She couldn't believe that they fired him, he was the manager, he had always been here. For the last 7 months he had been her rock, after a couple years of absolute hell, other than her friend Mary, he was the only person who made a point of asking how she was and genuinely helping her.
How could they fire him?
She knew most of the staff respected him and was loyal to him and not necessarily to the new owners. She had heard some staff grumbling that he was too tough, and that his expectations were too high; but no one she had ever met worked harder than him. She also knew he had only ever been helpful and sincere to her anytime that she had ever spoken to him and that had been a lot.
A few weeks ago, in the lunchroom she had overheard one of the owners actually talking to some of the other associates trying to take things out of context and make it appear that he had done something wrong when he hadn't. Why did she not say something, why did she not defend him; she knew why, she needed the job, this job was a big chance for her.
When she spoke to her friend, Mary, about this, she asked, "What should I do, they are trying to frame him and are making up stories."
Mary said, "He knows, it isn't the first time, they have been gunning for him for more than a year."
"Why does he stay?" She asked.
"He thinks he can win, despite all of the obstacles they have put in his place, he manages to find ways to keep us successful, but there isn't anything you can do," she said sadly. "One of these days, when they think they can unload him, they will."
Less than two weeks later, they did pull the trigger. And just like that he was gone.
She never realized just how many questions or problems he helped her solve each day until she found herself starting to go to his now empty office with a problem. She missed his friendly smile and "good mornings." She missed knowing that he always had time for her, and she had noticed he always made time for any one else that came to his office with a problem.
It was funny, while he was there, she almost took his presence for granted, he was like her own personal "google."
There were small things too she had only started to notice about him: his calmness that he seemed to radiate no matter what chaos was happening; the quietness and strength of his voice; the way he carried himself, he was a powerful man, but he didn't flaunt it like some of the twenty-something salesmen did; he had a nice smile, which she didn't see often enough; she loved his scent, it was a mix of how he made her feel that she couldn't quite describe in words and old spice, a scent that made her feel secure and confident. And one day she had noticed he had stopped wearing his wedding ring, but did not really think about that until he was gone.
There had been gossip about that too, Mary had said "it happens, people change, his wife is very nice, but wants different things than him, I know he was seeing a counsellor, but that's all." Later she found out they had separated.
He had never made any suggestions that he was interested in her, although several times she had noticed him discretely looking at her and smiling. During her training, several times she had been very close to him and she had felt a certain amount of connection to him, but he didn't act on them. The logical side of her brain said, "It was nothing, he was just a good trainer, he helped you through some rough times, getting involved with an older man, especially someone who was married, was just a bad idea in a string of her bad ideas. But now that he was gone, she began to realize that his feelings may have gone beyond him just being helpful.
He hadn't done anything except treat her well, he had listened, he had asked if she wanted advice, he waited until she answered and when the answer was yes, and his advice was really good. He also had a way, she now realized, of making her feel stronger and more confident without asking anything in return.
The day after he was gone, she found out how old he was. She couldn't believe that he was 54, he was 4 years older than her father. Sure, he had some grey hair and was balding, but she knew he was in better shape than guys half his age, she had thought he was maybe 40 or even 45. One day he had come into the store wearing shorts, a t-shirt, and a ball cap and she didn't even recognize him. He had broad shoulders, a small waist, and he moved with a certain confidence that was hard to describe; reflecting on that, why didn't she realize what an attractive man he was?
Maybe that's what made him so attractive, he didn't try to impress anyone, he just was himself.
Mary said that he worked out and ran, she thought to herself, "That would explain his nice ass," she didn't say that out loud though. She noticed Mary kind of smiling when she described him. So maybe she had noticed it too.
Her thoughts of him lingered and she couldn't help wondering perhaps if she had let an opportunity slip away.
Since her divorce she hadn't even noticed very many men. She had gotten married to her high school sweet heart, he was going to be a lawyer. In school he had been the "star" and she had been the "quiet" pretty girl next door and they had dated since they were in middle school.
After graduation they had moved to the city against the wishes of her parents; she worked two jobs so Rob could go to school; which was really against the wishes of her parents, and she was in love. Once Rob graduated, she would go to college. That was the plan and it had been tough, but they managed and she was committed to Rob.
One year became two, two became four and graduation was approaching, and Rob was excelling at school. He said that he had a chance to be the valedictorian and as a result more of his time was being spent on projects and working in groups late after class.
She hadn't suspected a thing, the late-night study sessions, excuses about the booze on his breath. One night she swore she could smell perfume on his clothes. Their sex-life which had been incredible at the start, slowly declined to eventually become non-existent. She had thought something was wrong with her.
One night she came home from a double shift and found the note, he was gone. Most of the furniture was gone, all of the money was gone, he was sorry but he had met someone, another soon to be lawyer.
The next several months were a blur. She kept working both jobs for a while, but her heart wasn't in it. She let her appearance suffer, she got fired and just didn't care. A few guys dated her, but they really only wanted sex and after letting herself go, even they stopped asking. She existed, but not like before, her life was shattered, and she allowed the downward spiral to continue.
Their apartment was too much and she was evicted, she found a smaller place that was really horrible and existed there, bouncing from one crappy job to the next. Her family with their strict religious views hadn't wanted her to live with her boyfriend, now saw this as her punishment and essentially said, "You made your bed now lie in it." They called it tough love, but she didn't see it that way.
Almost a year had passed and it wasn't until an old high school friend, Mary, had noticed how far she had fallen that she got some help. Slowly with Mary's help, she had realized that life hadn't ended when Rob left, she was still only 25, what had seemed like the end of her world, really wasn't.
Mary had helped get her this job and she was doing well enough but her confidence was still shattered and she was broken in a lot of places. Mary had tried to get the family to help, but they had been using her as an example to her siblings, who were all "good" kids and none of them were interested in helping her or getting compared to her.
Michelle hadn't told anyone about the first time he had stopped and talked to him, except Mary.
One nigh, right after she had first started, she had thought she was alone and had been crying in the lunchroom because she didn't think she could handle the new job. He had invited her into his office, they had talked, he had given her some tissue, and he listened. At the time, Mary said to be careful because he was older than her father although she really didn't know how old, and he was married, albeit unhappily.
She had told Mary not to worry at the time, that she was totally right about him, she told herself there was no connection, but looking back she should have been able to see the signs.
She liked that he didn't judge her, he just listened, like most of his actions, it wasn't until later that she really appreciated his concern for her. That night the store had been closed and they stayed and talked for almost two hours. For the first time she let all of the emotion out, to a total stranger.
He had offered to help, if she wanted, and from the night onward, whenever she was stuck, she came and talked to him, he would encourage her, question her about what she thought she should do, he would empower her to make decisions, and he said that he had faith in her. Most importantly, he told her that she deserved to be happy.
Over the weeks and months, she began to get better and better. Mary helped as much as she could, but looking back now, she realized it was his support that really helped make her better. As more time past, there didn't seem to be any detail too small for him to help her. A month after that conversation, she decided she wanted to get back into shape and taking better care of herself.
She quit smoking, which she had started when Rob left. At first the yoga and exercise didn't seem to be helping, but he was there when she wanted to quit and talked her into staying with it. He had suggested that she go running with him.
She was kind of nervous the first time and worried about the gossip if someone saw them running together. He was never concerned, he didn't care about gossip, he said that they were just exercising and talking, it was therapy.
He always ran a step or two behind her, he said that he liked watching her pony tail bounce from the running. She found herself smiling more often and feeling so much better about herself. They would run about 4-5 miles at least twice a week.
Sometimes she couldn't help but notice the bulge in his shorts, the tanned muscular legs and his very tight ass.