Chapter 9

Things got progressively worse at home. Mark was working longer hours but since he was on salary it didn’t help any. When the cable company sent us a shutoff notice because we were three months past due I decided it was time. I called the number Brian had given me and mentioned his name, asking if the position was still open.

She said it was and told me to come as soon as possible. I was on a bus in thirty minutes.

As soon as I filled out the application a man appeared. “So, you’re Brian’s friend? Don’t worry, I won’t hold it against you. Come into the office.”

An hour later I had a job! It didn’t pay a fortune, $26,00 a year, but that’s a lot when you were making nothing. I started the next day.

Mark was gone well before I had to leave and I was back home two hours before him. I’d set the crockpot or prep a meal the night before and he never noticed. I was almost bouncing with joy when I got my first check. I went to the bank and filled out a deposit slip, surprised to find our balance was just under two hundred. We were more desperate than I thought.

I fixed his favorite meal, got him in a good mood, and dropped the bomb. He went ballistic, ranting and raving, but I stood firm.

“I’ve been working for three weeks and you never noticed. It hasn’t hurt us at all and face it Mark, we need the money! I do not want to lose this house and all you’ve worked for. Look at it this way. We have a little breathing room now. The cable is back on. You can even start playing golf again. Why are you so set against me working?”

“I know how it works! First it’ll be lunches with the girls. Then it’ll be after work drinks, then maybe a girl’s night out. I know the pattern. The wolves will flock to you, and soon you’ll be on the backseat of a car or in a cheap motel.”

“So the whole reason you don’t want me to work is because you’re afraid I’ll turn into a slut? You have so little faith in me? You stop by for drinks after work with the other managers, and go out about twice a month with your friends. Is that what you do when you’re alone?”

He went a little pale. “Of course not! But I see it all the time.”

“Well, you won’t see it from me. I like the job, I like the people, but more importantly I like the money and we need it.”

He ranted a bit longer but gave up after he saw I wouldn’t change my mind.

Things got easier after a few weeks. Mark even took up golf again but only every other week.

The bus stop was right in front of the ice cream parlor. I’d been out shopping. There had been a situation at work, parts had not been ordered, and we were almost in shut down mode. Everyone was panicking and I accidentally got a Vice President when I tried to contact the vendor for Jackson, my boss. I ended up talking to him for fifteen minutes and when the conversation was over he promised to have the parts shipped and delivered by noon the next day. He even called Jackson and complimented him on his new purchasing manager. He came out of his office grinning, told me I was going to get a 5% raise effective immediately and handed me two hundred dollar bills and told me to take the afternoon off with pay. I spent it shopping for more professional clothes, getting a nice dress and a skirt and blouse that I thought looked good on me.

I held the bills for a long time. It was the first time I could ever remember when someone showed me in a physical way I had value and that my efforts were appreciated. I was thrilled beyond words when Jackson told me if I’d take some classes and get at least an associate degree, he would move me up, giving me more responsibilties and better pay. I was wondering how to bring up night classes to Mark when I got off the bus. The first thing I saw was Brian and the kids, and Tammy came charging outside and insisted I join them. I had plenty of time so I did, in turn insisting we all have banana splits and I was paying.

Brian smiled as I gushed. “Jackson called me. Said he owed me big time for sending you. I told you Angel, I’m a pretty good judge of character. You make people want to be nice by being nice to them.”

So we ate our frozen treats, Tammy sitting on his lap and eating all the nuts and cherries off the top, giggling when Brian gave her a whipped cream mustache. it was the perfect ending to a perfect day.