It's All a Matter of Choice

by Liberty Allure

  But changes in the associate could be easily seen. Emmet was more confident now and had no problem speaking up for himself no matter the situation. He was doing quite well in the closing department, followed closely by…surprise…Brandon Luster, who had got his swagger back. Emmet had taught him well, and after a rocky start, he could get through to almost anyone in three calls or less.

  Although he had to pay Emmet to teach him the ropes, Brandon actually did, to his credit, feel very grateful to Emmet. Now he really was his own man and a better employee. He was making a buttload of money as well. Just how much Brandon appreciated Emmet’s help was made very clear one day.

  As stated before, Emmet refused to say anything to any of the associates about his and Anita’s sexual life, and Justin…the idiot he had to correct once before concerning Anita just couldn’t leave well enough alone. He and several other associates were in the men’s room when Emmet came in to use the bathroom. He stood next to Justin and pulled out his cock to pee, when Justin glanced down…like most men do in that situation, then said, “Damn Emmet, I bet Anita has a time wrapping her lips around that!”

  The other associates cracked up as Emmet frowned blackly.

  Justin continued talking about how he must choke Anita and making other nasty comments as Emmet shook himself off and fixed his trousers. After flushing the urinal, he walked over to the sink and washed his hands, Justin still making lewd comments about Anita. Brandon Luster walked in and saw Emmet throw away a paper towel. He was about to say hello to the associate, when Emmet walked over to Justin and punched him in the face as hard as he could, knocking him back into the tiled wall.

  “Emmet!” Brandon yelled as Emmet started wailing on Justin as if he had gone insane.

  The other associates grabbed him and held him struggling as Justin straightened and wiped his mouth. His nose was bleeding. He looked at Emmet with narrowed eyes.

  “You’re going to pay for that, Barrows,” he said, getting ready to punch the restrained young man, when suddenly his arm was caught by the wrist. He looked into the hard blue eyes of Brandon Luster.

  “I don’t have anything against a good fight, Justin…but if you want to duke it out with Barrows, at least let him be able to defend himself,” Brandon growled, “Unless you don’t think you can take him. In that case, be a man about it and walk away. I’m not going to just watch you beat him when he’s being held.”

  He released Justin’s wrist and eyed the associates holding Emmet, who let him go. Emmet looked at Justin murderously, but didn’t say a word.

  Justin wiped his mouth again, then walked over to the sink, washed the blood from under his nose and dabbed at the spot that landed on his sports jacket with a wet paper towel. Emmet continued to watch him.

  After Justin cleaned himself up satisfactorily, he turned to Emmet, who was looking at him with a steely gaze.

  “You’re a fucking maniac, Barrows. Stay the fuck away from me,” he said, then walked out of the bathroom, followed by several associates.

  Brandon looked at Emmet, who finally began to breathe normally.

  ”Damn, Barrows…what was that about?” Brandon asked him.

  ”He needs to watch his mouth,” Emmet muttered darkly.

  Brandon raised both eyebrows. He never saw Emmet as the violent type. Showed what he knew.

  “Well, are you all right now? I don’t think Justin will say anything to Mr. Allen. Both of you could be suspended or fired,” Brandon said to him as Emmet straightened his jacket.

  “I’m fine,” Emmet said, then, “Thanks, Brandon.”

  Brandon smirked.

  “No problem. Though I would have liked to see you two go at it. I think it would have been a good fight,” he said, walking into a stall.

  Emmet left the bathroom and after that, no one asked him anything about Anita again.

  *

  Several weeks later, Emmet and Anita were still going strong. Emmet was in his cubicle, making some cold calls, when a pale and obviously stricken Herman walked in and sat down without a word. He took a handkerchief out of his inside pocket and wiped his bald head, which was perspiring. Herman had completely lost his stomach and looked great.

  Emmet looked at him, his eye brows furrowed as he took in his paleness.

  “Are you all right, Herman?” the associate asked him.

  Herman gave him a wild-eyed look.

  “Agnes just called me,” Herman said, staring at Emmet, “She’s pregnant. At forty-three years old, Emmet. Forty-three. I thought women didn’t get pregnant anymore when they are that old.”

  Emmet didn’t know what he should say to this, but he gave it a good try…

  ”Um…congratulations?” he said hesitatingly.

  Herman looked at him, shook his head…stood up and wandered out the cubicle, looking lost. Emmet figured all the flowers and wine he was bringing to Agnes finally took their toll. Well, he didn’t have to worry about that with Anita. She took her Depo shots on time. Not that he wouldn’t mind being a dad. His kid would have to be good-looking because of Anita.

  Emmet had asked Anita if she wanted to look for a smaller place of her own now because she didn’t have to worry about her father, and he’d understand if she wanted her space.

  Anita promptly showed Emmet he fit in her space just fine and didn’t need to go anywhere.

  *

  June Barrows moped about feeling sorry for herself and moaning to Agnes about her son’s abandonment for about a week before Agnes got sick and tired of it and told her off.

  “June, you kept that boy from growing up when he should have. You didn’t have apron strings tied to Emmet, you had chains…great, big heavy chains. Because of you he didn’t go on to college, he didn’t go out with girls, he didn’t do anything but work and take care of you when he should have been out enjoying himself. God knows you went out every other weekend. But if Emmet stepped out of the house more than a couple of hours you were ready to have the police haul him back. It’s a good thing he was smart and resourceful or he wouldn’t have turned out as well as he did. Let’s face it June, you’re my friend and I love you but you’re really a selfish, selfish bitch and need to get over this. Emmet is happy and you should be happy too. And if you want him to keep visiting you, you’d better accept that girl he’s with because that boy is in love. Don’t make him choose, June…because you’re going to lose,” Agnes said to her.

  June was very insulted and hurt, and left Agnes’ house swearing she’d never speak to that witch again. After another week, she and Agnes made up and took a week-long trip to the casinos, where June got the phone number of a very well off older man who took quite a liking to her. His name was Jim and he owned a construction company. He was in his early sixties, and in good shape. He was rugged, tanned with thick wavy gray hair, gray eyes and a beautiful smile. Jim ran five miles a day. He said June reminded him of his wife, who had been deceased for seven years. He also spent a fortune letting her gamble with his money, took her and Agnes out for a sumptuous lobster dinner and told June he would like to take her out on a day trip on his boat if she’d do him the honor.

  June said she might call him…might.

  ”Fair enough,” Jim said, smiling at her with his beautiful choppers, “I’ll be waiting.”

  In the Escalade on the way back, she and Agnes were giggling like school girls.

  ”Are you going to call him, June?” Agnes asked her.

  She was a little jealous, but June did still look pretty good to be in her fifties. With Emmet around she had lived a life of luxury. She could pass for mid-forties.

  “I don’t know, Agnes. I haven’t dated in decades,” she said, looking down at Jim’s number.

  ”He looks VERY active, June,” Agnes said with a little leer.

  June slapped her hand.

  “Now Agnes! Really!” she said, blushing furiously.

  ”Well he does. Any man that runs five miles a day has stamina. He’s virile, June,” Agnes said. “I bet he doe
sn’t even have to pop Viagra.”

  ”Shut up, Agnes,” June said, flushing again. She turned up the radio to drown any further comments from Agnes out.

  Maybe she would give Jim a call.

  *

  Emmet watched Anita walk to the shoreline, the little white box containing John Bowen’s ashes in her hand. It was summer and they had a week off and headed for Mexico. The couple had driven along Mexico’s Pacific coastal highway until Anita asked Emmet to stop. They pulled off to the side of the road, and Emmet watched as Anita walked down to the water’s edge, a breeze catching her skirt and hair as she made her way through the sand. Emmet would have gone with her, but thought this was something she needed to do alone.

  Anita stopped at the water’s edge and looked up at the sky. It was very blue and streaked with clouds. Sea birds soared over the waters, letting out mournful cries as the ocean lapped against the beach. She looked down at the box.

  “Well Dad, you finally made it to Mexico,” she said to the box, blinking back tears, “You weren’t the best dad in the world…but you were my dad. I hope wherever you are, you’re happy.”

  Anita opened the box and shook out the final remains of John Wilson Bowen. The wind caught the fine ashes and spread them on the waters surface. Anita placed the empty box on the sand and straightened, her brown eyes glistening.

  “Goodbye, dad,” she said softly, sighed heavily then turned and returned to Emmet.

  *

  June Barrows began to date the very virile Jim, and Emmet could hardly catch her home anymore. But when he did, she was always in very good spirits.

  Emmet stopped by before work one morning and entered the house to find June Barrows and Jim seated at the kitchen table, both in bathrobes and barefoot, drinking coffee and chatting.

  “Um…hi mom,” Emmet said.

  June turned around in her chair and turned all kinds of colors. Emmet hadn’t met Jim yet, but this wasn’t the way she wanted them introduced.

  “Oh Emmet, I didn’t know you were going to stop by this morning,” she said.

  ”I just stopped by to see if I left a file on the computer,” Emmet said, walking up to Jim and offering his hand. “I’m Emmet Barrows, sir, June’s son.”

  Jim shook Emmet’s hand firmly and gave him a smile. He didn’t seem fazed at all about meeting him this way.

  “Hello, Emmet. I’m Jim Danders, June’s…er…”

  He looked at June.

  ”What exactly am I, June?” he asked her, smirking slightly at putting her on the spot.

  June turned a few more colors and Emmet hid a grin. Jim was funny.

  ”You’re…you’re a friend,” she said lamely.

  Jim arched an eyebrow at her. Emmet noticed he had a dimple in one cheek.

  “A friend? All right then,” he said, then looked up at Emmet. “I’m June’s ‘friend.’”

  ”It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Emmet said, “But I have to see about that file then get to work. Excuse me.”

  Emmet walked into the computer room. The minute he left the kitchen he could hear his mother yelling (but trying to keep it low) at Jim, and heard Jim chuckling. Emmet smiled to himself.

  He knew his mom would do all right.

  *

  Herman was the proud and somewhat dazed father of a healthy, bouncing pair of twin girls. He came to work bleary eyed every day.

  “God, don’t they ever sleep?” he’d groan at lunch.

  “Blame yourself Herman,” Anita said, grinning at him as she picked over her ravioli, “You slimmed down and felt sexy. Your wife couldn’t get enough of you.”

  ”Well, she’s had enough of me now. In the delivery room she said she was never going to let me touch her again. That was before they gave her the epidural. Thank God for that. I went through five births with her screaming bloody murder at me as she delivered. She even sprained my hand once when I was holding hers as she pushed. I think she wanted to get her hands on my throat this time.”

  Emmet chuckled.

  Emmet and Anita had been together for two years now, and Emmet’s horizons had been broadened quite a bit. They went out together often, and he found out Anita loved bowling. She was much better at it than he was, victory dancing all over the lane whenever she made a strike. They took in movies, shows and even went out to clubs on occasion. Emmet wasn’t the greatest dancer, but he tried. He also had to get used to Anita dancing with other men, which was a little hard. But she was coming home with him and when Emmet got her home, he made sure that by the time she fell asleep she knew she was his, all his.

  It was also gratifying to know that Anita was jealous of him as well. A curvaceous little blonde had pulled him from the table one night while Anita was dancing with someone. Emmet protested, saying he didn’t dance well, and the young woman replied, “Don’t worry. I’ll dance enough for the both of us.”

  Anita happened to turn in their direction and saw this little curvy blonde dancing all over Emmet, who held his arms helplessly up in the air as if he were scared he’d touch her. The woman dropped low and her face was directly in front of Emmet’s crotch when Anita stalked over and yanked him off the dance floor.

  “Bye!” the blonde called, grinning wickedly as Anita hauled him away.

  That night, Emmet was the one who fell asleep exhausted.

  *

  Anita and Emmet were very deeply in love, Anita admitting she loved him one night as Emmet made tender, passionate love to her. Later, she said she should have said it after sex, because Emmet went completely wild when she told him. She was walking very stiffly the next day at work, Emmet smirking at her every time she passed his cubicle as she scowled at him.

  One night, while they were sitting on the couch and watching a movie, both dressed in sweatpants and tshirts, Emmet said, “Reach in my pocket, Anita.”

  Anita frowned at him.

  “I don’t want to play that tonight, Emmet,” she said, folding her arms.

  Emmet laughed, then said, “No, seriously…there’s something in there.”

  Anita looked and sure enough there was a bulge, and it wasn’t Emmet-shaped.

  ”What is it?” she asked him curiously.

  “Take it out and see,” he said obtusely.

  Anita stared at him for a moment, then reached over him, Emmet’s eyes rolling up to the ceiling as her body made contact, then she pulled a box out of his pocket. Emmet often bought Anita jewelry.

  “Oh Emmet, what did you waste your money on this time?” she asked him, opening the box. Her eyes went wide and she looked up at him. “Emmet…” she said in a whisper, as Emmet quickly stood up and went down on one knee and took her hand, his brown eyes sober as he looked up at her. He knew what he wanted to say. He’d gone over it and over it for the last few weeks.

  “Anita, I’ve loved you from the first time you kissed me in the car when we rolled into the intersection,” he said earnestly, “I didn’t know it then, but I know it now. You changed my entire life and I can’t imagine living without you. I’m doing very well, and I can get you a house…maybe even a small mansion if you want it. Everything I have, I’m willing to share with you, including my heart and my life until the day I die. You will never have to worry about anything. Anything at all,” Emmet said softly.

  Anita stared down at him with glistening eyes, giving no indication of how this was affecting her. Emmet swallowed. This was it. If Anita said no, he’d be devastated. His voice a bit hoarse he popped the question.

  Anita Theresa Bowen, will you marry me?”

  Anita stared down at him, then suddenly tears began to fall from her eyes. She loved Emmet, but she hadn’t expected this. She looked at the ring again. It was lovely, gold with a rock the size of Texas perched on top of it and tiny diamonds circling the band. She looked at Emmet, who seemed to be holding his breath, his hand a bit sweaty as he held hers, looking into her face, his eyes full of hope.

  “Yes, Emmet. I’ll marry you,” she said softly, “You’re the bes
t thing in my life.”

  Emmet let out a whoop, hurriedly took the ring out the box and slid it on Anita’s finger, then swept her up into his arms, kissing her while dancing around the living room, Anita shrieking with laughter.

  Then he ran with her to the bedroom.

  *

  Emmet and Anita were married in a local park in a simple ceremony. Emmet’s mother and Jim were there, and Brandon Luster was the best man. Herman and his brood were in attendance, as well as about thirty associates and a couple of Board members. Susan, Melissa and several other girls with the exception of Jennifer, who left the firm, served as bridesmaids. Mr. Allen and his wife, who spent a lot of her time staring at Susan with disapproval, were also present. It was a nice ceremony and the reception was held at a local club, part of it cordoned off.

  The reception was wonderful with plenty of food and an open bar. Everything went smoothly except for the instance when Mrs. Allen threw a drink in Susan’s face and pulled out her elaborate hairdo.

  Jim and June sat at a table eating, Jim looking at June with a smile.

  “Nice wedding,” he said as Susan was escorted out by her co-workers and Mr. Allen was being browbeaten by his wife as he tried to thank Emmet and Anita and leave with some dignity. It didn’t happen. Mrs. Allen harped at him all the way to the door and through it.

  June sighed.

  “Yes it was, and Emmet seems very happy. Anita is a nice enough girl, though I think Emmet’s going to be a househusband,” June said, looking at the couple. Emmet had just placed a happy kiss on the new Mrs. Barrows’s forehead. Neither seemed ruffled by the little altercation.

  ”He’s going to wait on her hand and foot,” June added.

  “Love will make a man do that,” Jim said, “No doubt he feels she deserves that kind of treatment.”

  And Emmet did.

  He looked at Anita and smiled, taking her into his arms.

  “Now it’s forever, Mrs. Barrows. Forever and a day,” he said softly, kissing her as everyone looked on, smiling.

  Anita giggled. Forever and a day? Did he really say that?

  “Oh Emmet, you’re such a nerd,” she laughed and kissed him again.