by Thianna D
"I'm telling you, it's no wonder she's not married yet. Sure men can smell desperation a mile off," she ranted to his enormous amusement.
"I knew you'd check it out. You're a hoot, Ange."
"Oh, leave me alone. You probably delayed her on purpose, just to wind me up."
"Are you mad? I thought she'd never go. And all the questions Ava was asking, you'd think she'd take the hint."
To their surprise, the playground was deserted. They'd forgotten it was a normal working and school day as their own routine had been so broken, but they were glad to have the rest of their outing pass quietly. Jim knew they'd have to make an effort to both get work and to integrate, but he just wanted a few days recovery before he had to face into that.
Within a fortnight, Jim noticed Ange had the house smelling and looking just like home, the aroma of fresh bread and cakes filling the house every day and she up to her elbows in flour. They had been getting along better than they had for a long time. Laughter and fun were making sporadic returns to the family. It pleased Jim to see Ange making friends and already she'd had quite a few callers, most of them dragged along by Maeve who really was most considerate in trying to help her establish a network. For that little while, it was sheer joy to him to have the freedom of spending time together as a family, without the pressure of the court case, family interference, or even work.
When Ange was baking like mad it was a sure sign she was happy as far as he was concerned. Once word of the cakes and fruit tarts got out, more and more people were finding an excuse to drop in for coffee and treats. It was rapidly becoming a women's institution. While initially delighted that she was finding her niche, the constant stream of traffic soon started to get under his skin. When these women were around, he felt like a spare part. There was nowhere else to go in the house as the downstairs section was all open plan. He knew he would have to convert the one of the bedrooms upstairs into some sort of study for himself if he was to survive the mayhem, which would mean Ava and Jack sharing a room. That would only work for another couple of years, before it became inappropriate to have a boy and girl bunking together.
The reality was, Jim needed work, and soon. As much for his sanity as for the income it would provide. Getting jobs was proving to be more difficult than he'd thought. He'd had fliers printed; incorporating testimonials from satisfied customers in Ireland, but of course, locals were going to be wary. It would be hard to verify they were true accounts from such a distance. If he was going to go it alone, it would take a pretty significant cash outlay to buy tools, vehicles etc. and yet he was afraid to make too big an investment for fear they wouldn't settle in, or indeed that he might not gain customers. They had done well over the years and had a lot put away, but it wasn't a lifetime supply. And Jim wouldn't consider putting their house in Dublin on the market until they were both absolutely sure that their move was permanent. Even then, he wasn't sure. He liked the idea of it being a nest egg for the children, as they didn't own the Corbin's Bend home. For now though, at least the rental income was a help. He wasn't desperately worried about money yet, but at the same time he would be happier with the knowledge that he had something on the horizon.
Chapter 5
It wasn't long before the home situation became much more of an inconvenience. Somehow or other Ange had been inveigled to start baking for the neighbors as a little business, which meant that there was a steady stream of women to the house at all hours of the day. Ange was making a nice bit of pin money, but Jim couldn't help thinking she was stuffing them with as much coffee and freebies as she was making profit, and the house had become a right little witch's coven. As an escape, he took to spending as much time in the gym and swimming pool as he could, in between job hunting. He started to get to know some of the other community members better, and often did his weekend gym work with his mentor, Kirk, as his girlfriend Bethany was on his case to drop a few pounds. Many of Jim's mentoring sessions were conducted on the treadmill.
Soon he had confided in Kirk the whole story of the embarrassment that had caused them to leave Ireland, how it had all damaged their marriage and his thoughts on how he felt a HOH relationship would help put it back on track. Kirk seemed to have difficulty understanding Ange's almost dominant personality in all things beyond the bedroom. He just didn't seem to get the get the conundrum. Either she was a sub, or she wasn't. His advice to Jim was to build on the dominance in the bedroom, and then bit by bit push it a little further, like checking that household chores were completed, checking the bank account was balanced, or telling her what to wear for an evening out, things like that.
"You've got to be kidding." Jim had laughed. "If I told Ange wear a skirt she'd be sure to wear trousers, just because she could. Are you telling me Bethany would wear clothes to because you told her to?"
"Sure she would, or no underwear, if I say so. That's how we work. If she's being punished, she loses underwear privileges. Gives me easy access, too."
"Jaysus, I'd love to see Ange's face if I told her no knickers. She'd laugh me out of it."
"You have to take a firm hand, say it like you mean it, and not be afraid to punish if she disobeys. Consistency and confidence is the name of the game."
"I'm hoping Maeve will be a good influence on her. Although she's D.D. she's not afraid to be herself. Ange says she doesn't approve of domestic discipline as she feels it gives the men too much power and control. But to me it's not about control, it's about keeping us closer, connected. She went into herself before and I want to stop it happening again. Thanks, Kirk."
"That's what I'm here for. How are you settling in apart from that? I know Ange is spinning a web of women around her but what about you?"
"Tell me about it, why do you think I'm here so often?"
"Oh, just kick them out. The women round here are used to us being in charge. Are you meeting many of the men?"
"Only whomever I see here. I miss the pub life at home. That's where all the male bonding was done, over a couple of pints."
"Learn about football and you'll get plenty of bonding opportunities over a game."
"I can't seem to get it, that's not real football to me. I used to play Gaelic. I miss that, too. Even got on an all-Ireland winning team a couple of times, back in my younger days. It was great; the women would be queuing up. That's how I met Ange." Jim grinned at the memory of the elevated status his footballing heroics had bestowed on him.
"Real football or not, it's all you've got while you're here. There's even a Corbin's Bend seniors team, we just play for the heck of it. You should try it, you look fit enough."
"I might take a look; see if I'm not too old to try a new sport, but I need someone to explain how it works. I know I need to keep busy until I get work."
"Still no luck on that score? I'll ask around for you."
"That'd be great, thanks."
After showering, Jim decided not to go home, but to take a trip into Denver to see if he could get to talk to anyone in the local construction companies. At this stage, he was getting really frustrated about having nothing to do as there was only so much time a man could spend in the gym. He was willing to consider anything, even laboring on minimum wage. After all, while he had plenty of experience, he couldn't deny he was low on qualifications. He went from site to site, but it was the same story everywhere. They had all the men they needed. Things were on a downturn, it was coming into winter and they had laid off and were down to a skeleton staff. So sorry, try again in a few months. Blah, blah, blah! Frustrated and annoyed, he returned to Corbin's Bend. On days like this he doubted whether they had made the right decision. In Ireland he could always turn his hand to something, however small.
He was so distracted that he had passed the four by four crashed into the barrier on the road without even noticing it. It was the small flames flickering on his rear view mirror that caught his attention. Jim slammed on the brakes and checking there was no one coming at his rear he slammed the car into reverse. He jumped
out to check if the vehicle was occupied. A woman slumped over the steering wheel. The doors were locked and Jim was terrified the whole thing was going to blow. Cursing himself for not bringing a cellphone, he didn't know if he would have time to get the fire extinguisher from his car. His first thought was to get the woman out of there, and fast.
Smashing the driver's window with his elbow, he managed to get into the car. He knew he shouldn't move her, for all he knew her neck could be broken. But if he didn't, she could go up in flames with the car. He carried the unconscious woman to his own car, laying her out on the back seat. He thought he recognized her face but her identity was the least of his worries. He jumped in to the SUV and drove it on to safety. When he judged that he had enough distance between them, he stopped and got his fire extinguisher. As he ran back toward the car the flames got bigger and angrier and he accepted he would have to give up on it. All he could do is pray no further cars came along while the fuel tank caught fire. Jim was just back at his own vehicle when he heard the bang. The fire had hit the gas tank and the car was enveloped in flames. With the unconscious woman in his back seat, he drove to the nearest emergency point to call the fire department and the police. Again he cursed, why had he not taken the license number of the other vehicle before it was engulfed in flames? It would have helped the emergency services identify the woman.
The police, ambulance service and fire service arrived quickly, but Jim had to return to Denver with the police to leave a statement, and his personal details. The police even implied that the victim might want to find him in the event that his rescuing the young woman caused her further physical harm. He was outraged. He had just tried to be a Good Samaritan, what was he supposed to do, let her burn to death? Frustration at the system, at having no work, at his day being mucked up and at his whole bloody life being mucked up all came crashing down on him at once. Right now, it was all too much. Adding fuel to the fire, when he arrived home, he was met by a stony faced Ange.
"Where the hell were you? I was worried sick. Why didn't you bring the phone?" she snapped, as he came through the door.
"Ange! Don't start. I've just spent the last couple of hours in the police station. I'm in no mood for your griping now. Right this minute, all I want to do is pack up and go home, with or without you."
"What the hell…." Ange asked but Jim was delighted to be spared the necessity of answering by the arrival of two bounding children.
"Daddy, Daddy," Ava and Jack shouted in unison. Their happy smiles helped. The only bright part of his awful, awful day. He slept in his study that night. Somehow, he just couldn't bear to lie beside her. Even when she followed him into his study, to ask about the accident, he had no heart to talk to her. Deep down, he knew Ange wasn't unreasonable in her annoyance about not being able to contact him, he would have been equally anxious and annoyed had she gone AWOL in a strange country. But he wasn't in any frame of mind to be rational. Shock, anger and three year of stress had just taken hold.
Chapter 6
Jim was getting ready to make his daily escape to the gym before the gaggle of cackling women started appearing. He was still shaken up by the accident he'd come across a couple of days earlier and also anxious to hear how the victim was doing. In the back of his mind, he was worried that he'd be called to account if he had done any harm by moving the woman. They couldn't afford to lose any of their savings, especially as they had no sign of an income on the horizon. He'd certainly think twice before helping someone again, but whether he would do anything differently is doubtful. How could you let someone burn? It didn't help that Ange and he were still barely communicating after his pronouncement that he wanted to go home. He really would have liked to be able to mull over his concerns with her.
That was the problem with words, once flung out there, even in the heat of the moment, they were impossible to take back. He wanted to talk to her, to explain it was a heat of the moment reaction to a crappy day but every time he brought it up, Ange clammed up and he couldn't find the right thing to say, to make her listen. Although he had returned to his own bed, they were sleeping back to back, not touching, and only discussing perfunctory subjects, such as the children, or household arrangements. Sleep eluded him totally. Grumpy and groggy from another night of tossing and turning, Jim rose early and breakfasted in his study. He was heading out the front door, dodging Ange, when he almost bumped into Brent Carmichael with a stranger.
"We were just coming to see you. This is Hank Mentha, Carla's father. You know Carla, don't you?"
"Yes, I've met her once."
"Mr. O'Brien, did you know that was Carla you pulled out of the car?" Hank asked.
"Oh! Christ, no I didn't. Is she okay?" Jim's heart sank to his stomach, was this the moment of reckoning, the day that could make or break his family's future? With trepidation, he held out his hand to Hank.
"She's very well. She had mild concussion and whiplash, but seems to be recovering quickly. I owe you a debt of gratitude, Carla is my only child. I don't know how I or my wife would have managed if anything had happened to her."
Jim backtracked towards the house, inviting the men to join him, heading now toward the kitchen and wife he had been avoiding. Before Ange got a chance to make a snide remark he quickly alerted her to the visitors.
"This is my wife, Ange," Jim introduced. "You remember Carla, love? We met her on our first day here. This is Hank, her father. It was Carla in that accident I was telling you about," he added, addressing his wife and praying she would play cool. Damn, they had barely discussed the accident. Ange might unwittingly let him down a bagful.
"Good God, you said she looked familiar, all right. How is she?" Ange bluffed.
"She's doing just fine, thanks to Jim here. I called to show my appreciation. Carla insisted I should. She's back home now. My wife, Betty is waiting on her hand and foot and Carla loves it."
"I'm so glad she's able to insist on anything. Can I get you gentlemen some coffee? You're more than welcome to have it here or if you want some privacy, I can bring it to Jim's study. It's not easy to talk in a room with children, they make so much noise."
Jim mentally congratulated his wife on her quick thinking which allowed any animosity between them remain hidden. It was obvious this was more than a five minute call as the two readily accepted coffees. Jim was a little nervous again. There was no need for them to stay and he wondered if there was a problem. He led them up to his office, where Angela followed with a tray of coffee and hot, fresh fruit scones within moments. Once she was gone, Hank got down to business.
"Mr. O'Brien, when I heard you were a resident of Corbin's Bend, I immediately made up my mind to talk to Brent to see how I could repay you for what you did for my family. Brent tells me that you are in construction and in need of work. And I happen to be in need of an experienced man. I wondered if we might be able to help each other. I was the contractor responsible for building this development, and there is still much to be done, both here and in other locations around Denver."
"It's Jim, please. And yes, Brent is right. I'm having difficulty getting started. I have no formal qualifications, just plenty of experience."
By the time coffee was through, they had hacked out a deal, and Jim was set to start on Monday week. The offices were based in Denver, but his main place of work, after an initial induction period would actually be Corbin's Bend and the remuneration was much better than he had been expecting, given his recent experiences. Granted, it was a trial basis, but Jim had now doubt that once on the job his experience would speak for itself. The beauty of self-employment was that you had to become the in-house expert in all aspects of your trade and that wasn't always easily matched by employees who had a narrower field of experience. Things were on the up.
After an hour Hank left but Brent remained, asking to speak with Ange and Jim together. They joined Ange in the kitchen where she poured two fresh coffees and cut two generous slices of fruit gateau.
"This is delicious, bu
t it's also why I want to speak to you…" Brent started.
"Oh, is there a problem?" Ange asked.
"Yes and no. All premises in which food is prepared should be licensed with the FDA and there are certain rules and regulations, such as the need for a proper industrial kitchen."
"So, I need to stop selling my cakes?" Ange asked.
"We are willing to turn a blind eye for a short time, while you see if it would be worth your while occupying one of the units here, but you cannot let this get outside Corbin's Bend. We take a dim view of anyone bringing the authorities here for any negative reasons. As a community we're already frowned upon, and it's important we're seen to uphold our civic duties. Do I make myself clear?"
"That's very fair, thank you. To be honest, it would be the same in Ireland, I'd get away with it for a while, but sooner or later I'd have to upgrade my kitchen."
"You have to make it clear to everyone that they can't give your name to anyone outside here. We will invoke the discipline charter if you bring disrepute to the community. As long as you understand that, we can work with it. Then if you want a more permanent arrangement, do bear in mind we often subsidize what we consider community services."