Author's Notes:
'By My Side, Always' is the second part of a story following the developing relationship of Gary Truman and Emma Patricks, two young adults embarking on a new life in the big city.
The chronological order of the stories is:
By My Side
By My Side, Always
Minimal effort is made in this tale to explain the backstory, so please read them in order.
All characters engaging in sexual relationships or activities are 18 years old or older.
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Chapter 1
Gary sighed as he saved his file and shut down the application he used to track their household budget.
The numbers didn't lie.
Their expenses, which included rent, food, transportation (subway fares), minimal clothing purchases, and a very minimal entertainment allotment, were consuming most of his and Emma's limited income leaving very little to put into the bank.
Living in New York City took too big a bite out of their savings.
His ability to pay for his second year at city college was in jeopardy.
When they'd moved from their small town to the big city, Gary's plan to pay for his dream was all plotted out. His first year of courses had been paid for as a graduation gift from his mother. He had a part-time job lined up and the apartment they were living in now.
What he'd failed to truly understand was just how expensive everything was here. The extra income Emma brought in from her job as a trainer in a Manhattan fitness club certainly helped, but it wasn't much. It barely covered the additional costs for her part of the food, clothing, and subway fares.
They found ways to reduce their expenses. They eliminated their apartment's cable TV, telephone, and Internet service. They retained their cell plans but minimized their usage and took advantage of open WiFi connections when they could. For entertainment, they went for long walks to explore their new city. They worked out at home and ran together to maintain their fitness.
In truth, this was only for Gary's benefit, as Emma's job kept her in peak condition. Gary's less athletic occupation of bookkeeping and accounting had him sitting for extended periods, so he welcomed the exercise. It certainly beat the grueling chores he'd done on the family farm every morning.
Speaking of family, he kept in touch with his mother by email, filling her in on his day-to-day in his new life. She was becoming quite adept with social media, and he got a chuckle following her life-on-a-farm vlog though he was one of very few subscribers. Watching her navigate her day on the farm was wonderful.
As for the rest of his family, they treated him like he'd just stepped off the planet's surface. That made him a little sad, but it wasn't like he'd been that close to them while he was there.
In sharp contrast to him, Emma kept in touch with her entire family via email. He smiled as that fact wasn't surprising due to how open and cheerful she was. He didn't know anyone who didn't immediately become enthralled by her. From her dazzlingly blue eyes, her button nose with the sprinkle of freckles across its bridge and cheekbones, he could spend hours just watching her expressions change. She also had a sleek and svelte body from her active life. Her beautiful, long red hair was habitually worn in a ponytail hanging down her back to just above the world's most perfect ass and her long, exquisitely toned legs. He was smitten, and anyone who spent any time with her usually was too.
This gave Gary some anxiety as they spent so many hours apart, and she spent her day working around some very physically attractive men. He'd visited her workplace... once. That was enough to convince him he was better off not comparing his body to theirs. While he was lean and hard-muscled, he certainly didn't have their muscle mass.
He knew Emma loved him, but a little voice in his head did its best to tell him that he wasn't worthy, and she deserved better in life. He struggled with that and did his best to hide his insecurities from her.
He shut down his laptop and looked across the small table into her blue eyes. She pouted out her lower lip and forced a chuckle out of him with her sweet expression. She instantly smiled at his happy sounds.
"So, it isn't as bad as it looks?" she asked, hopefully.
He gave her a wry grin. "We're not about to be evicted and have to live on the street, so that's a positive."
She snorted as Gary slumped back in the chair. He was struggling to think of another way to earn some cash. He had the part-time bookkeeping job he'd arranged before moving to the city, and that was good. He also did bookkeeping for several local businesses, but each was for small amounts. The time required to manage all these separate clients, plus the time his schooling took, left him with very little personal time. That time he wanted to spend with Emma. He was guarding that jealously, but if he didn't find a way to save more for his second year of college, his plan would come crashing down.
His smile slipped again.
Emma glanced at the clock and smiled. "We still have time to visit Rocky's before they start."
This lifted Gary's spirits as he gazed at the beauty across the table. She knew exactly what he needed to help him unwind. "Yeah. Let's go."
Gary went into the bedroom and returned with his guitar case. The old Gibson guitar they'd found in the apartment when they moved in had become his most cherished possession. Its rich sound and responsiveness blew him away, and he got so much joy from playing it.
Thursday nights were open mic nights at their local bar, Rocky's. While they couldn't drink in the bar due to being underage, they
were
allowed to participate in the entertainment.
The owner and namesake for the bar was a gruff, older Italian gentleman with a steel-grey buzzcut who seemed to know everyone in the neighborhood. He'd heard good things about the level-headed young man doing bookkeeping work for some locals.
They let themselves out of the apartment and locked up before taking the stairs down to the street to walk the block and a half to the bar. They enjoyed the spring warmth of the May evening.
Rocky was there at the bar and walked over to shake Gary's hand. He nodded to them and gestured for one of his workers to set up a small table next to the corner of the stage with one chair for Emma.
When they'd first visited the bar, Gary had been looking for a way to deal with his stage fright, and playing for a tiny audience of regulars in the local bar seemed like a safe way to start. For open mic night, the talent could play their own instruments, or if they were singers, there was a karaoke machine.
After Rocky heard Gary play, he'd offered to let Gary accompany singers who didn't want to use the machine. Most opted for having Gary play as they sang.
In compensation, Emma would get to sit next to the stage, and they both could have free soft drinks. As neither were big fans of the sweet beverages, they typically opted for ice water, which was all the better for Rocky.
Tonight, as Gary climbed the steps up to the stage, he was overly aware that the bar was busier than usual. There were only a couple of empty tables left. He glanced at Rocky and saw the wide smile on the man's face. He was obviously pleased with the turnout as everyone had a drink in front of them. Gary took a seat at the side of the stage and felt all of those eyes watching him. A shiver went down his spine. Then his eyes locked on Emma's after she glanced back at the crowd as well. He could see she was aware of his nervousness, but she gave him a loving smile, and he felt her confidence boost his.
Taking a deep breath, he returned her smile and mouthed, "I love you."
Her smile widened, and he felt that warmth flow through him. She said she loved him too, and that gave him strength. He opened his guitar case and did a little quiet tuning. He knew Rocky liked him to warm up the audience with his own playing before others came on stage. He'd been practicing a song, and he felt he'd achieved sufficient skill to do it here.
He moved the mic stand closer to his guitar and looked at Rocky.
