Chapter 1

James and Donna had been married now for about 6 years and while they were happy together, their marriage wasn’t without its problems. They got married right out of high school, which was no surprise to anyone since they had been school sweethearts since eighth grade. Now he was 25 and she was 24 and they were still very much in love.

James worked as a diesel mechanic for a small local trucking company – a job which paid the bills but little else. Money was always a source of concern for the young couple and James tried to snatch up every opportunity for extra pay or overtime he could get. He wanted his best girl to have the nice things in life that she had before she met James and he felt it was his responsibility as the man of the family and breadwinner to provide for his family.

Donna had come from a pretty well off family and she was their only daughter so she benefitted from her family’s money. James on the other hand, came from a less affluent background. While not poor by any standards, they didn’t have the money Donna’s family did. James’ family was more middle income and so he had learned to live without a brand new car every year and without the latest greatest gizmos. He knew how to make do.

But James hated that his girl had to take a step down the wealth ladder to marry him. He felt that he should be able to give her the good life too and even though Donna was more than happy with the way things were, James wanted more. So James worked every chance he could and even took temporary part time jobs when available over the holidays to turn an extra buck or two.

One morning while Donna fixed breakfast, James was pouring over the ever-present stack of bills, trying to figure out which ones to pay next. The task seemed insurmountable and he sat with a calculator trying various ideas to get them paid before they became overdue and incurred late fees, which would mean even more money from their stretched-to-the-breaking-point budget.

“I don’t how we are going to do this, Donna,” he said, exasperated.

“Don’t worry honey ... it will all work out somehow,” she said smiling at him. James loved her upbeat attitude and she could always make him feel better no matter how gloomy things looked. But James was a realist and the figures in front of him didn’t lie. Once again they had more month than money.

“Thanks sweetheart for trying to cheer me up, but I’ve tried every combination I can think of and we are going to be short again this month. Now I have to decide who will be put off until next month,” he said.

“I hate that you have to work so hard, baby. I wish you would let me ask Mom and Dad to help us. I know they would be happy to,” she said.

“Absolutely not!” he said adamantly, “I will work myself to the grave before I will ask your parents for a single dime. I love them to death, but when I married you I took on the responsibility of taking care of you and if I can’t support my wife, then I am not much of a husband or a man!”

Donna knew that James felt strongly about being independent and not relying on either of their parents for financial help. So she just sighed and dropped the conversation. He may have to go to work, but he didn’t have to go to work mad.

“I don’t know what we are going to do,” she said, talking to her best friend Lisa on the telephone. Lisa had called that afternoon, giving Donna a welcome break from her housework. “The bills come in faster than the paychecks anymore. I know my folks would loan us the money to get caught up and even ahead a bit, but James is stubborn and won’t even discuss it.”

“Yeah, James feels it’s his problem to find the money somehow. But hon, there are only two ways about this – either you cut your expenses or you figure out how to get more money,” Lisa said.

“Well we have cut just about everything we can cut. I mean our budget is really bare-bones. Any more cuts and it’s rice and beans for dinner!” Donna said. “Besides, James feels bad enough that he can’t provide for me, to cut anything more would only make things worse.”

“Well, then look at the other end. How would he feel about you getting a job? I mean the days of the wife staying home and taking care of the house while hubby goes off to work are over. Lots of women work – this is a two-income world anymore!” Lisa said.

“I don’t know ... I would want to be able to have time for James. I mean I would still want to be able to take care of the house and fix dinner and...” Donna giggled at the end of her sentence.

“Oh sweetie!” Lisa said knowing what her friend was thinking. “Well there has to be something you could do to earn some extra money. Why don’t you talk it over with James tonight and see how he feels about you working. If he’s okay with it, then we will start looking for a job for you!”

“I’ll do that. Thanks Lisa, I always feel better after I talk with you!” Donna said.

“No problem hon. Let me know what James says!” Lisa said and then hung up. Donna went back to her housework and started getting dinner ready.

“Honey, can I talk to you about something?” Donna asked that evening as they ate dinner.

“Sure baby, you know you can talk to me about anything,” he said.

“Well I was talking with Lisa today. She called this afternoon while I was cleaning. And we got to talking about bills and such. I told her that you have been working like a dog but we never seem to have enough money. I wasn’t too specific, don’t worry, but she suggested that maybe I should talk to you about getting a job ... at least a part-time job and just long enough to get some of these bills paid down,” Donna said.

“I don’t know Donna. I like having you home here when I get home. I work all day long, it’s nice to come home to you afterwards. If I wanted to come home to an empty house and cook my own dinner, I wouldn’t have gotten married!

“Well I would find a job that still allowed me to spend time with you. And I would still have dinner cooked for you – I am your wife and my main responsibilities are here at home. But I just hate that you work so hard honey, and yet I know that you are doing your best. It’s just that these days one income can’t always cut it. Our parents lived in a one-income world, but with prices the way they are these days, it takes two incomes if you want to get ahead at all,” Donna said.

James listened to his wife. She was right – he was doing all he could but it wasn’t enough. He wasn’t the only one at work trying to get extra hours and his boss could only throw so many his way – he had to let the others have a crack at some overtime too. And that overtime only came when they happened to be short-handed at work, so it wasn’t a constant thing.

“I will think about it,” he said. Donna was satisfied that at least he listened and was willing to consider the matter. That’s about all she could hope for. James was a sensible man and he knew that the extra money would be helpful. But it was up to him.

It was a couple days before the matter was brought up again. Lisa came over to see if Donna wanted to go to lunch and Donna had finished what she needed to do that day so she agreed. The two girls went to a small cafe to grab a bit to eat after doing a little shopping. Or rather Donna went with Lisa while she did some shopping. At lunch, Lisa approached Donna on the job idea again.

“Donna did you talk to James about getting a part time job?” Lisa asked.

“I did and he said he would think about it,” she answered.

“Well I hope he agrees to let you, I hate that I get to buy things and you can’t. You need to have fun shopping too!” Lisa said.

“Well James is a good man and he is trying his best. I know that this kills him too. He knows my background and he feels bad that he can’t give me the nice things I had when living at home,” Donna said.

Lisa changed the subject quickly, and both girls dropped the subject. But later that night when James got home, Donna brought it up to him.

“James honey, did you do any thinking about my going to work part-time?” she asked as they sat watching the evening news before dinner.

“Well I did and I’m still concerned, but if you can find a good job that allows us to have our time together, then I guess we can give it a try,” he said.

“I will find a job that still let’s me come home and be a good wife to you, James. I promise – this job won’t get in the way of our time together,” she said. She was happy he said yes and excited to start the job hunt. Tomorrow she would start looking!

But finding a job that would fit her qualifications and her needs would prove to be more difficult than she expected. The day after James gave his official blessings on the matter, Donna began her search.

She started looking through the newspaper classifieds, but found nothing. Then since she had to go to the supermarket anyway, she looked at the bulletin board there. Still nothing. She called around to a few places she knew but no one was hiring in anything she could do. Or they needed full-time permanent work and that wouldn’t work for Donna.