Love in a Fix

by Leah Atwood

  “Not a problem.”

  “Thanks, Lyndsey. I’ll see you in a few minutes.” He left in a whirl of high dollar cologne.

  What’s that about? Mr. Aguilar rarely left his office to travel around the building, preferring to send instant messages via the company’s private server, or picking up the phone. The last time she remembered him personally requesting a meeting was when her hours had been cut to part time. Would she be laid off this time? Or fired for all the time missed?

  Everything she’d done wrong in the last several months plagued her with doubts. By her own admission, she’d not been the stellar employee she’d always prided herself on being. She’d missed the days of work to take care of Josh, and she hadn’t streamlined her focus. Plus, she’d been tardy on her first days back after moving in to Shep’s house. The route to work was different, and she hadn’t realized the traffic crept along at a snail’s pace. Still, she accomplished all tasks given to her within the time frame, even when she’d had to stay late without pay.

  Realigning her attention, she stared at the computer and gathered her wits. She entered data into the corresponding fields then ran the functions which shot out the results of the study. The pointer arrow on the screen spun in a circle, and when it stopped, Lyndsey had a completed report. She clicked the print key and skimmed the paper the printer ejected.

  Everything looked good, the numbers were what she’d thought. She saved the file and emailed a copy to Mr. Aguilar and herself. Just in time. She had two minutes to walk to her boss’s office.

  After slipping on her shoes, she tucked her phone into the top desk drawer, then went straight to her meeting with Mr. Aguilar.

  “Come in, Mrs. Allen.” He set aside the paper in his hand.

  “Mrs. Patterson,” she corrected kindly. “I remarried in November.”

  “My apologies, Mrs. Patterson. I knew that, but the name change slipped my mind.” He gestured to an industrial style leather chair. “Have a seat.”

  She obliged and sat after setting the reports on his desk. She crossed her ankles, laid her hands in her lap. “What can I do for you, sir?”

  Mr. Aguilar rested his elbows on the desk’s edge and steepled his hands. “Fourth quarter of last year experienced a record growth. We’re on track this quarter to match that growth, if not exceed that number.”

  “That’s great news I’m happy to hear it.”

  “Do you know what that means?” Mr. Aguilar gave her a toothy grin, a rarity from her boss who was firm and fair, but not given to smiles and laughter.

  “More work will come in?”

  “Yes, and I’d like you to come back full-time with all benefits reinstated.”

  Her heart dropped. Three months ago, she’d have been ecstatic and called it an answer to prayer. Currently, the idea less than enthralled her. Since Shep worked on Saturdays, they’d enjoyed having that extra day off during the week to spend together. If she went back to full time, her new work schedule would affect all their lives.

  Lack of money wasn’t an issue—Shep was generous with his earnings and considered it both of theirs, even adding her name to his bank account. However, she did enjoy earning money of on her own. She didn’t want to think about it, but if something happened to Shep, she never wanted to be put in a financial bind again. Even then, unlike Mark, Shep had life insurance if something were to happen.

  “No.” She shook her head, unwilling to think about such a possibility. Fear was a darkness she couldn’t enter. Christ was her light, and in him she would stay.

  “I’m sorry, did you say no?” Mr. Aguillar stared at her with disbelieving eyes.

  She’d spoken aloud without realizing it, a habit she’d picked up recently. “I can’t give you an answer right now, sir. This is a decision I’ll have to discuss with my husband.”

  An approving smirk curled one corner of Mr. Aguilar’s mouth. “I must say I’m surprised, Mrs. Patterson. The other employees have accepted without so much as a thought to their significant other. As much as I’d like for you to return full time, I am refreshed to see an employee give that regard to their spouse.”

  “The decision affects him as well.”

  “Yes, it does, and it’s a wise person who knows that.” He licked his lips as if uncomfortable. “Please know that I truly regret any hardships the transition to part-time caused for you. I don’t always show my appreciation well, but I care for my employees and their wellbeing.”

  “There were difficult times,” she answered honestly, “but because of those times, I married a wonderful man, so I should thank you.”

  A sound akin to a chortle erupted from Mr. Aguilar—she’d never before heard him laugh and couldn’t be sure. “I’m glad it worked out well for you. Truly, I am.”

  “Was there anything else, sir?”

  “That was it. Please let me know when you’ve made your decision.”

  She began to rise from the chair, but paused with her hands on the arms. “If I wish to stay part-time, will that affect my employment?”

  “No, ma’am. You’re a good worker, and I’ll be happy to keep you part time.” He nodded toward the door. “Have a good day. I’m sure you’re eager to get home.”

  “Thank you. I’ll see you Monday.”

  Upon returning to her office, she shut down her computer and grabbed her purse. On her way out the door, a dizzy spell struck and she walked back to her desk, keeping a hand pressed against the wall for support as she went.

  She hadn’t been sick in ages, but with the strength of the virus and the exposure she’d had, it was no surprise she’d taken ill. The spell passed in five minutes, and she hurried to her car before another could strike.

  Tiny snowflakes floated from the gray sky and a thin veil of precipitation covered her car. Between the sickness and the weather, please let me get home safely. The short prayer settled her as she drove home, an uneventful trip in which she didn’t even get stopped at a traffic light.

  “Thank you, Lord,” she prayed out loud when she steered into the driveway.

  After she pushed the remote mechanism in her car, the garage door opened. One half of the two-car space stored their excess from combining households which they’d weed through come spring, and she parked in the cleared-out half. The air was chilly, but twenty degrees warmer than outside.

  Inside the house, Shep had a fire roaring in the living room, and its heat filled the first floor of the house. Lyndsey followed her nose to the kitchen, surprisingly hungry after feeling sick most of the day. Maybe she’d be spared the brunt of the stomach bug.

  She didn’t see her son or husband, but spotted a flash of color through the kitchen window. Upon investigation, she saw Shep and Josh running through the backyard.

  Reluctant to abandon the toasty comfort of the house, she left the kitchen and stood at the back door. “Did I miss all the fun?”

  Shep shook his head. “Come join us.”

  “We’re catching snowflakes.” Josh tilted his head ninety degrees and stuck out his tongue.

  She laughed and snapped a quick picture of him with her phone. “I’ll stay where it’s warm.”

  “We’ll come in, too.” Shep came to her side and gave her a kiss.

  “Eww. You guys kiss a lot.” Josh scrunched his nose and pushed past them, dropping his coat on the floor.

  “Pick your coat up, Josh.” Shep raised his brows, pointedly looking at the discarded jacket. “Put it on the hook where it belongs.”

  Lyndsey bit her tongue. She wasn’t going to say anything and would have gone behind Josh to pick it up, but Shep believed in teaching children responsibilities at a young age. She did as well, except she’d been lax with Josh during his toddler years. To compensate for the loss of his father, she’d allowed him to get away with more than she should have. Since he was a great kid, well-behaved most of the time when factoring in his age, she hadn’t given much thought to the consequences.

  Josh gave Shep a defiant stare, but did as asked. “Ca
n I play with my toys now?”

  “For a few minutes, but we’ll be eating soon.” Lyndsey tapped his shoulder. “Where’s my hug?”

  “Right here.” The scowl left his face, and he squeezed her snugly. “Love you, Mommy.”

  “Love you too.”

  He bolted in the directions of the stairs.

  “Dinner smells good.” She kicked off her shoes, then pushed them under the bench by the door. “Thanks for taking care of it.”

  “Don’t thank me until you’ve tried it.” Shep laughed and started toward the kitchen. “I picked up a loaf of French bread at the store. Once that’s heated, dinner will be ready.”

  Too tired to offer assistance, she sat on a bar stool. “Were you able to fix the Jensens’ heating unit?”

  Nodding, Shep placed the loaf on a cookie sheet and stuck it in the oven. “It was an easier fix than I realized, and then we talked about their spring kitchen remodel.” Concerned eyes peered at her. “Are you feeling okay?”

  “Not really. My stomach’s been upset on and off all day and I had a dizzy spell right before I left the office.” Even a sigh became too much effort.

  “Sounds exactly like what Josh and I had.” Nonetheless, a frown marred his face. “If you want to go upstairs and rest, I’ll bring dinner to you, if you feel like eating.”

  “I’ll be fine here. For now, my stomach’s okay.”

  “Are you sure?” His teeth grazed his bottom lip and wrinkles deepened on the side of his eyes. “Maybe you should go to the doctor, just in case. There are several strains of bugs going around, some more severe than others.”

  His overblown concern over something so obvious grated on her, but she acknowledged that her tiredness played a large role in her irritability, along with the fact that she was unaccustomed to being fussed over. Then she remembered Miranda’s early symptom were those that mimicked the flu, and Lyndsey imagined Shep was fighting a battle she couldn’t see.

  “If it gets any worse, I’ll make an appointment.” Mustering energy, she offered a smile. “I have news.”

  “Good or bad?”

  “Depends. Mr. Aguilar asked me back to full-time.” She watched Shep closely for his reaction, but his face remained neutral.

  “Congratulations.” He divvied the soup into two large china bowls and a single, smaller plastic one. “Where does ‘depends’ come into play?”

  “Have you ever prayed for something and then when it happens, you realize it’s not what you wanted?” After he nodded, she continued. “If I went back full time, we’d hardly see each other because of our schedules.”

  “We’ll make the time.”

  “What about Josh? Next year he’ll go to school. Do I want to cram more hours working in these last months before that, or soak in all the time I can spend with him?”

  Shep leaned over the counter, folded his hands. “What do you want?”

  Drawing in a long breath, she knew her answer. “I want to step down completely and stay at home. I used to enjoy my job, but my heart’s not in it anymore.”

  “There’s your answer.” He took the bread from the oven.

  “Is it? What if something happens to you and I’m left alone again? It’s hard to give up that income, small as it might be.”

  Understanding shone in his eyes. “Fear makes a terrible leader. Planning for the future is one thing, but allowing fear to dictate those plans is something else.”

  “You wouldn’t mind losing my income?”

  “Not at all.” Navigating around the counter, he opened his arms then brought her into his embrace. “I want you to be happy. Don’t misunderstand—I appreciate that you want to contribute to our family monetarily, but our finances are solid whether you work or not.”

  She leaned in to him, fortified by his support and closeness. “It’s a big decision.”

  “After we put Josh to bed, let’s pray about it, and that you’ll have peace with the decision you choose.”

  The words to you are a wise man rested on her tongue, but before she could speak a wave of nausea hit and she ran to the bathroom.

  Chapter Fourteen

  The tea kettle whistled and Shep removed it from the burner. Steam rose from the cup when he poured the scalding water over a bag of lemon and mint tea. While it seeped, he toasted two pieces of wheat bread. When the light breakfast was ready, he arranged it on a tray and carried it up the stairs to the bedroom.

  After two days of sickness, Lyndsey claimed to be better this morning, but she still looked peaked. She sat in bed, her back propped against the headboard. “I’m going to work today.”

  In times such as this, he wanted to put his foot down and demand she stay home, but all he could do was suggest his preference. “Another day of rest wouldn’t hurt.”

  “Tomorrow is Saturday. I can rest while you and Josh go bowling, but I feel fine now.”

  He set the bed tray over her lap. “And if you get sick again?”

  “I’ll be too busy to notice.” Lifting the cup to her mouth, she blew on the tea before sipping. “Fridays are crazy since I’m not there on Thursdays, and if I take off today, next week will be a nightmare.”

  “When will you give your notice?”

  “Today, and that’s another reason I need to go in. I don’t want to leave him in a lurch.”

  “You’ll call if you need me?” Protectiveness squeezed his heart.

  “Absolutely.” She reached up and grabbed his collar. Pulled him to her for a brief kiss. “Now you know how I felt last week when you insisted on working through the bug.”

  “And look where it almost got me.” A long sigh came out when he realized he’d lost this battle. “Lawton Mercer called yesterday. Do you remember him?”

  “Yes, I haven’t seen him in ages, since he moved his family and changed churches. How is he?”

  “Busy. He wants me to drive over to Hillside. He invested in some commercial real estate there, including a small apartment complex and wants an estimate to remove and upgrade the kitchens and bathrooms on all the units.”

  “He wants to contract you?”

  “Yes. It would mean long hours working with another contractor and possibly a few overnight stays, but it’s a lucrative deal.”

  “Are you doing it?”

  “I’d planned to discuss it with you later, once I saw the condition. If there’s too much involved, I’ll have to give an automatic no because I have clients here who depend on me, with some projects already scheduled.” Clients whose loyalties had earned him a comfortable living and quality reputation. “The reason I told you now is that I might be home late, but if you get worse and need me to get Josh from preschool, I’m only a call away.”

  “Stop worrying.” Her palm connected with his cheek in a playful swat. “Is Josh still asleep?”

  “Last time I checked.”

  Lyndsey nibbled the corner of her toast. No noticeable piece was missing when she set it back on the plate. She moved the tray and swung her legs over the bed. Wobbled a second, but she’d deny it if he asked. “I’ll wake him up.”

  He swallowed to keep himself from commenting. If she thought herself well enough to go to work, he had to accept that, no matter how much he wanted to keep her in a protective bubble.

  ***

  Lyndsey turned off the television. They’d sat down to watch a kids’ show after a late dinner on Friday night, but nothing came on afterward that appealed to any of them.

  “Can I color in my book, Mommy?”

  “Sure thing.” Lyndsey started to stand, but Shep stopped her.

  “I’ll get it.” Her complexion was nearly normal again, but he’d feel better if she rested. He dug a box of crayons and a coloring book from the decorative storage bins against the wall and handed them to Josh. “Remember, we only color on the pages.”

  Josh grabbed the items and kneeled at the coffee table, proceeding to dump the entire contents of the box. He opened to a page with three puppies and began coloring furiously with
a tan crayon.

  Forty-five minutes later, Lyndsey told him, “Bedtime.”

  “I’m still coloring,” Josh whined and looked at Shep.

  “Listen to your mother. You’ve already gotten to stay up later than normal.”

  Ignoring them both, Josh continued working on his picture.

  Lyndsey looked directly at her son. “Josh, put your crayons away now and get ready for bed.”

  “Not until I finish.” His stubborn chin jutted out.

  Taking a deep breath, Lyndsey ran a hand through her hair. Her jaw clenched, but she didn’t push him further.

  Shep stepped in again, knowing Lyndsey would let this battle slide. “If you don’t clean up and put them away now, I’m not taking you bowling tomorrow.”

  Josh huffed. His hand made an angry swipe over the table, sending crayons of every color flying.

  “That’s it. You’ll be staying home tomorrow. No bowling.” Shep stood and pointed to the stairs. “Go to your room now,” he commanded with a calm, but firm voice.

  Still belligerent, Josh crossed his arms and huffed.

  “Go to your room.” Lyndsey shot Josh a sharp look of disapproval after echoing Shep’s command.

  “Humpf.” He stomped on Shep’s foot before finally following orders.

  Pushed too far by Josh for the first time, Shep suppressed his instinct to yell. He gritted his teeth and watched Josh stomp upstairs.

  Lyndsey flashed him a sour look as she stood from the couch. “I’ll get him to bed.”

  Alone in the room, he muttered, “What did I do?”

  He replayed the sequence of events and couldn’t see that he’d done anything wrong. Maybe her scowl was meant for Josh and transferred to him by default.

  Thirty minutes later, Lyndsey rejoined him. “He cried himself to sleep.”

  Dull pains banded Shep’s heart. This must be the downside of fatherhood. He’d done what needed to be done, but he hated upsetting Josh.

  “Don’t you think your punishment was extreme?” Lyndsey draped her arms over her chest, her posture a combination of defense and vulnerability.