Recognition, Wind

I had seen the pictures in the company magazine. They were taken at a conference last month. They weren't the main subject, but in the background I could see Ralph holding her hand across the table. I contacted the company magazine and asked if they had any more pictures of the event, they were kind enough to send me a load. It didn't take long to go through them looking in the background, I found several more of them doing things I wouldn't consider passing the husband test. The pictures where they were the subject were very proper.

I looked across the table, she looked across at me anxiously as the names were being read out. It wasn't her for the fourth place or the third nor the second, I wasn't sure if she was anxious that she might get first place, or sad because she had nothing. But Ralph looked smug, I was certain he knew. It was announced, and she got first place. Now £6000, that would make a nice holiday I thought. I am sure we will find out in a few minutes. She stood up and went up to the stage and to the dais. I knew she had written a small thank you speech, I had seen it. Ralph followed her. I didn't think I was going to like this.

She accepted the award and she looked at the crowd and said. "This award is not just for me, it's for my team. The next round is on me." There were small cheers from the table her people were sitting at. "But I couldn't have done it without the help and support of a man who is very important to me." I started to fill with pride, hopefully. Then she carried on, she indicated Ralph standing next to her. "Without this man's help I could not have achieved half of what I have done." That part wasn't in the speech that I had seen earlier. I gave her time to carry on, but she didn't. The pair of them made to leave the stage.

Now I was really pissed off, after the stuff I had put up with over the years. I missed a job I loved, nights out with the boys, the time I spent lying underneath cars in the early days to fix them while she was studying and the long hours I spent learning how to be a tech author.

In the early days it had been worth it. But these last two years, and especially the last year or so, not so much, in fact not at all.

There was a general murmuring of agreement, and a light applause came from the room. However, I stood up and started a slow, loud hand clap. Her face looked down at me in complete shock, almost as if she'd forgotten I was there. Ralph just looked at me and smiled.

I nodded to my mate, as I was loudly and slowly clapping my hands everyone was looking at me, especially the top table. He got up onto the stage and walked toward Christine and said loud enough to be heard. "Your husband asked me to give this to you."

I thought she was going to faint. The room was deathly silent as she opened the envelope and you guessed it, it was a divorce petition. It cited adultery, although I had no proof. I took one envelope out of my pocket and gave it to Ralph's wife as I walked towards the top table where the CEO was sitting with his entourage. I pulled out the enlarged photographs of what I had found and threw them on the table. I'm sure one of them would pick them up and look at them. I didn't care who, I think Ms. Purple shimmer dress reached for them. They would see my wife dancing close with Ralph, hanging round his neck, the hand holding. The pair of them walking with his arm around her waist down the corridor towards the rooms. I then placed an envelope on the table, Ms Purple shimmer dress reached for it. Everyone around that table was looking at me quizzically, except Ms Purple shimmer dress. She was busy reading the contents of the envelope

I loved my wife, I always would, but I would not stand for her putting that twat before me and doing it so publicly. I had already been to a solicitor. I knew I would get the kids, probably the house and she would have to pay maintenance. I didn't want this, but I wasn't going to stand the humiliation anymore.

Then I turned to the crowd and said in a loud voice. "If you don't know me, it's because I'm never introduced, most of you don't even know my name."

A chap in front of me said. "Yes, we do, it's Rick." He was trying to make a point. He did.

I ignored him. "I am the husband. But most of you probably don't know that. And you probably don't know that I look after our two children so she could come here and work for you, sort out your problems. I helped put her through university, whilst I worked all hours I could in the cold, the wet and dark to keep money coming in, while she did a bunch of low paid jobs as she learned her skills. She has an aptitude for management. I know my job's not high flying like hers. But somebody needs to write the technical stuff to fix the aeroplanes that take you lot around the world on your fancy holidays.

"But now I see I'm not the most important person in her life."

I pointed at her. "She stood up there and said the man she's known for less than two years is important to her. For the past 12 years I have supported her, loved her, made sure she had everything she needed. She would come home to find the house tidy and dinner waiting. I looked after the children, the house, the cars and still did a full-time job, and I don't get a mention. It would appear he is more important to her than me. So I think it's time to end this charade." I looked up at the stage and said. "I hope you're happy with your new boyfriend, I hope he supports you like I have. Oh, shit he can't, he's married."

With that I'd run out of steam. I headed towards the bar. I needed a beer before I went home.

I got to the bar and decided to have a gin and tonic instead. I told the barman to go heavy on the gin and light on the tonic and just one lump of ice. I didn't want to water it down. I told him to put it on the boss's tab. He smiled at me.

The room was still very quiet, except for my wife was on the stage crying. Ralph had his arms around her. I shouted from the bar. "Don't they look cosy up there?"

The room was in silence, well that had caused a stir. I noticed the people who earlier agreed with her comment were silent.

I sank the G&T in one go and headed towards the door when I heard an almighty scream.

"Nooooooooooo," I tried not to turn around, I knew I was going to fail. But standing up there in front of all the company saying he gave her more support than I did, and the way I've been treated over the past few years was more than I could stand. I was not going to suffer the humiliation anymore. I would get the kids, she would have to pay child support and then she could get on with her life. I would miss the fuck out of her, but I wasn't going to take it anymore.

But I did, I stopped and looked back and there she was rushing across the dance floor. Her face was like thunder, probably because I had shown her up and she stood a chance of losing her job, well fuck me never mind. "No, please wait, please. I love you, please wait."

I love this woman, but it was over now. She had chosen him. I hesitated and she caught up with me. She grabbed hold of my arm.

"Please, give me 1 minute, just 60 seconds, please I love you.

"After 12 years, 60 seconds won't hurt you."

I just nodded, what I didn't expect was her grabbing me by the arm and dragging me towards the dance floor. I was surprised by that. When we got to the edge of the dance floor I resisted, what further humiliation awaited me out there? We were back beside the table I had just left, my pint of Guinness was still there, barely touched.

She turned and looked at me and said. "Please, trust me."

"Give me one good reason why?"

"Please, I love you."

"No, I'm not sure you do, not after what I have just seen and heard."

She looked at me with that determined look I knew so well. "Please 60 seconds"

I dithered.

Holding up the envelope, looking at me through her tears she said loudly so everyone could hear. "I have done things I'm not proud of over the years, but I have not done what you are accusing me of in this."

"Prove it, but that is not what the grin on his face is saying." As I pointed to Ralph, he stood just behind her. Why so close. But what I did see was the yellow dress standing beside him. So perhaps it was all innocent, but that comment of mine wiped the supercilious smug look off his face, and a quizzical look on yellow dresses face. Then I realised I didn't even know her name, she'd never been introduced either.

I couldn't believe he would be so stupid as to have that smug 'the cat has got the cream' look on his face in front of his boss and his wife, by the look on her face she knew that look too. She was glaring daggers at him, but he didn't see it.

Christine looked down and said, "I can't." She then looked me straight in the eyes. "Trust me I have never been unfaithful to you. Not even emotionally." With that look in her eyes I almost believed her. But then I showed her the photo of her on the dance floor with her arms round his neck, her head resting on his shoulder.

"That says differently."

Then with a ferociousness I had not seen from her in a long time she said. "I was holding him but feeling and seeing you in my mind's eye. I was imagining it was you holding me, it was the only way I could get through it. I'm sorry." I was starting to believe her, but I didn't let up.

"Is that what you did when you were in bed with him, made the excuse to yourself that it was me you thought you were shagging?"

"No, because that never happened." She turned to Ralph. "Tell him the truth, or I will."

He was oblivious to almost everything happening around him, he was probably concentrating on the angry look on my face and my clenched fists by my side, hoping they stayed there. Or maybe he was hoping I would take the first swing.

"No, she wouldn't do it, I wanted to, but she wouldn't." That was when he became aware of just what he'd said, and where he was. Probably brought on by the glass of Guinness his wife threw over him. I would normally consider that a waste of good beer, but not in this case.

Christine reached out to me, I pulled back. "Please give me one minute, please just 60 seconds, please I beg you. 60 seconds in 12 years, please."

I looked at my watch, "The time starts now."

She turned and ran, nearly knocking over the little rotund man who was behind her. I didn't pay him much attention, but I noticed he had a buff envelope in his hand. The thought crossed my mind, was he getting divorced as well?

She ran up to the small 4-piece band on the stage that had been playing background music. "Please, like we practised before."

Practised? I thought.

She picked up the microphone and went onto the stage, "I was going to do this later, but I need to do it now." Then I heard the strains of a familiar song, one that I hadn't heard for years.

Apart from the gentle rhythm, the room was silent. She was the centre of attention. She pointed at me.

"Did I ever tell you that you are my Hero?"

That wasn't right, that line comes later.

It must have been cold there in my shadow

To never have sunlight on your face

You were content to let me shine, that's your way

You always walked a step behind.

She didn't sound good, it was flat. She was singing through her tears.

She was looking directly at me, "Sorry, it sounded better when I practised."

She looked up and around the room. "When Ralph asked me on Wednesday to publicly thank him for the help he gave me, he said it would make both of us look good. I realised that yes, Ralph had helped me in the last two years. But when he asked me not to mention my husband, I realised how much help that man." She pointed at me. "That man standing there has been helping me for the last 12 years or more, and without that man's help, support and love I could not have achieved anything at all. I have never given him the recognition he deserves. That stops now."

She wiped a tear away with the back of her hand. The music carried on in the background.

"So let me tell you about my man. He was an aircraft engineer, a good one and he loved his job, but we quickly realised that I could make more money as a manager in the long term.

"Then Gary came along, before he was born we had a long talk. My man did shift work and was often cold and wet in the rain. But he loved his job, I worked in an office but earned more than he did by quite a bit. We decided he would try and get a job where he could work from home and look after the baby. After some effort he got his qualifications as a technical author. He became a tech author, a good one but it wasn't a job he loved. Just one that paid the bills in those early days when I was struggling, it wasn't the same. Then our Linda joined Gary and he looked after them both, without a word of complaint. I would get home to find him elbow deep in shitty nappies and baby puke. He would just smile and ask how my day was, and I would tell him how well I was doing, how I was appreciated. He would spend hours fixing the car in all weathers because we couldn't afford anything better, just so I could get to work, he would walk or ride his bike. When he worked from home, he did all the housework, the washing and the cooking. I can't remember a day when dinner wasn't on the table or in the oven when I got home."

She nodded to the band, they picked up the volume, she carried on singing.

I was the one with all the glory

You are the one with all the strength

A beautiful face without a name for so long

A beautiful smile to hide the pain

She'd stopped crying now. "I dragged him to all those parties and events, where I was lauded for doing my job well, but I couldn't have done any of that without his support. But you lot, you ignored him. Treated him like he wasn't there, because he was just a man who wrote technical stuff and didn't make shit loads of money. I shouldn't have been surprised, you lot ignore most of your own technicians, why would you talk to mine. You didn't even bother to get his name right on the invites, his name is Ryan, not Rick." She glared at the man who called me Rick.

"Some of you even insulted him in my presence, and to my everlasting shame, I did not stick up for him." Her voice got firmer.

"That stops now too. And even after all those insults he still kept coming, supporting me. But I pushed too far, he almost didn't come tonight. But I needed him here to apologise to him in front of all of you."

She started singing again, this time her voice was firmer and clearer, and she looked straight at me. There was no one else in that room for that verse.

Did I ever tell you that you are my Hero?

Did you ever know that you're my hero?

And everything I would like to be?

I can fly higher than an eagle

For you are the wind beneath my wings

She took a deep breath and looked around the room again, "I remember our 10th Wedding Anniversary, we all worked late that evening to correct a cock up, and we went out for a few drinks afterwards to pat ourselves on the back for a good job, saved the company thousands. When I got home just after 10, he was sitting at the table, my favourite dinner was there, the candles were burning low. He warmed my dinner and poured me a glass of wine and we carried on as if nothing was amiss. I loved him that night, a lot. But I cannot get over the look of pain on his face. It haunts me to this day. I made it up to him and never did that again. I always seem to be making things up to him. And I will continue to make things up to him for as long as he will have me."

"I know I hurt him. I thought he was living with it because the end is in sight. but I didn't realise how much I hurt him until just now. Until he gave me this." She waved the envelope.

"I'm sorry sweetheart, I never meant to do that to you."

She looked around the room and her eyes fell upon the little rotund man with the envelope in his hand.

"Mr Phelps, that envelope you have in your hand is confirmation of my promotion. Something I was going to surprise my husband with tonight. But I cannot take it. I need to reassess my lifestyle. Now if you'll excuse me. I need to finish this song."

She came down off the stage, walked across to me, took my hand and dragged me onto the dance floor, I didn't resist this time. She put her free arm around my waist. She turned to the band and said. "Gentlemen, with feeling please."

She then looked me straight in the eyes and carried on singing.

It might have appeared to go unnoticed

But I've got it all here in my heart

I want you to know I know the truth, of course I know it

There was a pause, she took a pace back, raised her hand and pointed a finger at me and sang.

I would be nothing without you

She was crying again. I went and held her. She carried on.

Did you ever know that you're my hero?

You're everything I wish I could be

I could fly higher than an eagle

For you are the wind beneath my wings

That was when she stopped and hugged me, tears were pouring down her face. That was good because they were pouring down mine as well. Our tears pooled together on our cheeks. I pulled back to kiss her. That was when I realised there was a gentle applause going around the room, everybody was clapping. I kissed her, that was when the whistles started and the clapping got louder.

It was time we went home, but I had one thing to do first. She still had the envelope in her hand. I took it out of her hand and tore it into shreds and threw it in the air, it came down like confetti. We headed towards the door to a round of applause. We were going home.

Then all of a sudden, the tall elegant lady in a shimmering purple dress stood in front of us. "If you would be so kind as to spare us a few minutes, Mr Phelps would like to talk to you both." That wasn't the way I expected her to speak. It was so polite that how could one refuse.

I looked at Christine. "Manners cost nothing." We allowed Ms Purple shimmer dress to lead us to the big cheese table. There was a pint of Guinness and a glass of white wine waiting for us.

Mr Phelps looked at Christine "Please, don't throw that at anyone. It would be a waste of good beer." He smiled at us. People moved around and left two seats next to him. He indicated for us to sit down, we did.

Mr Phelps seemed to draw himself up. "Christine, Ryan I'm in a dilemma. Christine, I would like you to stay with the company, I have seen what you can do." He put the envelope on the table he had been carrying. "But I completely understand where Ryan's coming from." With that he pushed the envelope I gave him across the table, it had been opened, it cited sexual harassment in the company. I thought this was going to be fobbed off with a blackmail. 'She gets this job if this goes away, sort of thing.'

Mr Phelps carried on. He looked at me, touched the envelope I gave him and said. "This will be thoroughly investigated, but from what I'm seeing and hearing in just the last half hour, I'm soon going to need a new head of admin. Thank you for bringing this to my attention."

He looked at Christine. "I've been very impressed with your work, your skill and the way you managed everything. You're good at what you do, I always knew that. But what I didn't know, was the support you had from this man over here." He said pointing at me. "I'm not sure how to say this without coming out crass. But I would like you to stay with the company and accept this job offer that I'm giving you." With that he pushed the other envelope across the desk. "But I realise the terms of the contract may not suit your upcoming lifestyle. Can I ask you a favour?" He didn't wait for an answer. "Go home, take next week off, give me and my people some time to think. We have brainstormed some ideas in the last five minutes, but we need to finesse them. I will be honest, I would rather you work for us than some of our competition."