"All in all, a good day boss."
Nathaniel Hastings was about to close the shop and head home when his secretary, Vanessa walked into his office with the finance books in her arms. She walked to his desk and promptly plunked the heavy books on it.
"Have you heard about computers?" she sarcastically asked, placing her slender arms on her hips. "They can do the work twice as quick with minimum hassle and are not so easily destroyed."
"Not again," Nathan sighed. For the past two weeks, Vanessa had made a routine of walking into his office and inopportune times to remind him about the various merits of computerizing the shop. Though the idea was lucrative with its increased business, Nathan was not inclined to with his other commitments. Furthermore, he surmised how much more a garage can make even if it was computerized. He grunted in disapproval as he fixed her with a stare, drinking in her power pose. "I got to leave. Lock up when you leave," he stated firmly as he hung up his overalls.
Vanessa stood there with an impish smile on her face, shifting her hands a little so they rested on her back. Nathan glanced at her before walking out the door and immediately regretted it as his eyes were drawn towards her considerable bosom, straining against the fabric of the shirt. He was captivated by it as Vanessa walked towards him with slowly and deliberately, smiling as she did for she knew the effect it was having on him. When she was a mere few inches apart, she whispered huskily "Wouldn't want these to get damaged do you?"
It took Nathan a moment to realize that she intended her fingers by 'it'. Breaking out of his trance, he smiled awkwardly as Vanessa giggled uncontrollably. Nathan joined her laugh, holding out the door open for her as they both exited his office.
"Should have seen the look on your face? Gets you every time" Vanessa joked as she burst into giggles anew.
"You are definitely not getting a computer," Nathan threatened her, with a wide smile plastered over his face.
"You can see all you want but you lost your chance," she commented as she went to her desk. Vanessa always stayed an hour more than him, locking up on her way out. Whenever he did ask her why she didn't leave when he did, she quipped that unlike her boss she had to work to keep the business afloat. Nathan would have been worried if it was anyone else, but he had known Vanessa for a long time and he trusted her. In fact, she was the first person he hired and she had been with him for nearly seven years. Apart from rendering him speechless by dazzling him with her abundant bosom, Vanessa was a friend more than a secretary and extremely fun to be around.
"Yeah, big fat chances for a guy like me with someone like you," Nathan stated sardonically.
"You sure did. Before you went all boss on me making it illegal for dating within the company," she retorted.
"What can I say?" Nathan said. "Company rules. Upper management is very strict about it."
"You are the upper management," Vanessa exasperatedly stated before straightening out her suit and seating down in her chair.
"If the upper management were to change the rules, would I still have a chance?" Nathan inquired as he lent over her desk, trying to charm her with his best smile.
Vanessa raised her right eyebrow annoyed questioning manner. When Nathan still waited for her answer without the slightest clue that he understood her silent one she pointed his ring. "Not with the band on your hand. No chance," she answered. "What's the matter, boss? Not getting enough at home?" she teased him before diving into her books, shooing him to get going with her hand. "I have to work and also don't want to keep your wife waiting."
What she didn't see was the tight smile on his face at the mention of his wife. It looked like was trying to bite an invisible plate. Quickly recovering, he bid farewell before walking towards the staircase. Going out the back door, Nathan got into his car staring blankly at the shop. His thoughts in turmoil gradually settled on the structure in front of him.
'The Hastings Auto repairs' was built brick by brick by his hard work, toil and countless hours sacrificed till it became the best motor repair shop in the whole town. People from all over the town came to him with their vehicle problems because they knew he was dependable, a reputation he built over the years. After he was done with school, Nathan refused college to the great grief of his parents before getting a job in one of the reputable garages in the city where he spent five years of his life mastering the craft and paying for the occasional courses he took up. When he felt he had saved enough, he returned to open a decent motor repair shop in their town. The first two years were very tough, with the existing ones not happy with the competition and regularly led to flare-ups with the cops being called in on few occasions. Gradually, as word about his skill and authentic service spread so did his business, with him never having to look back. Vanessa played no small role in the business rise to success. Seven years had gone by since then and the future of 'The Hastings Auto repairs' looked even promising. Recently, his father complimented him for his conviction and said that he was proud of Nathan.
Nathan pulled out of the parking lot and drove towards home, delaying it as much as possible. He knew delaying it would not make the encounter pass but make it even more dreadful, with his imagination running wild. No matter how long he delayed, he reached it sooner than he wanted to.
"Oh no," Nathan moaned as soon as he pulled up. Parked right behind his wife's car was the car that he hated seeing. It was a dull red Chevrolet which had nothing to do with his distaste, but rather who it belonged to - the Cummings.
"Well, at least I will have decent food today," he appeased his growling stomach and growing unease. Locking the car, he went in through the door taking note that his wife, Melanie and her mother Sarah were in the kitchen while Frank, his father in law was sitting on the sofa with Barnabas Kerman, their family lawyer. Nathan was surprised to see old Barny for it had been nearly two years when he last saw him and that wasn't a pleasant visit and Nathan was pretty sure that this time it wasn't either.
"Nathan. You are home," Frank exclaimed with joy. All types of alarms went off in Nathan's head, for in the two years he had been married to Melanie, Frank or Sarah was never happy to see him. His suspicions were confirmed right away when both Melanie and Sarah both poked out their heads from the kitchen at the mere mention of his name. Nathan couldn't remember the last time he had ever seen Sarah enter a kitchen other than to berate the cook and yet he was being continuously surprised today and he didn't like it even a bit. The feeling of foreboding engulfed him as every instinct prepared him for the blow that would come.
"Good that you are here. We have few things to talk about," Sarah stated.
"Let him wash up first. We can talk after dinner," Melanie interceded. Taking his chance, Nathan nodded in greeting before darting up the stairs to wash off the grime of him and gather his thoughts. He peeled off his clothes and tossed them in the hamper before proceeding to grab a towel and step into the bath. After a relaxing soak in the tub, he stepped out looking all pruny.
'What could be so important that they have their family lawyer present,' Nathan wondered. 'Is it what I think it is? Well, nevertheless should I turn dressed in the pyjamas or should I dress up for the occasion?' In the end, Nathan decided to go with a faded blue jeans and a collared blue t-shirt. When he was sure that he was presentable, Nathan went down the stairs and joined the others.
Melanie was busy setting up the table for the dinner while the rest sat in the sofa chatting - Sarah and Barnabas were debating about some supposed globally important cause while Frank sat in the middle playing the pacifier to his wife as always. Nathan decided it would be best to go help his wife rather than go into the living room and offend them with his 'ideology of the poor' for the Cummings have brought time and time again in every conversation the economic difference between them and him and how their daughter had married down. He and his wife finished in silence.
"Dinner is ready," Melanie called out to her parents. The three of them filed into the room, Sarah and Barnabas still engaged heatedly while Frank had drifted off to sniff in the aroma.
