The Résumé Pt. 01

"Oh my god!" I screamed again and twisted my body, finally managing to get disengaged from Ken.

"How the fuck did that limp dick get in here?" It seemed that Ken was mostly angry that Jim had gotten in the office after hours. He acted like he didn't give a shit about my world coming apart.

I turned and slapped Ken as hard as I could. It kind of knocked him back for a second. "What the fuck, Ken? You wouldn't let me up then got angry and told Jim to leave. You are one arrogant prick."

"He has no business entering this office after hours."

"So, Jim catches you fucking his wife and you're angry at him? You're a real bastard, you know that?" I was scrambling to put my panties and skirt back on.

"But what about..." Ken looked down, he still had a hardon. As my world was crashing down around me, this guy was still hard and still wanted to fuck me. I got my clothes on and ran out of the office. Jim was gone. I ran into the parking lot and saw the taillights of Jim's truck in the distance. I stood there, tears streaming down my face and watched the lights disappear. It felt like I was watching my marriage disappear into the night.

I ran back to my office cube and grabbed my cell phone. I needed to talk to Jim and somehow explain. I hit the 'one' button on my favorites list. I doubted if Jim wanted to talk to me but I had to try. He answered after the first ring, but it was a short conversation. 'Fuck you Becky,' was all he said before hanging up.

I heard Ken speaking. He was standing naked in the door to his office. "You should give him some time to cool off. Why don't you come back here and we can finish what we started."

What did Ken think, that me seeing him naked with his big cock still jetting out in front of him, would make me horny again?

"Fuck you Ken. Jim catches us fucking and you still just want to get off. You are a real bastard, you know that? You're lucky he didn't come in and kick your ass."

"Not in my lifetime. That cuckold is lucky he didn't try something stupid like that. He would have caught his wife cheating and got his ass kicked all in the same night."

I didn't have time to listen to Ken's macho bullshit. I grabbed my purse and headed for the door. Home was the only place I could think Jim might go, and I needed to get there quick.

--

As I arrived home I saw Jim's truck was parked at an angle across both spaces in the driveway. I quickly parked in front of the house with my car parked in the wrong direction; I ended up on the sidewalk. I jumped out and ran into the house. I didn't have any idea what I was going to say, but I had to talk to him. I had to try to calm him down and explain.

I threw the door open and Jim was standing there with two garbage bags in his hands. We both just stood and looked at each other.

I could see the fire in Jim's eyes. It looked like he wanted to kill me. I could see he had been crying. I had never seen Jim cry. It broke my heart to see him this way, and I began sobbing.

It's all a blur but within a minute Jim had taken our dog Max and was speeding down the street away from our house. My knees buckled. I knelt in the entryway, the front door still open, and I sobbed. My legs couldn't hold me and I collapsed and laid in a fetal position on the floor. My sobbing was coming from deep in my belly. I don't know how long I laid there and cried, but even after the tears stopped, I didn't move. I didn't want to move. What was I going to do? Where was I going to go? The man I loved so much, my world, now hated me.

"Becky, are you alright?" I heard a voice above me. It was my neighbor Kelly from across the street.

****

Now he was gone and not answering his phone. I've been trying to call him about every 15 minutes just hoping he would pick up again. I sent him text messages asking him to please talk to me. I wanted him to know it wasn't what he thought. I certainly didn't love Ken. Ken was a prick and was blackmailing me into fucking him. I guess it was my fault but I hadn't planned it.

It all started when I got desperate to be working again. Jim and I had been in Oklahoma City for about three months. We had moved there for his new job. He was a lead engineer for a company that made fasteners. Unlike working for his previous employer, Jim loved this job and would come home evenings telling me excitedly about projects he was working.

We moved to Oklahoma City to step up our careers and jump-start our plans to start a family. The only trouble was, I couldn't find a job. In fact, I could hardly get an interview and only with non-advertising firms that were looking for marketing people. I didn't want to do marketing, I wanted to be in advertising. I had always had an eye for advertising. I would watch campaigns on TV and print media when I was in college and thought, I could do that better. If I saw a successful campaign I would do analysis on why it had been successful. I just knew I could build successful campaigns.

In my desperation, after getting no responses to my employment attempts, I doctored my resume. Yes, I lied. And not a small lie either. Jim had told me to think 'outside the box'; so I started looking to do something different than my previous attempts. I decided my resume needed to stand out, and the only way to do that was an advanced degree. I also doctored the title of my previous position at the firm in KC.

I put a Masters of Business, Advertising from Stanford and indicated that my previous positions had been leading team building campaigns for mid-sized businesses. I was scared I would get caught so I only sent it to a couple of the firms in OKC. Two week later I was sitting across the desk from Ken at Hartford Associates.

****

"Rebecca, you certainly have an impressive resume." Ken was a handsome man in his early fifties, tall, his black hair about half grey. He looked like he was in good shape and I noticed his expensive suit. I always try to be observant in interviews, and I could tell Ken dressed and acted to impress.

"Please, call me Becky."

"Well, Becky, I'm not sure you will even be interested in this position. I'm afraid it wouldn't provide you the responsibilities of your previous position."

I smiled. "Well, Mr. Smithe, this is a well-respected firm. I'm certainly interested in hearing more about it."

"Please, call me Ken." He now had a big smile on his face.

We talked for about an hour, and I could tell he was interested. I told him I was very driven to succeed and always looked to build unique campaigns. I could see him smile at those comments. With about twenty minutes left in the interview, he asked about my personal situation.

"We are like a family here, and I would like to know more about you. Can you tell me a little about yourself?"

I went on to explain that I had grown up in KC and was married for almost two years and didn't yet have kids. When he probed for more, I told him a little about growing up in KC and about Jim's position.

Then he said something that I should have picked up at the time.

"Well, you certainly are beautiful and I like your energy. I liked what you said about being driven to succeed." Ken was standing and I knew the interview was over. I stood, reaching out my hand. His hand was big and he held mine firmly as we shook.

He had just told me he "liked" me. All I thought of at the time was that he liked me professionally. Smiling again, I was now more confident that they would offer me a position. I knew I could do a good job for them and it felt like I had a chance at this position.

--

Hartford Associates called me about a week later asking me for a second interview. That Wednesday I was back in Ken's office. It turned out not to be a second interview. It was just meeting with Ken, and he was offering me a position.

After our brief re-introduction, Ken spoke, "Becky, thanks for coming." Ken was shaking my hand again as I sat across from his big desk. "I enjoyed our interview last week. I think you are exactly what we've been looking for. You are a bit over-qualified. Your resume is certainly impressive, but I would like to offer you a position I hope you will consider. We would like to offer you a position as an Associate Producer. We certainly hope you will give this offer some serious thought. You would be leading a small team working on campaigns for our small and mid-sized clients."

I had been a member of the design team back in KC, but never a leader. I tried hard not to act over-enthusiastic. I was reeling this job in. It was exactly what I was looking for and hopefully, I could use it to jump-start my career.

"Mr. Smithe, I'm more than willing to start in that position and show you what I can do. Working for a firm like Hartford is an exciting prospect."

Ken was all smiles and we came to terms on compensation. It was quite a bit more than I expected.

****

That night I made a big celebration dinner for Jim and me. I had so much energy just thinking of my new position that I couldn't sit still.

Jim walked in and could smell the food. He looked at the set table and a bottle of wine and knew something special was happening.

"Becky, what's this about. I take it things went well at Hartford?"

I almost jumped into Jim's arms. I hugged him and twirled around.

"Yes! Jim. I got it! And it's as an Associate Producer, so I will actually be responsible for small and mid-sized businesses. I'll be a decision-maker designing campaigns." It all made me feel so important. "And the salary is bigger than I expected. We are going to be able to save for our house and get you a new truck and..."

"Whoa, slow down there, girl," Jim was smiling. "You'd better get settled in there before we start making any big decisions."

"Jim, this is exactly what we've been wanting." I couldn't stop smiling. "I can spend a few years getting my career lined up and then we can start our family." My plans just kept spilling out of my mouth. I was over the top excited for what was to come.

END OF PART ONE