Celia

"I would have thought that you would have found another subbie to complete the job."

"A certain person, whose name we will no longer mention, would have done just that but for the owner. He insisted that he wanted you to complete the project, he even offered to not enforce the time clause of our contract with him. Oh, and don't worry about not getting further contracts from us, we will even increase your contract price for the next series of contacts."

Why is he sucking up to me? Could it be that he has cut a deal that will see him no longer facing breach of contract and restraint of trade lawsuits?

"Okay, I guess that I'll be there in the morning. Will there be a new Supervisor on site as well?"

"I will be there in person, we have not hired a replacement yet. We're close, just a few reference checks to complete. We've learned a lesson from this mess."

"Does this mean that I'll have to go back to work myself?" Celia asked.

"You can stay home if you like. It will be a new experience for me to be met at the door by my beautiful soon to be wife who will greet me with a kiss and a martini in hand like you used to see on those TV shows from the '50s?"

"Dream on mate. I will meet you at the door, naked, and drag you off to bed to properly welcome you home."

"Now about you going back to work. With my increased contract price I should be able to support you, just as long as you don't want to go on a world cruise or buy a new Lambo. You won't need to go back to work."

"Keep dreaming. If I became a 'stay at home wife' I'd get thoroughly bored and probably start looking for a new man. You wouldn't want that, would you?"

"Way to hurt me. I was joking, I would never stop you from working."

"You might already have."

"What do you mean?"

"I seem to have forgotten to take any precautions, and we have made love on more than one occasion, so there is a chance that I may actually be pregnant already, if not already, soon. I hope that this doesn't spoil any plans you might have."

I couldn't answer for some time, at least not until after we had made love, "My plans revolve around your happiness first and foremost, and now I guess that I will need to factor in the new arrival."

The next day was full of surprises. "We are having problems finding a replacement Supervisor, it seems that word has got around the trade that we sort of fucked up in hiring someone without first checking him out." Stephen Jameson said as soon as I arrived on site. He had a strange look on his face. "I am going to do something from outside the square. Brody, how would you like to work as our new Supervisor?"

"I'll need a little time to get my head around this, I need to think of Pete, he'll be out of work if I take up your offer."

"Not for long. I've spoken to a couple of subbies and they're prepared to offer him a job."

"But I don't have any training or experience as a Supervisor."

"That's where thinking outside the square comes in. You have the building experience, you are not afraid of standing up for yourself if someone's not doing the right thing. I can't think of anyone more suitable for the job."

"Can I have a couple of days to make up my mind?"

"Sure, no rush, you have to finish this job first."

The additional panels arrived just after he left, so it was back into it.

"Pete, can I have a word?"

"Sure."

"That little discussion I had this morning with the big boss, well he's offered me the job of Supervisor."

"You're going to take it, aren't you?"

"I wasn't going to, but he's told me that he's found a job for you with other subbies, so you'll still be working, and I guess that I'll still see you from time to time when I'm onsite, so it's not like we'll lose touch with each other. We have to finish this job first, the first fix will be finished this afternoon if we get our finger out, and then we'll be back for the second fix in a couple of weeks, all being well."

"I'll miss working with you, you know how to look after me.

"It cuts both ways."

Following the welcome home to die for and the consummation practise, Celia and I got down to some serious future planning. Oh, and somewhere in there was dinner,

"I have news for you." We both said together.

"You first." I said.

"I've decided that I don't want to be a Legal Secretary forever, so, while I'm on expectation leave and maternity leave, I am getting back into my legal studies. I gave them up to look after Mum. The way that I've got it figured, I can make more as a part-time Lawyer than I can as a part-time Secretary. I've spoken to Daddy about it and he's over the moon about the pregnancy, it's official by the way, the test strip turned blue. I have an appointment tomorrow to confirm it. He's also happy that I'm getting back to my degree. What's your news?"

"I've been offered the Supervisor's job that has recently been vacated. It'll mean I won't be on the tools and it will be easier, so I won't be as tired when I get home."

"And I'm supposed to be overjoyed at that prospect? I'm joking of course." She kissed me. "What about Pete?"

"The company has lined up another job for him, he'll have the choice of two to choose from."

"So when do you start?"

"When I've finished this contract in a few weeks. I'll have some free time on my hands because I won't have any new contracts. This will give me time for preparations for the arrival of Brody Junior."

"You mean Celia junior don't you?"

"I don't care as long as if it's a girl she looks like you."

Life has been very good for us, my job is better than I expected it to be, I get on with the company bosses and the subbies, the work planning that I've put in place is working out very well, apart for the odd wet day at inappropriate times, there have been no delays in completions. Celia has returned to studies as an external student which means that most of her work is done at home. Pete is doing well and is thinking about becoming a subbie himself. I'll support him as much as I can.

We decided, not that we needed to, that we would get married. I guess that the sight of a new bride walking down the aisle while large with child is no longer new or remarkable.

The most important part of this new life is, drum roll please, the arrival of our daughter. We had thought of calling her Celia like her mother, but I put my foot down. There will only ever be one Celia and she's kissing me as I write this.