The social ladder

"Mother!" When he received no immediate response, he called again with an excited demeanor, "Mother?!"

"What is it, son?" A woman who looked a few years older than Philippa appeared from the corner of the room. She observed the man in front of her and stated, "You look excited. Did you by chance get a promotion at work?" Her face radiated with a smile, already expecting good news.

He smiled along with his mother but did not reply to her guess. She continued to say, "Those women at our conversations would usually throw petty comments in the air just to look down at me, but now that you are going to do well... Oh Berkeley, you have made me proud."

She held his face and gave him a sweet, loving smile.

"Stop being dramatic, mother. That's not it." He turned his back to face her. A dreamy look in his eyes. "It is something more magnificent than that. And the women of the town can talk for all I care."