No sex in this story.
The food was ready, the preparation had been good for the soul. Leaving the office just after lunch had given him time to leisurely stroll through Market Street and pick the wine, fish and produce that he needed.
He'd smiled to himself as he watched the faces of his co-workers and partners, well those with enough time on their hands to look up from their work that is, watching him leave his office, inform his secretary Jackie that he was done for the day and that she might as well have an early finish too, he knew better than to just say that and flee, somebody would have intercepted her and tasked her to fulfill a work alternative seeing that her boss had gone. He definitely was not about to let that happen.
He grabbed her time-card signed it off for her normal daily work hours, she sat and stared at that as well, and it wasn't till he implored her with his eyes and upwards movement of his upturned hands that she realised he was deadly serious. She about fell out of her chair as he impatiently eased it away from her and pushed it under her desk.
He smiled at her as she stared at him with a look of absolute incredulousness and then together they walked out to the lift foyer, passing the few stunned workers that were probably trying to deal with the fact they'd never seen hide nor hair of the man other than first thing in the morning, (if they were early) or last thing at night,(if they were late). As they had passed the partners offices he chuckled quietly to himself about a little ditty that he'd just at that exact moment thought up:
'You could cut the consternation hanging in the air with a knife.'
Ha! that right there is just funny.
She was fed up to the back teeth with her Bosses cussing, moaning, shortcomings and inabilities, just once she wished he'd have the stones to figure things out for himself not rely on her to sort his act out.
'If you can't friggin' fix it don't fuck with it - so help me how long do I have to put up with you? You moron.'
As she grabbed the ream of printer paper out of the dopes hand complete with the copy he wanted printed, without speaking she pointed in the general direction of his office. He knew what she meant and as he disappeared past Wendy's desk She noticed Wendy turning round and grinning at her and rolling her eyes. She was over this job, she wished she hadn't been so quick to take up the Office Manager position, after four years it wasn't getting any easier,
'They're worse than looking after a bunch of frigging kids.'
ah well only four and a half hours to go.
He had watched the cooking process sufficient that he was confident he had the meal including the resting and the dishing up exactly timed right, they would sit for their meal at seven-ten exactly.
As he passed the door leading to the passageway he glanced at the Grandfather clock when it rang out one chime, that gave him notice, it was quarter to seven.
She would of just hopped off the train after the twenty-minute bustle out of the City. It would be unknown what mood she would be in when she walked through the door, he was hoping for the best, a good chance to enjoy their meal and a conciliatory chat about their lives, marriage and relationship. He was going to keep his solemn promise to himself to not turn their chat into a protracted dead-locked argument or mud-slinging yelling match that it degenerated to in the past when they'd tried to 'fix their problems'.
Without further thinking about that subject he proceeded to check his work noticing that the fish required no more than ten minutes, the vegetables maybe fifteen to completion, happy with that he walked to the wine fridge and relieved it of the 'subtle white with a summer fruit bouquet' that the wine cellar expert had recommended. Opening the bottle he filled a wine glass to what he thought was an appropriate volume and took a mouthful. He isn't a great wine drinker preferring beer or the occasional spirit, black Coruba rum or whiskey were the two weapons of choice, but the wine was nice he thought his wife would like it. He isn't a person to dwell on things for long periods, choosing to fix or solve problems often without regard for either the circumstances or the people his quick-fire decision making may affect, but as he sipped the contents of his glass he realised a different approach to how they both talked tonight would be the new order, for once that was going to mean that he held what he wanted to say and only interject with some patience, allow her to offer up a rebuttal, or better a contribution without him talking over the top of her, he knew he did it and he knew the consequences of it, it was the reason for most of their serious conversations imploding. She would get frustrated with his bullish manner when they talked and as a consequence she floundered with what she wanted to say, how she wanted to say it and then the yell-fest started. Tonight needed to be different, things needed to be sorted, their life together needed to be corrected if they were to remain who they purported to be.
He heard the front door open. She spoke loud enough for him to hear,"Hi."
He replied telling her he was in the kitchen and then he was filling another glass with wine for her placing it on the island where she could see it. He checked the food, watching, prodding and smelling it, turning the oven and stove off or down as he judged the result he wanted, he needed to prepare the fish jus that would accompany the meal. He had heard the light clack of her heels when she entered the house and then the nothing after she had removed them leaving them at the bottom of the stairs, she would continue bare-footed to the kitchen.
He was pretty sure she sounded in a light mood from her approach, quick and with purpose, he didn't however know that she was in his presence till the wine glass made that distinguishable noise, it could only be the sound of a rotated wine glass base on a bench surface.
"What on earth have you cooked us you lovely man?"
"Why, your meal my darling."
"My god honey, how have you managed to put this all together? What time did you get home?"
"I left work just after lunch, took my time, wanted to do this for you, for us ....for a change."
Her back was to him as she looked over the assembled on the stove. She half turned, then turned back facing him, "Wait, did you say you've been home since the early afternoon?"
"Yes."
"What, bought this on? You've never done this for ....god-knows-when, have you ever? Jesus H Christ what did the partners say? they must of all just about keeled over and died of shock? What did Jackie say?"
"Ha ha ha, so many questions, so little time."
