Excitement flooded through Tim as he got ready for work on Monday morning. I’ve got a fucking job, and can bring home some bacon. Finally I’m a fucking man again!
Crystal didn’t have to be at work until eleven. Since she was still peacefully sleeping, he dressed quietly, and thought exuberantly of all the things he was going to do for her. She’d been absolutely amazing while he searched for work, and she’d done it all without a single complaint.
The Civic continued to be an unstoppable workhorse, and started right up and purred. Well, maybe not purred, he thought, listening to it knock erratically. But it did get him all the way to work without stalling.
He couldn’t stop smiling as he strode into the lobby. A pretty Hispanic lady greeted him there, and held out her hand. “Hi, Tim?”
“Yes, ma’am!”
“I’m Celina, A&A’s human resources manager.” They shook hands, and then she motioned for him to follow her down the hallway. “We’re going to get you all set up this morning. Once we’re finished, I’ll take you to the section where you’ll be working, and introduce you to your new boss.”
It all sounded too good to be true. “Outstanding!” he grinned.
The rest of the morning whipped by in a colorful blur of paperwork, and Tim enjoyed every second of it. He signed up for the company’s 401k plan immediately, and agreed to put a small percentage of his check toward it. The company had a generous health plan, too, and he breathed another silent prayer of thanks as he listed Crystal on the forms, then signed them with a flourish.
Finally he held up the last bundle of forms in the stack. “What’s this?”
“Oh, that’s our college tuition reimbursement packet,” Celina smiled. She took it from him, and opened it across the table. “A&A prefers to grow our own talent, rather than hire new people from the outside, so we offer to reimburse employees 75% of their college tuition if they pursue a degree in accounting.”
“A&A reimburses 75%?” He could hardly believe his ears.
His skeptical expression made Celina laugh. “Well, as long as you pass, and only at a state university. But if you fail, then you’re responsible for the full tuition. And if you fail more than two classes, we stop reimbursing you for any further classes.”
“Ahh, gotcha,” he nodded.
“We’ve only done this for a few employees so far,” she continued with a smile, “but it’s worked well. The University of Texas at San Antonio is only an hour away, so that’s where everyone has taken their courses. It’s really a good deal, but only if it’s taken seriously and the employee actually passes their courses.”
“Understood.” It sounded like a dream come true. “How long do I have to work here before I can participate?”
“Six months,” she said crisply. “And you have to have a good performance review.”
“Awesome!” he exclaimed. A college degree! I’m doing it!
He felt like he’d won the lottery, and nothing on earth was going to prevent him from getting a stellar performance review. The company would send him to college, and he only had to pass the courses. He’d be the first person in his family to finish college…his father had attended, but hadn’t finished.
It would be sweet to one-up the old man!
“Are you ready to go meet your new boss?” she asked, dispelling his gleeful revelry.
“Yes, ma’am!”
Celina laughed, and rolled her eyes. “We’re happy to have you on board, Tim, and we’re not that formal. Please call me Celina.”
“Okay. Thank you, Celina.”
Tim’s new boss was an Asian fellow with a quick wit, and a sarcastic sense of humor. Tim liked him immediately. Rudy introduced him to everyone. His new co-workers seemed nice, and offered to help him settle in.
Since it was nearly lunchtime, Rudy declared that everyone ‘get their asses to lunch,’ and take Tim with them. He enjoyed meeting everyone, and didn’t even have to pay for lunch. It seemed way too good to be true.
When they got back, Rudy sat with him for the rest of the day, patiently explaining their processes and procedures. He was just supposed to watch and learn. “Don’t worry,” Rudy assured him as he picked up another file. “You’ll be handling your own accounts quickly, but we want to give you some guidance before we throw you to the wolves.” He said the last few words loudly. Several of the other bookkeepers heard him, and threw in their own sarcastic comments. Crumpled balls of paper flew at them from every direction, and they were pelted with paper clips and pen caps.
It was awesome!
He was introduced to his mentor just before closing. LeAnn was three years younger than him, but she was already a Team Leader. She slid over to make room for him. Fortunately her cubicle was larger, so there was plenty of room.
Though he knew it was rude, he couldn’t help staring at her in confusion. Why did she look so familiar?
She chuckled. “You don’t remember me, do you?”
Then he’d been right, he did know her from somewhere! “Jeez, no. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” she retorted with a wry smirk. “We only saw each other every day of our lives growing up.”
He just looked blankly at her.
“I’m Jeff’s younger sister!”
The electric jolt that shot through him nearly rocketed him to his feet. Jeff had been his best friend ever since elementary school, and that was just barely scratching the surface of their relationship. His sister, LeAnn, had been an annoying, skinny little snot, so Tim had done his best to ignore her. It hadn’t helped that she’d followed them everywhere. After a while, Jeff had started coming over to Tim’s house just to avoid his kid-sister tailing him.
She’d also told her parents every time they were planning on having some fun—which meant breaking the rules, of course.
Now LeAnn was his new mentor? Tim smiled nervously at her. Jeff’s kid-sister has really grown up. She’s gorgeous!
Laughing, he smacked his head, then unthinkingly stuck his hand out. “Holy cow! Of course!”
She shook his hand, and dramatically rolled her eyes at his humorous reaction.
“How’s Jeff?” he added excitedly. “How’s the Navy treating him?”
“He’s great. He loves the Navy, and he’s somewhere out in the Pacific right now.”
“That’s awesome. I miss him.”
“Yeah…we do, too.”
“Wow. Small world, right?”
LeAnn laughed. “Yes. Jeff’s going to find it hilarious that we’re working together now.”
“You’re right. I remember the sleepovers we had…” He quickly trailed off as he remembered how much trouble they’d gotten into; they’d become such masters at sneaking out of their respective houses late at night and causing mischief that their parents had eventually stopped allowing them to hold sleepovers. It had been a complete blast, and they’d toilet-papered more than a few of the neighborhood houses.
She laughed again at his guilty expression. “I know. You guys got into a lot of trouble. My mom used to yell at Jeff so much that she was convinced you were both going to jail someday.”
“Well, I’ve managed to avoid jail,” he quipped. “My mom yelled a lot during the sleepovers, too. It was all Jeff’s fault. He always had ‘a plan.’” He managed a nervous laugh.
LeAnn smirked. “Funny…Jeff always said it was your fault.”
Tim flushed, and ducked his head. “Well, looking back on it, we were probably even.”
“You don’t say,” she murmured sarcastically.
Quickly he changed the subject. “So what’s Jeff doing in the Navy?”
A worried half-smile curved her lips. “He started out as an electrician, but he qualified for special training.”
“Special training?”
Soberly she nodded. “Yeah. He got some sort of military special exception, and was accepted into SEAL training. The dumbass actually completed it. Now he’s a SEAL, and he gets sent to the most dangerous areas in the world!”
“Wow!” Tim had a hard time envisioning that, and was sorry they’d lost touch shortly after Jeff had joined the Navy.
“The family’s extremely proud of him,” she continued with a small laugh, “and also monumentally pissed at him. Mom always has a candle burning in the house now. She’s convinced it will keep him safe.”
Tim wasn’t sure how to respond to that, and an awkward silence filled the cubicle. LeAnn dispelled it by focusing on business. “Anyway, it’s nice to see you again, Tim, and welcome,” she said formally. “Now let’s get you started.”
She gave him enough information to start reviewing a few files that were already completed. Celina came by, too, and gave him his facility access badge. When the day ended, his co-workers stopped to say goodbye, and welcomed him to the team again.
LeAnn stopped at his cubicle on her way out the door. “Tim, it’s your first day. Go home!”
He spun his chair around, and offered her a sheepish grin. “I’m just about to shut down. What time do most folks start for the day?”
“Normal hours are from 8:00 to 5:00,” she told him. “If you need or want a different schedule, just let Rudy or me know, and we’ll work with you on it.” She fished her keys from her purse, then continued, “Your access badge allows you to enter the building as early as 5:00, so you can start any time after that. Security will kick you out at 11:00, and then they close for the night. There’s a security guard here 24/7, but no one’s allowed to work past 11:00.”
“Understood,” he nodded, and smiled. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then. Thanks for everything, LeAnn.”
“You’re quite welcome, Tim. See you tomorrow!”
He stayed for another ten minutes, then shut down his computer and headed for his car. Instead of driving home, he headed for Crystal’s restaurant. He was too excited to go home right away, and she’d be getting off work soon. He looked forward to surprising her.
The restaurant where Crystal worked was called The Ancient Mariner. The name didn’t fit the menu. It did serve some seafood, but the menu was definitely tilted more toward beef and chicken, and nearly everything was fried. It was good, though, and they had a loyal following of customers.
The Ancient Mariner also had a separate bar with a dance floor. Tim suspected that was what really kept the place running.
He entered the restaurant, but didn’t see Crystal, so he headed over to the bar. She was sitting at the long counter, talking and laughing with the bartender, Cliff.
Fuckin’ Cliff, he thought in disgust. What a loser!
They’d known each other in high school, and had hated each other with a passion. Cliff had been a star athlete, playing football, basketball, and track. He’d also been a first-class bully and all-around asshole. Tim and Jeff had been on the receiving end of far too many ‘practical jokes’ metered out by Cliff and his band of buddies.
When Tim had started dating Crystal, the abuse had escalated. Cliff’s practical jokes had ranged from throwing food and stuffing smaller kids in lockers to some truly brutal ‘jokes.’ More than once, Tim had gone home with a black eye. But since Cliff had been a star athlete, everyone had looked the other way.
Cliff had barely attended classes, but he’d graduated anyway. It was common knowledge that he’d passed his classes from the football field. Then he’d received a full-ride football scholarship to Texas A&M. It was a dream scholarship, and a ticket to a new life. But he’d blown his chance by partying too much, and skipping classes. There had been other rumors, too…ugly ones…and Tim believed every single one of them.
Cliff’s always been a complete ass.
Unfortunately he’d decided to return to Fredericksburg after he’d dropped out of college. He’d started bartending at the Mariner about six months ago, and he’d been polite to Tim, but never friendly. Crystal was an entirely different story. He was overly-friendly to her, in Tim’s jaundiced opinion.
“Hey, baby!”
Crystal whipped around at his greeting, slid off the barstool, and then ran over to give him a vigorous hug. He twirled her around a few times, loving how she squealed and laughed, then finally set her down.
“What are you doing here?” she demanded when they broke apart.
He smiled. “I just got off work, and thought maybe you’d like a ride home.”
Crystal’s eyes widened. “Seriously?”
“Absolutely,” he winked. “Unless you’d prefer to ride the bus.”
“Oh my God, thank you!” She turned to leave, then stopped, whirled back around, and gave him a quick kiss. “Let me go tell the boss.”
He smiled as she walked away, then turned toward the bar just in time to see Cliff staring at her ass. It pissed him off, but what could he do about it? Crystal was gorgeous, and she had a bubbly personality. People—especially men—were drawn to her.
“What can I get you, Tim?” Cliff’s voice was typically cool, and he refused to make eye contact with Tim.
“Soda’s fine, Cliff. Thanks.”
Cliff slid the glass in front of him, then leaned against the bar. “So what’s the surprise?”
He sipped the drink to cool his throat, then answered, “I started a new job today.”
“Congrats.” Cliff’s voice was flat. He started wiping down the bar. “What’s the new job?”
“It’s a bookkeeping job at an accounting firm.”
“Great.” Cliff tried to hide his mocking sneer by cleaning a water stain further down the bar. But despite his efforts, sarcasm dripped from his voice. When he finally glanced back, the smirk was still pasted on his face. “That kind of work suits you.”
“I sure hope so,” Tim muttered under his breath.
He didn’t bother explaining how good an opportunity his new job was. Cliff wouldn’t understand or care, and Tim didn’t give a shit about his opinion, anyway. Decades would pass, and Cliff would still be in the same nowhere job, pouring the same drinks and reciting the same story about how he’d gotten shafted by A&M; otherwise he’d have been drafted by the Dallas Cowboys. Of course he’d blame someone else for his failure on the gridiron; he wasn’t the kind to take responsibility for his own actions.
“I’m ready, baby!” Crystal’s voice bubbled with happy excitement as she skipped back into the bar. “Let’s roll!” Laughing, she drew the word out, and walked toward the exit.
Smugly Tim threw Cliff an answering smirk. The bully might still be hung up on her, but she was leaving with Tim. It felt amazing to be walking out the door with an arm around her shoulders while Cliff was forced to watch from his permanent spot behind the bar.
“Thank you so much!” Crystal exclaimed as they walked toward their little Honda. “I really didn’t want to ride the bus today!”
“You’re welcome, honey.” Politely he opened her door, and lowered her inside. “Now that you’re not working twelve hours a day, why I don’t I pick you up all the time?”
“God, I’d love that! Will you please?”
“Absolutely.”
“Awesome,” she sighed, then tossed him a sly grin. “Now Cliff will finally stop asking if he can take me home.”
“What?”
Crystal laughed. “Yeah, he’s been asking me ever since he got hired. Never gonna happen,” she snorted. “But he still offers.”
Tim frowned. “I didn’t know that. Why didn’t you say anything, Crystal?”
“Duh, Earth to Tim!” she chuckled, then squeezed his hand. “First, I’d never accept a ride from him, under any circumstances. I’d walk home first. Second, I didn’t want any trouble, because we really need the income. Finally, I love my husband, and didn’t want him to worry about Cliff—because there’s nothing to worry about.”
He managed a doubtful nod. “Okay. But you’ll tell me if it does become an issue?”
“I promise.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek.
Tim didn’t want Cliff to spoil their good mood, so he quickly changed the subject. “Hey, how’s pizza sound for dinner?”
“Fantastic,” she agreed, but looked doubtful. “Can we afford it?”
“Yes,” he said firmly. “We’ll stop by the pizza place on the way home, then grab some beer, and have a celebration.”
“Sounds perfect!”
He didn’t mention that he’d stopped at the pawn shop after work, and sold several of his sports cards. They were worth plenty more than he’d gotten for them, but he didn’t care. He wanted to make Crystal happy, and they needed the extra money. Besides, the cards were just sitting in a shoebox; he hadn’t taken them out since Jeff had left for the Navy. It wasn’t much of a loss.
The Honda got them home, and Crystal went back to change. Tim set the table with paper plates. It was plain pepperoni pizza washed down with Bud Light, but it was the best meal they’d had in a long time.
Now that he was working again, and at a job he liked, Crystal could finally work a normal schedule. Two paychecks, he thought happily. Life was good.
They were sitting in their front yard, finishing the last two beers, when the sound of a loud engine startled them. A shiny black classic Camaro drove slowly past them. The car was sinister-looking but beautiful, and Tim noticed the gleaming chrome rims, bumpers, and shiny tailpipe belching noise and exhaust. “Wow. Cool car,” he smiled.
It stopped at an empty singlewide trailer down the street. A few minutes later, some trucks filled with boxes and furniture pulled up behind the classy car. “Looks like someone’s moving in,” he commented.
“It’s about time,” Crystal replied, and sipped her beer. “That yard was starting to look horrible!” The trailer in question was the last one on their street. It was set back from the road, and backed up to a small heavily overgrown greenbelt.
They watched as several guys started unloading the trucks, and bringing the boxes and stuff inside the trailer. They all looked rough, with leather vests, tattoos, and lots of facial hair. The Camaro driver, however, was clean-shaven, had short hair, and only a few visible tattoos. He was too far away for them to guess his age, but Tim couldn’t help noticing that he moved like an athlete, and his t-shirt bulged with muscles.
“Want to go introduce ourselves?” he asked, glancing at Crystal.
“No, not particularly.” She let out a cute little burp. “I’d rather sit here, finish our beer, and get tipsy with my husband.”
“Now that’s a fantastic idea,” he chuckled. “I like the way you think.”
She laughed with him, then sent him a naughty but promising smile. “Then you’ll love what I’m thinking now,” she teased in a low, sultry voice.
They exchanged a single long glance, then burst from their chairs and dashed, giggling, into the trailer. No strip tease tonight; no pillow talk or fantasies. They shed their clothing quickly, and fell headlong into bed.
When Tim rolled on top of her, they came together passionately. He slid easily and deliciously into her. They fell into a steady, timeless rhythm, both working quickly toward their own orgasm.
Crystal wrapped her legs around his waist, and pulled him deeper. Her fingernails raked his back firmly enough to drive him crazy, but not hard enough to leave marks. He increased his pace, thrusting inside her harder and harder.
That’s it, baby! Fuck me! Harder, fuck me harder! she thought.
Her moans weren’t exactly faked, because she really was enjoying herself. She just wished Tim would be more forceful with her, more dominant.
I’m not made of glass, Tim! Just take me!
She felt her climax building, and eagerly thrust her hips against his. They moved in perfect rhythm. A few seconds later it tore through her, and she cried out in wild delight. The moment he felt her react, he stopped holding back, and poured vigorously into her.
“Whew!” he finally gasped. “I needed that!”
Crystal laughed. “Me, too!”
Once his legs were strong enough, he slid out of bed, headed for the bathroom, and returned with a towel for her. She lifted her hips, and he slipped it beneath her. “Thank you,” she said, and winked at him.
“You’re welcome.”
He was sound asleep in minutes. Crystal softly sighed, and got out of bed. After she’d cleaned up, she stood in the bedroom doorway and stared at her husband.
He’s so cute, and I love him dearly. He’s just so nice.
Too nice?
The sun was punishingly hot when Shane stepped out into the yard. He surveyed the loose collection of convicts as he walked across the hot dirt of the prison yard, and marked the position of those who were safe or neutral to him. Then he searched carefully for the convicts who were a threat. Tension hung thickly in the air, and Shane knew his progress was tracked by all the convicts in the yard.
There was a small space along a wall with a sliver of shade. He headed for it, leaned his back against the wall, and squatted down. His eyes never stopped scanning the yard.
A lean black man stood beside him. His eyes were watchful, too, but he spared the biker a quick glance. “What’s up, Shane?”
“You tell me, Jingles. What’s the word?”
“Italians. Fuckers smell like garlic, even in prison,” Jingles quietly snorted. “Word’s out, Shane. Little Tony wants to make an example of you. He says his crew needs a new bitch, because they sold their last one to the Aryans. Apparently he likes the idea of a biker bitch. His words, Shane, not mine.”
Shane didn’t respond. He squatted next to the wall, and looked for the Italians. They always stuck together, because their group was small. They were definitely outnumbered by the Aryans, the Mexicans, and the black prison gangs.
Despite their small size, however, they were well-connected inside the prison. They didn’t really have to fear the other prison gangs unless one of their members got out of line.
Little Tony was the gang’s leader, and he was huge. He sported thick, black, oily-looking hair that was always slicked straight back, and he was heavily muscled…but Little Tony also sported a big belly.
Big and slow, Shane thought as he evaluated the Italian convict. I can take him, if I get him alone.
Allegedly he was married with several kids, but no one could tell by his behavior in prison. He loved fucking men.
That’s not true, Shane thought darkly. Little Tony likes raping men.
The man had a cruel streak that ran wide and deep. He’d personally attacked and raped at least a dozen other prisoners. Then he’d passed them around to the other members of his gang. In prison, they were known as ‘bitches.’ Shane was apparently next on his list, and he’d already approached the biker in their dining area that morning. He wasn’t going to take ‘no’ for an answer.
Shane was in prison on a drug manufacturing and distribution conviction. As a fully patched member of the Blades’ biker gang, he was supposed to be protected in prison. Unfortunately, his protection had limits. He was protected from organized gang activity; no other gangs or clubs would fuck with him. That was business. Little Tony was personal. Shane’s protection didn’t extend to him.
He was on his own.
Prison rules.
He’d have to deal with Little Tony, and he’d have to deal with him quickly. That was a cardinal rule in prison. A convict had to deal with threats immediately, decisively, and permanently, or risk being perceived as weak. A weak convict was a vulnerable convict. Once that perception took hold, threats multiplied exponentially.
He glanced at his cellmate. “Thanks, Jingles.”
“Luck, Shane.”
Shane stood slowly, and started walking toward the fence. He was aiming for a corner of the yard where he could protect his back. Ambush would be more difficult with the fence at his back. It was a long walk, about thirty yards, and Shane wasn’t sure he’d make it. The other convicts knew the score…there were no secrets in prison…and they tracked his progress. His situation was ugly. It was brutal. And in prison, it was commonplace.
When Shane was halfway, he made eye contact with another convict and wiped his forehead. It was a signal. The convict turned casually, and then flicked a cigarette butt to the ground before he walked over to one of the Italians, and punched the unsuspecting man’s face. Then he threw him to the ground, punching him repeatedly.
The yard erupted. Convicts ran in all different directions. Guards shouted, and fired weapons in the air.
Gangs quickly gathered in groups, facing outward, and preparing to defend themselves. Individual convicts either ran to the fences or dropped to the ground. They desperately wanted to avoid becoming involved in something that was extremely unhealthy.
Shane broke left, and sprinted directly at Little Tony. The big Italian was warned by one of his crew, and he managed to turn just as Shane tackled him. Instead of being ambushed, he wrapped his arms tightly around Shane, and they fell to the hard-packed ground together. Shane’s momentum caused both of them to roll several feet away from Little Tony’s crew. That gave Shane the desperately-needed distance so their contest could become one-on-one.
The big Italian heaved, and threw Shane off of him. The biker rolled over quickly and came to his feet, and the two men faced each other. A shank appeared in Little Tony’s hand, and he flashed the biker a big toothy smile. His shank was a long wire, wrapped with layers up on layers of duct tape, until it resembled an ice pick.
Shane pulled out his own shank. He’d made it this morning from a spoon pilfered from the cafeteria, and it had its own duct tape handle.
The two convicts circled each other slowly.
Little Tony gave Shane an evil smile. “You’re going to die, or you’re going to be my bitch, Shane. One or the other.”
“We’ll see, Tony.”
Tony moved forward suddenly, stabbing at Shane’s midsection. He was quick, controlled, and obviously experienced at using a shank. He was aiming for areas that were painful, but not life-threatening; he wanted Shane alive.
Shane blocked several thrusts, and then spun away, gaining some needed distance. He desperately wanted to avoid a wrestling match with the big Italian gangster. Tony outweighed him by at least forty pounds.
“You can’t hide forever, biker,” Tony chuckled softly. “I can’t wait to start riding you.”
Shane didn’t respond. He circled Tony, watching his body carefully. Most people would watch the shank, but Shane knew better. Tony’s attack would come first from his midsection.
Sure enough, Shane saw Tony take a quick breath, and start to move forward again. Shane feinted left, and then surged right. He dropped below Tony’s outstretched hand, and stabbed hard at Tony’s exposed thigh.
His thrust hit home.
The shank sank deep into Tony’s upper thigh, and Shane twisted violently before ripping the shank out of his flesh. Blood spurted wildly from Tony’s wound. The big Italian gangster cried out, and sank to the hard, hot dirt of the prison yard. He pressed his hands against the wound, trying frantically to staunch the flow of blood. It was no use. Blood streamed thickly between his fingers, pooling in the dirt.
Shane’s thrust had hit its target. The femoral artery was the largest artery in the human body. Tony was still breathing, but he was dead. No amount of medical care would save him.
He stepped forward, and knelt down next to the big Italian gangster.
Tony grunted through his gritted teeth. “Fuckin’ bastard.”
“Prison rules, Tony.”
Their eyes met, and after several seconds, he nodded. “Prison rules.”
The blood continued to stream fast and hot out of the wound and between Tony’s fingers. The big gangster was weakening fast. Shane watched as Little Tony slowly, inexorably laid back on the hot dirt of the prison yard. Once his hands slid away from his leg, blood flowed freely from the wound, and it pooled and stained the dirt beneath him. The contrast between his reddish-black blood and the light brown prison yard dirt was striking.
Shane slipped his shank under Little Tony. His hands were thankfully free of blood. He slipped back several feet, lay down in the hot dirt, and put both hands on his head. The guards were gaining control of the yard, and rapidly approaching the dead Italian gangster. Shane wanted to be non-threatening when they arrived.
Little Tony lay unmoving in the hot Texas sun. Dead.
Shane spared him one last look.
“Prison rules.”
The alarm clock buzzed loudly. Shane’s eyes snapped open, and he was immediately awake and alert. He lay on his back and stared at the ceiling, trying to convince himself that it was only a dream.
Gradually, as he breathed deeply, his heart rate slowed. It hadn’t been a dream…it was a memory, and occasionally a nightmare. This time the memory had been accurate. Sometimes his mind changed it, and he found himself at the mercy of the Italian prison gang. A few times recently, he’d come awake swinging wildly at imaginary attackers. That was when it became a nightmare.
He pushed himself upright, and walked to the bathroom. A few minutes later he headed into his small kitchen, and started making coffee.
I’m out. I’m out. I made it out. I’m not in prison anymore. I’m in my own place. I’m a civilian now.
He repeated the same words every morning. It was his only way of dealing with the nightmares and memories he desperately wanted to forget. Wearily he leaned on his counter and looked out the window; the greenbelt of trees and shrubs just outside was the most beautiful thing he’d seen in the last five years.
I’m out. The past is the past. Focus on the future!
The coffeemaker beeped, and he jerked in surprise. Exasperated by his reaction, he shook his head, and poured himself a cup of coffee. He sipped the liquid goodness as he returned to his bedroom to get dressed.
I need to get to work.
Tim smiled and whistled to himself as he got up early for work. Since Crystal was still sleeping, he dressed as quietly as possible. A quick kiss on her cheek, and he was out the door by 7:00 a.m.
He was still excited about his new job and, determined to be successful, he resolved to arrive early at work every day. He’d stay as late as possible before picking Crystal up, too. Hopefully they’d save enough to buy her a car soon.
“Hey, Tim.” Rudy passed by his cubicle a few minutes after he’d sat down. “You’re in early.”
“Yeah. I wanted to get a head start on these files LeAnn gave me to work on,” he explained. A wide smile curved his lips when he met his boss’s curious gaze. “I know they’re already done, but I wanted to start on some new active files when she gets into the office.”
“Dang, Tim. At this rate, you’re going to make the rest of us look bad. Stop flaunting your work ethic, will ya?” Rudy winked at him, and then headed into his office.
Tim reviewed the files carefully, taking note of the financial transactions and how they were recorded. The process was fairly intuitive, but he made notes on the transactions he didn’t understand, and listed his questions for LeAnn. It wasn’t long before he’d finished all the files she’d given him. He was using the company internet to do some research when she stopped at his cubicle.
“Good morning.”
He hadn’t heard her approach, and jumped. “Hey, LeAnn. Sorry. I didn’t hear you come up.”
“That’s okay. How are you doing on those files?”
“Well, I think I’m finished.”
“With all of them?” She blinked at him in surprise.
“Well,” he smiled, “let me show you what I’ve done, and then you can tell me if I’m finished.” He motioned her over, and went through the files. She was able to answer his questions and, though he didn’t know her well, he thought she looked impressed. She seemed happy with his work, in any case.
When he was done, she motioned for him to follow her. “Come on down to my cubicle, Tim.”
When they were seated, she walked him through a few active accounts. The transactions were fairly routine. Then she smiled. “How’d you like to work on some active accounts?”
“Are you kidding? Heck, yes.”
She laughed, and rolled her eyes. “You must be a glutton for punishment, mister.”
Tim basically had to record, evaluate, and potentially correct each customer record’s financial transaction. LeAnn stayed with him through the first few customer files, and then let him work on his own. He’d expected to be bored, but he found the financial transactions interesting. He was strangely drawn to this type of work.
He ate lunch at his desk, and continued to work on the active accounts. LeAnn reviewed his work that afternoon, and made only a few minor corrections. They discussed the errors, and once he understood his mistake, he made note of the correct method.
All in all, it was a good second day, and he felt like he was already making a contribution to the company.
Crystal was waiting for him outside the restaurant. She listened patiently while he drove her home, and told her about his day. The sense of satisfaction he got from discussing his job was thrilling.
She smiled when he finally ran down. “I don’t understand a word you’re saying,” she confessed. “But it’s nice to hear you talk about it.”
The rest of the week passed quickly. Tim grew more confident, and LeAnn consistently gave him positive feedback along with more files to review. He got in the habit of arriving early and eating at his desk, which saved the few dollars lining his wallet. Then he worked late, until it was time to pick up Crystal.
When Friday arrived, he got a wonderful surprise: his first paycheck.
He hadn’t realized that he’d been hired in the middle of a pay period. The check was only for that first week; next time it would be for two weeks, and it would be electronically deposited.
He stared at the rectangular piece of paper for several seconds, and barely kept from sniffling. The numbers on that simple piece paper represented a sense of security he’d desperately missed.
Suddenly he got a brilliant idea, and rushed over to LeAnn’s desk. “LeAnn,” he exclaimed, “I feel bad asking, because it’s only 3:30, but would it be possible for me to leave early today?”
She looked up at him with a serious expression. “Let me get this straight. You come in early every day. You eat at your desk, and work through lunch every day. Finally, if that wasn’t enough, you stay late every night.” She took a deep breath, and clenched her fists. “I can’t believe you have the nerve to ask if you can leave thirty minutes early.”
Tim gaped at her, dumbfounded. “Uh, well.”
Suddenly she laughed, and the other employees who’d overheard her joined in. Tim flushed with embarrassment, and shook his head.
“Get out of here, Tim,” she said dryly, and winked at him. “I’ll mark you down for a full day.”
Gratefully he shut down his computer, and hurried outside. As he slid into the car, he checked his watch, said a prayer for luck, and then hurried to the bank. It felt good to deposit most of his check. Then he made one more stop.
“Hey, Mr. Man. What took you?” Crystal teased as she slid into the car.
He fought a smile, and managed to respond normally. “Sorry, baby. Traffic was bad.”
Fortunately she didn’t notice his nervousness, and kissed his cheek. “Well, it’s Friday…let’s go home!”
While he was driving, she filled him in on gossip at the restaurant. Cliff was apparently trying to get a new waitress to go out with him. Unfortunately the girl already had a boyfriend and good judgment, so she’d turned him down cold.
There always seemed to be some sort of drama happening in the restaurant, he mused…but fortunately Crystal wasn’t ever a part of it.
As they turned into the trailer park, they noticed that the guy who’d moved into the trailer down the street was mowing his front yard.
“Finally,” she murmured under her breath.
Tim turned, parked, and shut off the engine. “I have a surprise for you,” he said, and entirely failed to look impassive.
Crystal giggled, and raised her eyebrows. “Oh, really?”
“Yep,” he nodded, and motioned toward the trailer. “It’s inside.”
“Holy cow, Tim. We just had sex last night.”
“It’s not sex,” he chuckled as they climbed out of the car. “But I’ll definitely take that later!”
She started to laugh, then caught her breath in surprise. “Oh my,” she whispered.
Tim followed her gaze, and wanted to cringe. Their new neighbor had taken off his shirt, and was mowing the lawn in a pair of cargo shorts and flip-flops. He’d looked muscular the other night…but today he looked massive, like a professional weight lifter or fitness model.
Great, just great, he thought wryly. Abs of Steel living right down the street!
He glanced down at Crystal, and found her staring open-mouthed at the guy’s broad chest. “Hey,” he snapped. “You want to pull your tongue back in your mouth?”
She blushed crimson, and nervously fanned her cheeks. “Sorry, Tim. He’s just…um…big.” Then she swallowed hard. “Big, I mean his muscle…muscles!” She was only digging herself in deeper, and helplessly buried her face in her hands. When she finally dared to look at him again, she stammered, “I’m sorry, I just meant that he’s really muscular.”
Tim shot her a scathing look, and walked inside. “Whatever,” he muttered over his shoulder.
She spared the new guy one more long look, then hurriedly caught up with her husband. “So what’s my surprise?” she asked.
“Oh, you remember? Are you sure you don’t want to go down and talk to the ‘big’ guy?” he retorted sarcastically.
“Don’t be stupid,” Crystal snapped. “I’ve seen you look at pretty girls from time to time.”
Tim recognized a losing battle when he saw one—and he couldn’t deny that she was right. So he held both hands up, and surrender. “Sorry,” he apologized with a rueful smile. “Try the TV.”
“What?”
“Turn on the TV,” he repeated patiently.
Obediently she reached for the remote, and pressed the power button. The TV hummed to life. She squealed and clapped her hands. “How?” she demanded excitedly.
Proudly he grinned down at her. “I got paid today, baby.”
“Seriously?”
“Well, it’s only for a week, but yes, I got a paycheck.”
Crystal threw herself into his arms, kissing his neck and cheeks with abandon. Even after they collapsed onto the couch, she continued to kiss his neck and face.
“Okay, okay,” he laughed. He squeezed her tightly, then let her go. She sat up, and looked at him expectantly. “I got paid, so I deposited most of it, but I kept enough to pay our first month of cable.”
“Thank you, baby,” she exclaimed. “I love you so much.”
“You’re welcome.” Then he added, with a meaningful wink, “I also have enough for dinner and a movie.”
“Are you saying we can have a date night?” She paused, and her eyes widened. “An actual date night?”
“Yep.”
“Oh my God! Let’s go! I love you so much, honey!”
Tim picked the movie while Crystal got ready. They just had time to eat at their favorite restaurant, and then scoot over to the theater. Once they were seated, he headed back for popcorn and soda. Crystal leaned against him, and gently kissed his cheek.
As the movie unfolded, they held hands, shared the salty, buttery popcorn, and sucked down a huge sugary soda.
She wanted ice cream after the movie, so they drove to the ice cream shop and shared a big cup heaped with toppings. They talked about everything and nothing, and simply enjoyed each other’s company.
Later that night, they sat out in their yard, staring up at the stars. On the way home from the movie, they’d picked up a bottle of Jack Daniels and some soda. Tim didn’t care for whiskey, but he knew Crystal liked it, so he shared it with her. His drinks were always heavy on the soda, while hers were heavy on the whiskey.
“I love you, Tim.” She was tipsy, and enjoying it.
“I love you, too, baby.”
Dreamily she leaned forward, and smiled at him with big, expressive puppy-dog eyes. “Do you know why I love you?”
“Beeecause I’m impossibly good-looking?” he teased.
She laughed, and then turned serious. “No. It’s because you treat me like I’m the center of the world. You’re kind, gentle, and you’ve always respected me.” Then she looked him up and down, and grudgingly nodded. “And you’re good-looking, of course.”
He chuckled. “Thanks for throwing me that bone, honey.”
“I’m serious, Tim,” she insisted, and her eyes filled with tears. “I haven’t always made good decisions when it comes to men, but I made a great one with you.” Happily she slid into his lap, and wrapped both arms around his neck. “Thank you for loving me, baby.”
“You’re welcome. I know I wasn’t your normal type. I hope you’ll always think you made a good choice,” he said, and gently kissed her. “I’ll always love you, Crystal. My world begins and ends with you.”
Smiling, she took his hand, and pulled him inside the trailer.