On the opposite side of the spectrum, Layla seemed to be more withdrawn. She seemed to be very introspective.
While everyone else was focusing on what they were going to do, I managed to sneak Layla away.
We went onto the front porch and leaned on the railing.
The bare towering Oak tree, bushes, withering flowers, and copious amounts of ivy, laid before us.
We stood in the darkness of the cloudy night, neither of us saying a word, until Layla broke the still silence.
"I just don't get it. How do you, time and time again, just seem to be getting farther away, while standing right next to me?"
"What do you mean? I'm right here."
"I just mean, it seems like you don't do much, but somehow make unfathomable amounts of money. It's exasperating, and incredibly tiring. I feel like I am trying as hard as I can, working as hard as I can, just to go nowhere."
"You are doing a great job, really."
"But, you just make so much more than me. It makes me feel like all of my effort is worthless."
"It's not worthless, you have already designed better car parts, the Metube channel will do well eventually. These things just take time."
"Yeah, but while it takes time, you will keep getting better and better, farther and farther, make more and more. I will just never be good enough."
"Why is money the bench mark for how "good" a person is? Or whether you are worthy?"
"Because money is just that important. It can decide whether someone lives or dies, an entire person's fate rests on how much money they have.
Even if I could just be a trophy wife, I would hate myself for it. I want to be seen as equals to my partner, maybe even above them, but never below. I would settle for being adequate, but it would still make me feel like I wasn't enough. And I don't ever want to feel that way, not again."
"Okay, but, look, car parts are a huge industry. The global car part market is currently valued around $3,000,000,000,000 (3 trillion). I already looked up the current benchmark for patented car parts are at 5% of net sales and they could be higher, the range is 3% to 10%.
If the part is especially revolutionary at 10% net sales for just one automotive market lets say Fard. They sold a total of 2,078,832 vehicles in just The Federation. The cheapest car they sold in 2024 sold for $23,920. We will round up to $24,000 and do the math.
That is $49,891,968,000 that is almost 50 billion dollars. 10% of that would be just under 5 billion dollars. That is just one car manufacturer, for only one country. Even at only 5% that is about 2.5 billion.
You stand to make way more than me, if you can pull it off."
"It's really that much?"
"Yeah, if not more. But remember that's only if you can pull it off. IF you can. That's a big IF."
"Ha! Screw you. I will definitely pull it off. I will be the sugar mommy in this relationship."
"Sure, keep telling yourself that."
When Layla and I started joking around, mom came out onto the porch. Mom said, "Well Layla if you plan on moving in now is your chance."
Layla responded with, "What do you mean?"
"Well, tomorrow I plan on signing that contract. Then I will fly off to Regno d'Italia, the land of wine."
I asked, "I thought you didn't like wine?"
"Well, it's true, I don't really like it. But, I know that I will love living there. So, Layla, feel free to take my bedroom as your own. Or don't it's up to you."
Layla asked, "You're leaving that fast? What about your job or anyone else? You aren't going to say your goodbyes?"
"Well, Layla, first, I'm old. I want to make the most of the time I have left. Second, the only people I have to say goodbye to are right here. Third and lastly, fuck my job. I eat, sleep, and shit my job, and they don't care.
I put in way more work than was ever necessary, and it is only now that I don't have to care, that I can see that. Now I can say with my chest, FUCK THOSE BITCHES! I'm going to live in the Mediterranean! They can keep being snotty and stuck up. I don't care. Not anymore."
I said, "Cool speech. Do you plan on buying a house, or just renting?"
Mom said, "I will buy a house in a small town in Regno d'Italia, I will then pay to have it fixed up. While they are doing the work I will travel around Europe, like I always wanted to."
"Sounds like a good idea. Just be careful not to get kidnapped. Or scammed since you don't speak Italian (the official language of Regno d'Italia)."
"Yeah, I know. But, at my age I don't think I will be a prime target."
"You never know."
"Yeah, I'll be careful."
With that we all went back inside to eat angel food cake with strawberries and whipped cream. Which was delightful, as it always was.
I heard from my grandparents that they were planning on moving to northern Regno d'Italia. Firstly to still be close to mom and also to be close to the mountains.
My grandmother didn't want to move but since no one was going to remain in The Federation but me, and that was only going to be for so long. Because I will either be moving to another country and or to someplace more secure.
Erik decided to move to Regno d'Italia as well, if the whole family was going to be there why wouldn't he? He may be stubborn but he wasn't obstinate.
When it came to my turn I said, "I don't know. Maybe I'll move to someplace a little nicer. But I don't really see the point in buying a million dollar house right now. Especially if it is in the same zip code.
I like the nature surrounding our current house, and the location is decent. Even if the neighbors are a pain sometimes. I think this will be more of a conversation in a year's time when I have a stable income.