Ann: The Married Years Ch. 11

It had been a big change, but she liked most parts of her job. It was in an older building in the historic downtown area, but it was clean, and it made her feel professional to go there. She'd also become friends with a couple of co-workers, which was nice.

It wasn't that she needed to work. Neil's salary more than met their financial needs. But even though they weren't struggling for money like she had when she first started working, it felt great to bring home a paycheck. It was play money... money they could use for fun. More than that, it represented something more. It gave her a sense of purpose.

And for the most part she liked the work itself. She was a quick learner, and it became apparent very early on that she was good at the job. Even as a teller in the drive-thru lanes, she quickly established a clientele of sorts; customers that loved using her lane. She attributed some of that to just being an attractive woman, one that dressed a little more upscale than some of her fellow employees. But she also had a knack for talking to people and finding out about their needs.

Twice in the first two weeks she'd talked a casual customer into coming into the bank to meet with a manager about making a change in how they managed their accounts. In her mind, she was just making people aware of the services they could provide. The clients saw it as incredible customer service. The management saw it as a new way to boost the products they offered.

But as with any job, there were parts she didn't like. While the hours were more predictable than retail, she was working more of them than she liked. She was hired as part-time. But part-time was described in the employee handbook as anything under a forty-hour week, and she seemed to be scheduled to work thirty-nine most of the time. It was like she had a full-time job, but without any benefits.

There was also a lot of pressure. Because she was dealing with money, having to balance out at the end of the day was the primary responsibility of a teller. She'd been used to that scrutiny when she managed her store. Or at least she thought so. This was at a whole new level. Being just a penny off forced a notation and a written form in her file. Three of those during her probationary period would mean termination. She'd made it through that unscathed, but the idea of being under that kind of microscope all the time while remaining friendly and personable could be overwhelming. Especially with the small percentage of customers that were difficult to work with no matter how you smiled at them.

She also felt scrutiny from some of the management, particularly over how she dressed. Things she saw as business professional, they viewed as unnecessarily sexy. She felt stifled in some ways, trying to let her personality show while keeping with the decorum of the place. It wasn't the men who gave her the nasty looks... it was the women. Well, it was really just a woman, one of the two branch managers, named Bernice.

She and Bernice had had a run-in or two over her wardrobe. It was never anything blatant. Just a general question on whether something was appropriate for work or not. She took it in stride, thinking about her attire and whether it gave off the wrong impression. And she never responded to the questions, letting them slide off her back. She'd been hired by the other manager, Keith... and he didn't seem to mind how she dressed. But it was fair to say Keith and Bernice didn't see eye to eye on a lot of things.

It was odd to her that there were two managers to begin with. But she found out that Bernice had been hired to run another branch that was being built. She'd be leaving to take it over once it was ready. In the meantime, she was learning how this bank worked compared to the one she came from, and she was trying to make her mark in the process, including commenting on Ann's attire. Instead of worrying about it, Ann let it go, thinking she'd only have to put up with the comments and stares short term.

That was until she found out just before she left work one day that everything had drastically changed. Keith informed her that he would be taking over the new branch, while Bernice would be staying behind. She was going to be her official boss.

She drove home depressed. She liked working there, but not for Bernice. Keith knew that. He even offered her a job at the new branch with him, but it was farther away from her home, and it was an actual full-time position. Her mind was scrambling as she headed down the winding road toward home, wondering what she should do.

That night of the storm came to mind. She'd sat there in the dark with an emptiness burning inside, unsure what it meant. It took her hours to finally figure out it all out. She wanted a part of her life back; the part where she felt good about being self-sufficient. She loved being Neil's wife, more than anything in the world. And yet she missed that feeling of knowing she wasn't dependent on him. Not that he ever made her feel that way. Her wanting to have a job had more to do with filling her time on those lonely nights when he was at work on second shift. Instead of sitting around, she'd do the chores she couldn't do while she was at work.

Now, her work was already about to change, and she wasn't sure she could handle it. Driving home to an empty house, she felt that pit in her stomach all over again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Neil was back at work on second shift. The three months that had passed since he'd last been on the shift had been a big change for him. And for the most part, he actually hated it. He just knew he couldn't tell Ann that.

He recalled the look on her face that morning. It was an expression he hoped to never see again. She was lost, her unhappiness evident in her expressive eyes. Now in some ways, he felt lost.

Frankly, his jealously of her new job was selfish, and it wasn't something he was proud of. It was unfair of him to think she shouldn't work. And he didn't really feel that way. He liked that her sense of pride had returned over having a job. He loved hearing her talk about her triumphs; the things she'd done since she'd been there; those little victories one has that happen during their workdays. He'd been sharing his with her for over two years. Now, she had some of her own to talk to him about.

He'd also listen to her complaints, most of them involving Bernice and how she made her feel persecuted for being young and attractive and not hiding it behind ultra-conservative outfits.

It was part of his job as a husband to listen to her. And in doing that, he had to fight the urge to offer his opinions. She wasn't looking for him to solve her problems, or even fight her battles with Bernice. She just wanted a sounding board; someone to vent to when she felt frustrated. As much as he wanted to tell her she didn't have to work there, and she could just walk away, he knew that wasn't the answer anyway. Ann wasn't a quitter; the word wasn't even in her vocabulary.

But his biggest problem with her job didn't have to do with listening to her talk about it. He rather enjoyed that, actually. It had to do with the hours she was working. It wasn't bad enough that her part-time job was really full-time, and that the bank was pushing the spirit of the job description by working her as many hours as they could while keeping her from collecting the benefits that went with a full-time position. What was worse was that she was gone a lot more when he was home.

Yes, it was a very selfish reason, but the last few weeks of being on second shift had been brutal for him. He'd managed okay the first time around, because she had just gotten the job toward the end of his rotation. And third shift had been a breeze. She'd work during the day while he was sleeping, and they'd spend their evenings together before he had to go to work. By the time his tour on day shift ended, her job didn't seem to be a problem at all. Their lives were normal, and she was happy. Then he switched to second shift again.

The first two weeks were an adjustment. They'd have a day together like before whenever she wasn't working, and they took full advantage of it like they'd been apart for months. But in between, they had to work at finding time to share. It wasn't just about the sex. He missed the little things, just like her kissing him at the door when he left for work, or sharing a morning cup of coffee when he'd finally wake up. Of course, she had usually gotten up and had a cup at Felicia's house hours before, but she'd willingly have a second one with him and make it seem like her first.

He'd be lying if he didn't admit the sex was a big part of it too. Going from the possibility of having it every day to wondering when it might happen again wasn't something he took well to. It also wasn't something he was going to complain to her about. But that didn't make it any easier.

The last two weeks he'd resigned himself that second shift was going to be what it was, and he just had to make the best of it. It didn't mean he loved Ann less. His longing for her made him love her more. But all things considered, he still would have rather had her at home if he had a choice.

He didn't. He wouldn't even consider the idea. So, with more idle time on his hands, he needed to find something to do himself. Now that it was winter, his options of outside activities like playing golf were gone. So, he put his spare time into projects.

He'd always been handy, and he'd already done a lot of things around the house. When they'd first moved into the house, he'd done a lot of them. Installing ceiling fans in all the bedrooms and the dining room, putting up the garage door opener, hanging pegboard in the garage, and making the privacy partitions for the deck so Ann could lie out naked being just a few. He'd even made a second set of partitions for Felicia next door, a request that Ann had asked him to do.

With more idle time on his hands, and because of it being cold out, he set his creative sights on what he could do inside the house. He had an idea... one that he'd been thinking about for quite some time. Now that he had the opportunity, he decided now was as good a time as any.

He'd spent the last two weeks planning and working after she left for the bank, doing what he could before he had to go in to work. He spent an average of six hours every day she wasn't home on his secret project, all in hopes of surprising her.

It started with several trips to the local home improvement megastore, getting supplies and ordering components. He made a couple of big purchases, placing them on order, scheduling a delivery for the Saturday of the weekend he'd switch from second to third shift, knowing he'd have it off. It was his shortest weekend, getting off at midnight on Saturday and literally having to return to the plant forty-eight hours later. But he could guarantee in advance that he wouldn't be working that Saturday.

The same couldn't be said for Ann. She'd been scheduled to work that day. It bummed him out at first, thinking about how it was one more day when they wouldn't be together. But he'd planned on working on the project anyway, and this would give him an opportunity to pull it off before she got home, although that would be pushing it.

They would also have Sunday, and that had become his saving grace. The rule Ann had instituted early on in their relationship where they'd save one day a week for each other had been a stroke of genius on her part. And she was religious about adhering to it. He couldn't remember a Sunday where they hadn't had some kind of sex. But more than that, they devoted themselves to each other, finding ways to be close; to be together in so many loving ways.

Knowing an adventurous Sunday was so close, he overlooked the fact that she would have to work on Saturday. If he could get his project done in time, she'd come home to a huge surprise, and they'd start their Sunday early, which was always a bonus he looked forward to.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ann arrived home to an empty house that Friday night, her heart full of angst. The news about Bernice being named the full-time manager at the main branch was unsettling. While she liked her job, she wasn't sure she could deal with someone she saw as judgmental, overbearing and inflexible. It was totally the opposite of how she managed, and she loathed the idea of working for her.

Changing locations and working for Keith was an option. She liked him, and she was already essentially working full-time anyway. If she went ahead and signed on for the official title, she'd get benefits that went with it, like vacations and holiday pay. But she'd undoubtedly be working even more hours. And, she would be traveling a lot farther to get to work, which meant more time away from home on all fronts.

The hardest part was while it wasn't the perfect job, she loved working. To stop so soon after she went back had her scared. She didn't like the way she felt just before she decided to rejoin the working world. And a lot of that had to do with Neil's job. She'd made the best of it for almost two years. And while she kept up a strong front, it began to wear on her. She hadn't been working that long to forget what these feelings felt like.

It wasn't like she resented his job. It gave them so much freedom, and it was giving them a bright future. But the ridiculous work schedule he had was hard on a marriage. She often wondered what the divorce rate would end up being at the plant for those working the shifts. If it was that hard for two people that loved and adored each other like her and Neil, what would it be like for a couple who's commitment wasn't that strong?

Pulling into the garage, she went inside and immediately poured herself a glass of wine. Starting a load of laundry, she went back to the kitchen to make herself something to eat. A half-hour later, she was doing the dishes in the sink, washing and drying them, missing the love she felt when she and Neil did that together. She smiled when she thought of how playful he could be when they were in the kitchen together.

She found herself later sitting in his Lay-Z-Boy, wanting to feel close to him. She was slowly rocking back and forth as she watched an old movie. She had her wine, a plate of cheese and crackers, and her phone. She was talking to her friend Dana in California, needed to unwind to someone, and knowing she wouldn't be able to talk to Neil until sometime the next afternoon. She'd have to get to bed long before he did if she was going to make it to work by nine in the morning.

It was another recent development she didn't care for about her work; the new extended Saturday hours. They'd already changed the workweek hours, staying open until seven. Now, Saturday was a full eight-hour day. As she shared her worries on the phone with her friend, she at least felt like she was reasoning some things out. Dana was a great listener, and it helped to at least say out loud what was bothering her instead of carrying it one more day.

Hanging up, she felt better, even if nothing was resolved. She did some more laundry, and washed the few dishes she'd dirtied while eating her snack. Tidying up a few more things, she headed to bed, wanting to get her Saturday done and over with so she could enjoy her Sunday with Neil.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

He woke up to the sound of the garage door closing. Not that it was a big deal, his alarm was about to go off anyway.

Neil loved that Ann did everything she could to get ready in the mornings without waking him up. It was cute how she tiptoed around, and closed the doors so painstakingly slow, all in an attempt to let him sleep longer.

Most of the time he never noticed, but occasionally he'd hear her, and he'd watch through his half-closed eyes, fighting off a smile. He'd pretend he was still asleep, loving how she moved gracefully when she went about getting dressed. But he'd always drift back to sleep.

This time was different, however. He practically sprang out of bed when he heard the garage closing, not wanting to waste any time. He never bothered to shower. Instead, he slipped on some old jeans and a sweatshirt before grabbing an old coat. Ten minutes later, he was underneath the house in the crawlspace, literally crawling gravel covered terrain.

He slowly moved his way toward the south, away from the part where the entrance door to the crawlspace was located. He was heading over the grade of the land, moving uphill. There came a point where he had to get on his knees, running out of headroom. And then he was on his belly, inching along. He made his way to the portable light hanging in the same spot he'd left it from the previous day, along with the tools he'd left behind. Flipping on the light, he rolled over onto his back and got to work.

There was limited room, but he'd gotten used to it over the previous week, spending a couple of hours each day lugging things into the crawlspace, slaving away in the dark, cramped dungeon. At least, that's how he came to think of it, because that's how Ann always referred to it.

He didn't have much more to do down under the house. In fact, he finished up the wiring in just a half-hour.

"Damn... I wish I could have finished that yesterday," he groaned crawled back toward the useable end, dragging his things back out with him.

The cold wind hit him as he carried the tools and the light back to the garage. Brushing off the dirt and debris from his clothes, he stripped in the garage, walking back through the house in just his underwear. He threw the dirty things in the hamper and took a quick shower, rushing to make sure he gave himself as much time as possible. It was nine in the morning when he dried off and got dressed again. The delivery was scheduled for ten. If things went according to plan, he'd have everything prepped in time. From there, he'd have plenty of time to get the project completed before his wife came home.

It took him a little longer than he'd anticipated, though. He had to remove a bunch of things from the drawer and the cabinet. And he moved everything from underneath the sink. But once he did, he steadily made progress. Ninety minutes later, he was putting the old section in the garage. Using his Shop-Vac, he cleaned up the mess he'd made, knowing he was ready for the next stage.

Checking his watch, he realized that he was a half-hour behind schedule, but that wasn't his biggest concern. The delivery was. He suddenly was at a standstill, unable to do anything else until the truck showed up.

He made himself something to eat, stewing as he stared at the clock. With each passing minute, he became more agitated. He knew it wasn't an exact science. The truck had to make numerous stops, and it had to be difficult to coordinate everything within a specific time frame. There were too many variables involved to be absolutely accurate on what time they would arrive. But when the minute hand announced it was an hour past the appointed time, he became resigned to the fact that no matter how fast and how hard he worked, there was no way he'd get the project completed before Ann came home.

The truck arrived two hours later than he'd expected, but at least there were no complications with the order. Helping the men unload, he had them place the items in the great room and signed for the shipment. Thanking them, he closed the garage door and turned to look at the chore he had ahead. Thinking it best to find a way to resolve the issue of all of the items strewn about the kitchen, he knew which carton to open first.

"Time to get started," he said with a huge exhale. "If I can get the first part done, at least it will still look like a surprise."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Her Saturday had gotten off to a good start. At least, she thought it had. She'd been able to get showered and dressed without waking Neil, and that had been her main objective. She also felt good because of how she'd dressed. With it being the weekend, and the lobby being closed, she was able to dress a little more in her style. Sure, she was still conservatively attired above the waist, wearing a tasteful beige silk blouse. But she'd gone without a bra, wanting to feel the smooth fabric against her nipples.