bursting with his usual pride of accomplishment?
“So they’re promoting me, two years early,” he told me with a look of pity.
“Oh, honey, that’s amazing.” I gave his lips a congratulatory buss. “I’m so proud of you. Nobody passes their CPA the first time. You worked so hard for this.”
He took a leveling breath, then said, “The bad news is, they want me in Chicago tomorrow.” Tomorrow? For how long? “A new client, and a big one, but the account’s such a mess that our guy up there just quit and walked out, so we fired him.”
But this was a promotion for Greg. If anybody could slay this dragon, he could, and what a coup that would be. “You’ll be able to handle it,” I said. “I know you will.”
He glanced to the floor. “It will definitely make me or break me.” His gaze met mine. “The trouble is, I’d thought we’d have at least another year before this happened, time for you to make some friends, so you wouldn’t be all alone out here. I don’t like leaving you in this situation.” He scowled. “Especially with those hippies across the street.”
“Honey, don’t you worry about me for one instant.” There would be other neighbors soon enough. “I’ll be fine. At least four of the houses on our street are almost finished, and lots more all around us. I’m sure they’ll sell quickly. More people will move in before we know it.”
I paused, then ventured, “How long will you have to be gone?”
“Normally, I’d get two weekends a month off,” he said, “but the mess they’ve got up there … it might be longer than that. I’ll just have to see.”
How would I fill my time without a husband to care for? Greg was adamant that no wife of his would work. “I can do some charity work, meet some people there. Take bridge lessons,” I told myself and him. “Get more active at church. Learn needlepoint,” I said with forced cheer. “I’ll be fine.”
And I’d make sure his weekends home were memorable. My innards did a flip just thinking about it.
Grateful, he cupped the side of my head in his palm, stroking my temple with his thumb. “You’re such a trouper. I know you can manage. God knows, you managed worse than this growing up.” For the first time in quite a while, he really saw me. “I’m just sorry that you have to.” His expression sharpened. “First thing tomorrow morning, I’m calling the alarm people and having one put in. Top-of-the-line.”
I still marveled that a man like Greg cared so much about someone like me. “Goodness. I’ll be safe as a bank.”
“Safer,” he said. He rose, giving me a kiss on the cheek. “I think I will watch a little TV. The Braves are on.”
And once again, all was right with the world. Except for those hippies.
The next day, I drove Greg to the airport and kissed him off, then came straight home so the workmen could install the alarm, complete with battery backup and a direct connection to the police and fire departments, plus smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and a panic button by my bed. Having it made me feel secure.
It felt a little odd to be alone in our king-sized bed that first night, but I was worn out from cleaning up after the workmen, so I didn’t even make it through Johnny Carson’s opening joke before I fell asleep. It was almost midnight when the phone rang beside the bed.
I fumbled for the receiver, then said a groggy, “Hullo.”
“Hey,” Greg answered. “Sorry. Did I wake you up? I forget, it’s an hour earlier here.” His voice sounded weary.
I rolled over in the dark. “Can’t think of anybody I’d rather have wake me up. How was day one in Chicago?”
“Worse than I thought,” he confessed. “Turns out the client’s trusted comptroller has been embezzling for years through dozens, maybe hundreds, of dummy accounts. It’ll take me fourteen hours a day to track them all down and assess the loss before the close of the business year. Then I have to devise a
“So they’re promoting me, two years early,” he told me with a look of pity.
“Oh, honey, that’s amazing.” I gave his lips a congratulatory buss. “I’m so proud of you. Nobody passes their CPA the first time. You worked so hard for this.”
He took a leveling breath, then said, “The bad news is, they want me in Chicago tomorrow.” Tomorrow? For how long? “A new client, and a big one, but the account’s such a mess that our guy up there just quit and walked out, so we fired him.”
But this was a promotion for Greg. If anybody could slay this dragon, he could, and what a coup that would be. “You’ll be able to handle it,” I said. “I know you will.”
He glanced to the floor. “It will definitely make me or break me.” His gaze met mine. “The trouble is, I’d thought we’d have at least another year before this happened, time for you to make some friends, so you wouldn’t be all alone out here. I don’t like leaving you in this situation.” He scowled. “Especially with those hippies across the street.”
“Honey, don’t you worry about me for one instant.” There would be other neighbors soon enough. “I’ll be fine. At least four of the houses on our street are almost finished, and lots more all around us. I’m sure they’ll sell quickly. More people will move in before we know it.”
I paused, then ventured, “How long will you have to be gone?”
“Normally, I’d get two weekends a month off,” he said, “but the mess they’ve got up there … it might be longer than that. I’ll just have to see.”
How would I fill my time without a husband to care for? Greg was adamant that no wife of his would work. “I can do some charity work, meet some people there. Take bridge lessons,” I told myself and him. “Get more active at church. Learn needlepoint,” I said with forced cheer. “I’ll be fine.”
And I’d make sure his weekends home were memorable. My innards did a flip just thinking about it.
Grateful, he cupped the side of my head in his palm, stroking my temple with his thumb. “You’re such a trouper. I know you can manage. God knows, you managed worse than this growing up.” For the first time in quite a while, he really saw me. “I’m just sorry that you have to.” His expression sharpened. “First thing tomorrow morning, I’m calling the alarm people and having one put in. Top-of-the-line.”
I still marveled that a man like Greg cared so much about someone like me. “Goodness. I’ll be safe as a bank.”
“Safer,” he said. He rose, giving me a kiss on the cheek. “I think I will watch a little TV. The Braves are on.”
And once again, all was right with the world. Except for those hippies.
The next day, I drove Greg to the airport and kissed him off, then came straight home so the workmen could install the alarm, complete with battery backup and a direct connection to the police and fire departments, plus smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and a panic button by my bed. Having it made me feel secure.
It felt a little odd to be alone in our king-sized bed that first night, but I was worn out from cleaning up after the workmen, so I didn’t even make it through Johnny Carson’s opening joke before I fell asleep. It was almost midnight when the phone rang beside the bed.
I fumbled for the receiver, then said a groggy, “Hullo.”
“Hey,” Greg answered. “Sorry. Did I wake you up? I forget, it’s an hour earlier here.” His voice sounded weary.
I rolled over in the dark. “Can’t think of anybody I’d rather have wake me up. How was day one in Chicago?”
“Worse than I thought,” he confessed. “Turns out the client’s trusted comptroller has been embezzling for years through dozens, maybe hundreds, of dummy accounts. It’ll take me fourteen hours a day to track them all down and assess the loss before the close of the business year. Then I have to devise a
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