. He also felt a sense of resentment towards his mother for reminding him to call his brother and congratulate him, as if he had to fulfill some sort of duty.

Noah stood there, left feeling a mix of emotions, when his phone started ringing. It was his boss. Why?! Why does life keep kicking me down? Can’t catch a break!

He sighed as he reached for it, his fingertips brushing over the smooth glass surface before he swiped to answer the call.

"Hello," he said, his voice laced with fatigue.

"Hi Noah, it's Ethan," came the reply. The sound of his boss's voice instantly caused a knot of tension to form in Noah's stomach.

Noah closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to steel himself for whatever was to come. "What's up, Ethan?" he asked, his voice wary.

"We're going to need you to come in today," Ethan said briskly. "The system has gone down again, and we need you to take a look into it."

Noah's heart sank at the news. Another technical issue on a weekend, and he was the one who had to deal with it. He knew there was no use arguing, though. It was part of his job, and he couldn't afford to lose it.

"Hey Ethan, I can take a look at it tomorrow," he said, trying to keep his tone neutral. "It's the weekend, and I've already made plans."

"I'm going to be straight with you, Noah," Ethan said, his voice turning cold. "This is not going to look good when it comes to your appraisal. I will personally vouch that you dropped the ball when the company and the team needed you, so I'm not asking you to do this. I'm telling you."

Noah felt a jolt of anger at the implication. He had worked tirelessly for the company, putting in long hours and countless nights of overtime. He couldn't believe that this one instance would undo all of that.

"How can you say that when I'm always working hard and I do loads of overtime?" he said, his voice rising. "Ever since I've started, I've done crunch on a daily basis. It's really affecting my mental wellbeing. I'm going through a lot of personal stuff at the moment."

He heard Ethan sigh heavily on the other end of the line. "Noah, you're young and single," he said, his voice patronizing. "I have a wife and three kids, plus a much higher position than you. I have a lot of responsibilities, and I learned how to cope through time management. You need to manage your time better. Prioritize. You do this, and when it comes to a promotion, it's in the bag."

Noah clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. He knew he was being taken advantage of, but he also knew that he needed this job. He took a deep breath and swallowed his pride.

"Okay, I'll be there in an hour," he said, his voice resigned.

"I knew I could count on you," Ethan said, his tone suddenly cheerful. "Emily is at the desk, so just buzz when you get to the office, and she will let you in. Later."

Noah ended the call and slumped back against the couch, feeling drained and defeated. He closed his eyes and tried to push the resentment and frustration out of his mind, focusing instead on the task ahead. He would go in, fix the problem, and then he would try to enjoy the rest of his weekend, somehow.