The Staircase of Dragon Jerico
Chapter Two
“I KNOW YOU’LL just love this cozy little bungalow. It’s the perfect starter home for a young couple. With that all-important room for expansion,” Livy Olson gushed. She’d introduced young couples to their first homes frequently over her twenty years as an agent for Family Real Estate in Jerico City. When the Silvers had entered the office, she was immediately called to talk to them and she loved it.
She unlocked the little house and held the door open for Bruce and Erin.
“It smells new,” Erin said, sniffing at the air.
“The entire home has been refreshed,” Livy said. “New floors, new kitchen, new bathroom. I have an inspection certificate for the electrical and plumbing. And, of course, with your exclusive Family Home Buyers’ Warranty, if you discover a problem with any appliance or mechanical system in the house in the first year you own it, we fix it or replace it!”
Livy was astute. In her interview with the couple, she’d found that Bruce was newly employed by JeriCorp as an architect, but she detected that unemployed Erin was really the decision-maker. She’d seen women who elected to give up a career in order to start a family, but she didn’t doubt that in a year, Erin would be employed and earning far more than her husband while the baby was in the care of a nanny.
“Look, honey,” Bruce said. “This would be the perfect baby’s room. It’s like they planned it for that.”
“Let’s not put the cart before the horse,” Erin laughed. “You know all those stress factors they talk about. Marriage, pregnancy, new job, and moving are right up there at the top. We’ve already got three out of four. I’ve no intention of doing the family thing by myself.”
Just as Livy thought. Erin was managing the process. They’d been married three months and even though she’d quit her job to move to Jerico City with her husband, she hadn’t dived headfirst into pregnancy—if that was the way one dived into pregnancy.
But Erin was thirty and her biological clock was ticking. She’d said in their interview that she didn’t want her children to have ‘old’ parents. As it was, she and Bruce would be in their late forties before any child they had would graduate from high school.
“There’s lots of space in the back for various stages of a child’s life and play cycle,” Livy said.
It was a good thing the back yard was the last thing they saw and not the first. The 12 x 12 deck outside the patio doors sat flat on the bare ground. It had a few damaged boards and looked like it would need to be replaced. The yard itself had no grass. A single oak tree dominated the center of the yard and threatened the dilapidated swing set with falling branches.
“The previous owners had three children, if you can imagine that in this little house. And they were enthusiastic pet owners,” Livy said.
It was apparent the yard had been dominated by large dogs. It had to be dogs, plural, because no one could imagine any one dog so completely tearing a yard down to bare dirt.
Still, if that was all they found wrong with the property, fixing the landscaping was probably low on the difficulty scale. Bruce was waving from the garden shed/garage at the back of the property. Erin stayed on the deck with Livy.
“If we ever get lucky enough to have grass out here, we have space to store a lawn mower,” he laughed. Somehow, Bruce seemed much younger and less mature than Erin.
“Which of us gets to have her car in the garage?” she asked. Bruce ignored the broad hint.
“I suppose I’ll have to be sure my car is protected and ready to get me to work in the mornings. We might even discover you don’t need a car at all. This is hardly Cleveland,” Bruce said.
“The elementary school is only three blocks from here,” Livy said unhelpfully. “You’ll join dozens of others walking your child to school.”
Livy knew the right lines to use when selling the house, but she fully expected it to be back on the market before any child of Erin and Bruce was old enough to walk to school. This would be the fourth time she’d sold the property.
Bruce was on a management track at JeriCorp Architecture and Development. Livy was sure they would want to trade up their home in three or four years. This was a starter home, not a stayer home.
“I guess I’m sold,” Erin finally said. “What do you think, Bruce?”
“How soon can we move in?”
Since the house was unoccupied, they were able to close in two weeks. Bruce’s new company was paying for relocation, but he had to stay in Jerico City to start his job while Erin returned to Cleveland to pack their belongings and supervise the moving company getting things to Jerico City. Even though she’d already quit her job, she at least had friends in Cleveland who would help.
“Is it everything you dreamed of?” her best friend, Dee Bonner, asked. She was helping Erin pack things in boxes that would either go to the new house or to storage in Jerico City. Not everything would fit in the little house.
“It’s a start,” Erin said. “It’s not how I plan to be living in five years. I honestly thought Bruce had a little more put aside for a down payment and we’d be able to afford something more upscale. With just what I could borrow against my 401k for a down payment, we’re not getting as nice a place as we imagined. But it’s in good condition with a new bathroom and kitchen and floors.”
“Are you regretting things?” Dee asked, concern for her friend showing clearly.
“Oh, no! I realize I won’t be in a high-powered corporate job anymore, but I’ll have children to occupy my time. Eventually. Of course, I’ll miss everything here a little. You. And everyone at work,” Erin said. “It’s just a big change.”
“It must be a drag being separated from your husband while you’re getting ready to move,” Dee said.
“It’s only a couple of weeks. I wouldn’t survive the packing without friends like you to help me.”
“I’m ready to pack up your awards.”
“Make sure the box is clearly marked. It’s one that’s going to storage. I don’t have room to display a bunch of corporate awards in the baby’s room,” Erin laughed. “I anticipate pulling them out when I’m rocking a grandbaby and spinning tales of my glory days.”
“Ten years at Allard Holding Company,” Dee said, looking at a crystal pillar before she carefully wrapped it in bubble-wrap.
“I started as an intern when I was still in college,” Erin laughed.
“And shocked everyone when you announced your departure as a regional vice president,” Dee nodded. Erin had a lot of awards, certificates, and commendations, most of which were already off the walls of her apartment. She and Bruce had lived together in the apartment for the past six months and it was really too small. And the house in Jerico City wasn’t much bigger.
“Going south to where everyone talks with an accent,” Erin laughed.
“At least you won’t get cold like here,” Dee said, looking on the bright side.
“It does snow, but the winter is a bit shorter. I wonder if the city has a decent bus service. We aren’t all that far from Bruce’s office, but it’s too far to walk. I haven’t had a chance to look for a job yet,” Erin said.
“You’re going back to work?”
“I have no intention of sitting home alone all day, even after we start a family. I’m thinking of something that gets me in touch with people. I can’t exactly take a job on with as good a career track as I had here, but I’d go crazy if I didn’t have something.”
“Just remember, I’m only a phone call away. If you need me, I’ll be there.”
Landing a plum job at JeriCorp was a dream for Bruce Silver. Life was really coming together for him at thirty. He had a nice car, a great job, and had landed a strong and sexy wife. He was afraid he’d lose her when he suggested they move to Jerico City for a new job opportunity. It was a long way from everything they knew.
But Erin had surprised him, talking about how she’d like to have children and they weren’t getting any younger. They’d married in the spring and by the end of summer, Bruce was working for the huge architecture and development company.
Erin had turned down multiple offers to stay, resigned from her job, and was getting their little nest put together in Jerico City.
“Bruce, the Mackenzie Building drawings should be reviewed,” the director of design said to him. “I’d like you to head the team to do a full review of the designs and the plans. That includes taking over as our point man with Mackenzie. You might need to put some miles on, getting into St. Louis, but we have generous travel allowances. Pull together your team and let’s get this project handed off to construction.”
“Yes, sir. I’m on it.”
This was exactly what he was hoping for when he came to JeriCorp: real responsibility and authority. It’s what he’d trained for, served his apprenticeship for, and moved five hundred miles for. He immediately called up the drawings on his computer and then sent a meeting request to all the people who had worked on the project so far. This would be a full-day review before he drove to St. Louis to meet with the client. He wanted to know everything was perfect.
Everyone accepted the meeting request in short order, except the initial architect, Preston Carver. When Bruce checked with his director, he was told that Carver wasn’t important to the project and he had all the team he needed.
Weird.
“It’s wonderful!” Erin said at dinner that night. “I’m so proud of you. You’ve worked hard for this and it shows that moving here to Jerico City was the right thing to do.”
“I’m not pretending my job is anything near what you could have had in Cleveland,” he said, holding his wife tenderly. “But I promise I’m going to make the best of this and be as successful as I can be. You won’t ever regret coming with me.”
“I’m enjoying nesting and getting our home settled. If things continue the way they are, maybe we won’t need to wait until spring to get things started. What would you like for Christmas, lover?”
“You’ll be such a great mother!”
“Well, I’m not going to just sit around eating bonbons. I need to get out and find a job now that we’re settled in the house.”
“Will we still have time…?”
“I guarantee it. I’m just going to get a job, not a career.”
Erin knew from her experience exactly what it was like to lead a team, even though they’d been in different industries back in Cleveland. She managed the region and was on track for executive management in the parent company. Bruce’s leadership position spurred her to get moving and find a job as well. If Bruce was going to be working long hours and traveling, Erin wanted to be someplace where she could meet people and talk to other adults.
Jerico City had a thriving economy with businesses focused on electronics, real estate development, furniture manufacturing, textiles and clothing, steel works, transportation, and fine arts. It was tempting for Erin to walk in with her credentials and try to get a job in one of these large corporations, but that wouldn’t be fair when she was intending to work only part time. Besides, she’d become a bit burned out in her corporate position. She really wanted to simplify her life. She chose food service.
“We do a brisk breakfast business. People on their way to work are only here because they don’t want to waste time cooking and cleaning up their own breakfast. You’ll find a lot of people who just look in the door, decide it’s too crowded, and turn to leave. They grab a cup of coffee and a sandwich up the street at the coffee shop,” Dolores said as she gave Erin a tour of the Top Knot Diner. “We have more customers at lunch, but they are more relaxed. Usually, they sit with two to four at a table, unlike the solo breakfast crowd.”
“I love the kind of old-fashioned atmosphere,” Erin said.
“Not much has changed here since the sixties. Biggest difference is the clientele. Used to be a big after-school crowd, but when they built the new high school east of town, that made it too far for the kids to drop in after class. Of course, I wasn’t here in the sixties. Well, not working here, at least,” Dolores laughed. “We still try to keep the same atmosphere. Some of the lunch crowd are business execs who were here as teens in the sixties. Of course, most have aged into retirement, but those are the ones who come in for an early dinner. If it weren’t for those who still carry the good memories of what the place was like back when, we’d close up at two instead of seven.”
“I like people,” Erin said. “All ages. Being new in town, I haven’t met many yet.”
“Let’s have a seat and a cup of coffee,” Dolores said.
She grabbed two mugs from behind the counter and poured coffee. They sat in a corner booth to talk over Erin’s application to be a waitress.
“I have to ask why you want to be a waitress. Your resume is stellar. Surely there are a dozen places in town that would hire you at a level you’re qualified for,” Dolores said.
“I followed my husband to Jerico City,” Erin said. “Quit my job and moved five hundred miles. We just bought a little place on the near east side of town. We plan to start a family, maybe this winter or early spring. I know what I look for in an employee at the level you say I’m qualified for. Part of it is longevity. A prospective mother would be low on my list to employ and I won’t lie to an employer about that.”
“And you think I don’t want long-term employees?” Dolores asked.
“I think I could continue doing this type of job through most of pregnancy and into motherhood. It’s not like my need for human contact is going to lessen after I have a baby,” Erin explained.
In fact, she felt she might need the job more desperately after a baby was born than before. She had no friends in Jerico City yet. Of course, she was sure she’d meet other new mothers in things like birth classes and daycare, but she couldn’t fathom a life where that was the entire depth of her relationships.
“Honey, you might find differently when you’ve been walking the floor all night with a colicky baby and then come to work with a temperamental customer,” Dolores laughed. “But I like you. You’re friendly and outgoing. I’ll put you on the lunch shift so you don’t lose time with your hubby at breakfast or dinner. If you plan to make a baby, you’ll need some of that time. So, show up at ten on Monday morning. Let’s get you fitted for a uniform. A lot of our girls still wear masks while they’re working. I encourage it, but don’t require it. There are customers who really appreciate it.”
“I have no difficulty with that. I consider myself to have been very lucky so far. Part of that luck is avoiding risky situations,” Erin said.
“Smart cookie. I’ll be surprised if you don’t have my job by the time you have a baby.”
Smart cookie or not, there was still training to be done before she could be set loose to wait tables by herself. She showed up for work on Monday, changed into the uniform the diner provided, and attached her nametag: Maizie.
“No one uses her real name here. We just choose from the tags available. They’re all popular nicknames from a bygone generation. You didn’t think my real name was Dolores, did you?”
Erin wore her hair up in a knot and under a net with a little cap over it. The uniform was a pink pinafore with a white blouse and apron. It was about mid-thigh length and worn with bobby socks and tennis shoes. Erin thought it was rather cute. Once completed with the mask, however, she doubted even her own husband would recognize her if he came to the diner for lunch. She imagined herself on the Newlyweds game show to see if the husbands recognized their wives in different settings.
Of course, he was supposed to be saving money and eating the lunches she carefully prepared for him each morning. She was sure he’d have some occasions to eat out with co-workers, though. She certainly would if her job didn’t automatically include lunch.
It was a new experience for Erin to reach in her apron pocket and find cash there. Even her first day’s tips were more than she normally carried in cash. Who carried cash? Apparently, many of the diner’s customers. Many paid with a credit card, but left a cash tip. If the tip was included with the credit card payment, it was added to the tip pool and divided among the waitresses and kitchen staff according to their hours. They received their portion with their paycheck and proper taxes were deducted. Cash tips went into the server’s pocket.
Erin worked only a four-hour shift, from ten until two, but she felt like she’d walked miles. Doing this every day would surely have her in good shape by the time she was ready to carry a baby.
She stopped at the supermarket on the way home from work and bought chicken breasts, asparagus, and rice for dinner. Then she bought an apple pie as a treat for dessert. She was glad she hadn’t given up her car.
Bruce was excited as he described the project he was working on at dinner.
“The president stopped by my desk to congratulate me on taking the leadership of this project,” he said as they ate.
“Of the United States?” Erin asked with tongue in cheek.
“Of what? Oh! No. The president of the company. What a guy! I tell you, he’s brilliant. Knew absolutely everything about the Mackenzie Building and everyone involved in the project.”
“Wouldn’t a company president normally know what projects people are involved in and who they are?” Erin was teasing a little. Her own company president back in Cleveland had been a very smart woman who consciously mentored new employees and always got the best out of them. That Bruce was finally experiencing something like that was a good sign.
“There are two hundred people in our building in five corporate divisions,” Bruce explained. “Most of the divisions only have the executives in the building and work with a scattered workforce. Architecture is the largest division in the building. But Royce—he told me to call him Royce instead of Mr. Duval—even asked how my move had gone and if my wife had managed to get settled. He asked if we needed anything. The whole company has a real family atmosphere.”
“I’m so glad you have such a good job and management,” Erin said. “We made the right move to come to Jerico City. I’m even going to enjoy my job. Not nearly as glamorous as yours, though.”
“It’s hard to believe you work in a restaurant all day and then come home to make dinner and do housework. Let’s make sure that Friday, we go out to eat. I feel guilty about you working and taking care of the house, too.”
“It’s shorter hours than I was working in Cleveland. And you still come home to help after work. It will change after we have a baby, you know. I really don’t have an idea how much work that will be!”
“You can count on me. Let’s get the dishes done and go out for a walk before it gets completely dark. I’ve hardly had a chance to explore our neighborhood.”
Walking another mile after being on her feet at the diner was not high on Erin’s priority list, but it was good exercise and an opportunity to be with her husband.
Comments
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