A month later, Charlie grinned as he watched Jenny charm one of his most difficult customers. "I'm so sorry" she said sweetly in her southern drawl. "I didn't know the big chips have to go on the top row. I'm so sorry that hung up on you." He nodded grimly as she handed him a large sized bag of cheese curls. "Thank you for being so understanding." The man, an overweight, balding, white man, his button-down stretched at the buttons, puffed up a little. "Just don't complain to him." She whispered loudly, pointing at Charlie, who kept stocking sodas as he grinned into the machine.
"Why's that?" the guy frowned, scowling at Charlie. The customer had missed a spot of stubble, shaving, on his chin. It quivered as he gave Charlie "The eye".
"Well" Jenny continued to whisper "He's the boss."
The guy shrugged. "I know that." Jenny grinned.
"We're married." She held up her left hand, displaying her wedding band. "If I get a complaint I don't get to eat that expired cupcake for dinner." She giggled as she shifted the smaller products out of the top row onto her cart, then shifted the larger ones into the proper place.
Charlie closed his machine as the office-workers returned to work and walked up behind Jenny. It was so nice to see her, but so hard. He wanted so much more, but he knew he had to take his time. Jenny had impressive walls.
He tapped the cart lightly as he came up behind her. Jenny had PTSD (who wouldn't?) and hated it when he'd sneak up on her. She turned her head. Her grin faded as he leaned into her and whispered in her ear, all while maintaining a "proper" distance.
"Our secret's out now.." Her eyes widened. "I don't have to worry about them bringing me up on harrassment charges." She gave him a shaky smile, her eyes darting back and forth.
Charlie cursed himself as he realized he'd pinned her against the machine. Shit! He brushed a loose curl behind her ear and retreated to a chair in the break area, a few feet away. Jenny's posture relaxed, and Charlie hoped it meant she'd only feared the crowding, not his touch.
He smiled slowly. "I can cook, you know." Jenny gaped. Their usual meals had been rice-and-whatever they could find, when they were poor. As they became more prosperous, he either took her out to dinner or expected her to cook.
Charlie sighed as he realized how much he'd missed her rice casseroles. Jenny moved on to stocking candy bars, her movements quick and efficient. Jenny, Charlie mused, was a natural.
Jenny closed the machine and sat down opposite Charlie in a plastic chair. "You can cook." She thought for a moment. "OK. What's for dinner? I have my garden, a couple of eggs, some butter and oil, half a breakfast biscuit, and..." she rolled her eyes, recalling. "That's it".
Charlie shuddered. He'd thought about her material needs, and forgotten about her basic ones! "What's on the biscuit?"
"Sausage" she replied. He nodded.
"Omlette". Jenny raised her eyebrows, impressed. "I'd make a stir fry with your favorite veggies, and an omlette with the eggs and sausage."
A few hours later, Jenny pushed herself back from the table, stuffed. "I'd never have thought to use the daikon in the stir-fry, Char..." she began stacking dishes in the sink. "I planted it because it's good for soil, but it's pretty good."
"Well," Charlie replied, plugging the sink and reaching for the dish soap "I took an Asian cooking class. I took a sequence of courses. I needed to take my mind off... and I found a catalog. I started with a basic cooking class."
Jenny cocked her head. He continued "How to bake, how to cook meats - braise, broil, fry, etc..then a course on vegetables. You know most people boil them to death, put the nutrients in the water, and then throw away the water? Criminal. If you don't want it raw a stir-fry's the way to go." Charlie licked his lips. They'd had a fine meal. He continued chatting about cooking as he did the dishes, an activity he found oddly soothing.
Jenny was a good cook, but she'd hated doing dishes. He realized now the depression only allowed her so much activity per day. They'd had some bitter fights about the cluttered sink. On his own, he'd realized he could have just done the dishes himself! He wondered if he'd ever get over feeling like an idiot. Worst of all, Jenny was surprisingly nice about it. She'd let him into her life, a life he didn't deserve.
He wondered where it would end.
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Chapter 44
Charlie showed up early the next morning as Jenny finished breakfast. She washed her dishes quickly in her tiny sink and put them in the cabinet.
"You know" she told him "I like having a tiny house. It's a lot easier to organize". Charlie could recall several memorable incidents of "bad organization" and nodded. One time she'd lost a paycheck.
Jenny pulled at the hem of her navy t-shirt "Is this OK?" The navy shirt flattered her warm complexion, dark hair, and green eyes. The jeans seemed to strike a good balance between fit and comfort.
"Looks fine to me" he responded. "Do your jeans have elastic?" Jenny nodded, baffled. "I've found they work better." he continued, running his hand down his thigh.
Jenny chattered nervously as they got in his midsize SUV. Princess was a silly girl, and loved to hog the bed. Charlie explained their day:
They'd go to the wholesale warehouse first. NO personal shopping; they were there to work. Jenny winced, remembering Charlie had witnessed some of her worst manic spending sprees - he wouldn't believe her medication had her level now.
After the warehouse, they'd go to his warehouse, to load up on soda. Afterwards, they'd go to the primary location, an 8 story office building. He needed to stock the food, snack, and soda machines. "It's a lot of work" he warned her. "I'm probably an idiot for doing this. You'll hate me by 4 PM." Jenny laughed at him and flexed a muscle.
A few hours later, Charlie had given her a key (on a lanyard), and obtained an ID badge from building management. Jenny looked down at the card, fingering it. "I feel like I should be wearing heels and walking in a big hurry, carrying a file folder". Charlie grinned. "You'd look great."
They took the folding handcart out of the SUV and began to load. Charlie was surprised how naturally she worked, understanding his wishes before he even spoke. "It's easy" she explained. "Stocking is all the same, and the heavy things always go on the bottom". The cart loaded, he began to pull it into the facility.
A few minutes later he stopped in the vending area. Vending machines lined one wall. Another wall of windows looked out at the parking lot, and a third wall held the sink, coffee pot, and microwave. A teal carpet covered the floor. "This is nice" Jenny remarked.
A few hours later, exhausted, they pulled the empty hand cart out of the building and loaded it into the SUV. "I can see why you're thin" Jenny remarked. He certainly wasn't skinny - but well muscled in all the right places.
"Vending is a great workout" he said, pushing his sweaty hair back off his forehead and finger-combing it into place.
"I hope you didn't mind me making all those notes" she replied, worried. Had she been a pain?
"I with my other people had been so diligent. I know you only ask questions because you don't know the answer. I swear one guy kept asking me the most basic questions just to annoy me. He could barely open a vending machine!" Jenny nodded. It seemed like employees were Charlie's biggest work issue.
She could help with that.
"Are you up for tomorrow?" Charlie asked, a worried light in his eyes.
Jenny nodded.
"You know" she told him "I like having a tiny house. It's a lot easier to organize". Charlie could recall several memorable incidents of "bad organization" and nodded. One time she'd lost a paycheck.
Jenny pulled at the hem of her navy t-shirt "Is this OK?" The navy shirt flattered her warm complexion, dark hair, and green eyes. The jeans seemed to strike a good balance between fit and comfort.
"Looks fine to me" he responded. "Do your jeans have elastic?" Jenny nodded, baffled. "I've found they work better." he continued, running his hand down his thigh.
Jenny chattered nervously as they got in his midsize SUV. Princess was a silly girl, and loved to hog the bed. Charlie explained their day:
They'd go to the wholesale warehouse first. NO personal shopping; they were there to work. Jenny winced, remembering Charlie had witnessed some of her worst manic spending sprees - he wouldn't believe her medication had her level now.
After the warehouse, they'd go to his warehouse, to load up on soda. Afterwards, they'd go to the primary location, an 8 story office building. He needed to stock the food, snack, and soda machines. "It's a lot of work" he warned her. "I'm probably an idiot for doing this. You'll hate me by 4 PM." Jenny laughed at him and flexed a muscle.
A few hours later, Charlie had given her a key (on a lanyard), and obtained an ID badge from building management. Jenny looked down at the card, fingering it. "I feel like I should be wearing heels and walking in a big hurry, carrying a file folder". Charlie grinned. "You'd look great."
They took the folding handcart out of the SUV and began to load. Charlie was surprised how naturally she worked, understanding his wishes before he even spoke. "It's easy" she explained. "Stocking is all the same, and the heavy things always go on the bottom". The cart loaded, he began to pull it into the facility.
A few minutes later he stopped in the vending area. Vending machines lined one wall. Another wall of windows looked out at the parking lot, and a third wall held the sink, coffee pot, and microwave. A teal carpet covered the floor. "This is nice" Jenny remarked.
A few hours later, exhausted, they pulled the empty hand cart out of the building and loaded it into the SUV. "I can see why you're thin" Jenny remarked. He certainly wasn't skinny - but well muscled in all the right places.
"Vending is a great workout" he said, pushing his sweaty hair back off his forehead and finger-combing it into place.
"I hope you didn't mind me making all those notes" she replied, worried. Had she been a pain?
"I with my other people had been so diligent. I know you only ask questions because you don't know the answer. I swear one guy kept asking me the most basic questions just to annoy me. He could barely open a vending machine!" Jenny nodded. It seemed like employees were Charlie's biggest work issue.
She could help with that.
"Are you up for tomorrow?" Charlie asked, a worried light in his eyes.
Jenny nodded.
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Chapter 43
Jenny was very quiet as they walked back home, her arms swinging. They stopped at the gas station and bought some cold drinks.
Jenny looked around a little in the front window "I've always thought I'd love to get a job here. The ultimate short commute, something I could do, and maybe a discount." She brushed some hair out of her face and resecured her ponytail, sighing.
Charlie tried, but he couldn't help but notice her body. She was looking good, firm in all the right places, soft in others. He sighed himself.
"Are you looking for another job?" he asked with concern "I thought you were OK with the support check." He held the door for her as she exited.
Jenny took a long drink on her Diet Dr Pepper, thinking. "Mr. Jackson's cut my hours at work. Health care." She made a sour face, picking up her pace. Charlie remembered her nearly running on more than one occasion, when she was upset. "I lost the other job, which I was using for my emergency fund. The grocery store pays my day to day and that's been cut. I need something."
Jenny looked at Charlie, sideways. He looked good as always, a few lines in his forehead as he listened. He brushed his thick blonde hair back as she continued talking. "I won't ask you for more money. I can live on my own, I've proved it. I don't nee..."
"Jen." Charlie spoke gently but firmly, cutting her off. "Jenny!" She stopped talking and gaped at him.
"Remember my employee? He went to prison. I'm sick of letting strangers handle my money." Jenny took a deep breath. Surely he wouldn't.... "How would you like to work for me? You have a great visual memory, hard worker, great customer service. If I found you off the street I'd hire you." Jenny opened her mouth to object. "I'll provide the transport. I just need help filling my machines. Please. I don't want to get ripped off again."
Charlie winced as he recalled the wad of cash he'd recieved. "Sorry man." His employee had said "It was just too easy. This is about half of it."
Jenny thought it out as she walked home, opened and closed the gate, and let Princess into the trailer. The poor cat really missed her cat door. Jenny sat on the loveseat.
"When can I start?"
Jenny looked around a little in the front window "I've always thought I'd love to get a job here. The ultimate short commute, something I could do, and maybe a discount." She brushed some hair out of her face and resecured her ponytail, sighing.
Charlie tried, but he couldn't help but notice her body. She was looking good, firm in all the right places, soft in others. He sighed himself.
"Are you looking for another job?" he asked with concern "I thought you were OK with the support check." He held the door for her as she exited.
Jenny took a long drink on her Diet Dr Pepper, thinking. "Mr. Jackson's cut my hours at work. Health care." She made a sour face, picking up her pace. Charlie remembered her nearly running on more than one occasion, when she was upset. "I lost the other job, which I was using for my emergency fund. The grocery store pays my day to day and that's been cut. I need something."
Jenny looked at Charlie, sideways. He looked good as always, a few lines in his forehead as he listened. He brushed his thick blonde hair back as she continued talking. "I won't ask you for more money. I can live on my own, I've proved it. I don't nee..."
"Jen." Charlie spoke gently but firmly, cutting her off. "Jenny!" She stopped talking and gaped at him.
"Remember my employee? He went to prison. I'm sick of letting strangers handle my money." Jenny took a deep breath. Surely he wouldn't.... "How would you like to work for me? You have a great visual memory, hard worker, great customer service. If I found you off the street I'd hire you." Jenny opened her mouth to object. "I'll provide the transport. I just need help filling my machines. Please. I don't want to get ripped off again."
Charlie winced as he recalled the wad of cash he'd recieved. "Sorry man." His employee had said "It was just too easy. This is about half of it."
Jenny thought it out as she walked home, opened and closed the gate, and let Princess into the trailer. The poor cat really missed her cat door. Jenny sat on the loveseat.
"When can I start?"
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