A quick glance into the apartment convinced Conor to stay away that night. His room had apparently been volunteered to his mother-in-law. Thankfully, Yuri’s mother never seemed to mind when he was over, and she was still working all night shifts until her new position started. The next morning, when he woke up, it took Conor a minute to remember where he was. He rolled off the thin pallet Yuri had helped him make on the floor and stretched. He glanced at the clock and swore. He was going to be late for the Grizlhut shift again. Rushing out the door, he passed Yuri’s mom, just getting back from her shift. “Conor? Were you playing games all night? Yuri really needs sleep. I had hoped you would be a better influence on him!” “Sorry, Miss. Lochman. I really have to go, or I will be late.” Conor sprinted through the door, Miss. Lochman frowned in disapproval as he left. When he arrived at the GrizlHut, Cara was already prepping ingredients. “Pops wants your new dough today, so you be
The next day was more drudgery at the GrizlHut. Working with Cara was a boon, but overall, the work was boring, hot, and very greasy. Conor wished he could shower three times a day or more. But he stuck to his promise to Jessica and even volunteered to make deliveries that evening for the extra tip money. “In what car, Conor?” Pops asked. “You have been walking to work for weeks!” Conor stared at the ground realizing how stupid the idea had been. Cara poked her head in. “Conor… you can drive right?” Conor looked at her and nodded. “Are you sure? You are not without a car because of accidents?” “No accidents.” Cara stared hard at him as she considered. “Don’t make me regret this.” She fished her keys out of her pocket and held them out to Conor. Just as he was reaching for them, she pulled them back and gave him a hard stare, “You bring my car back in one piece tonight, and with a full tank of gas, you hear?” Conor nodded and she slowly handed him the keys. “If you damage my ca
Conor was relieved when Mr. Nuri walked into the interrogation room a few minutes later. He tried to stand but the cuffs held him down to the table. “Mr. Nuri! Thank Celia! I have no idea what is going on! I came back from…” Mr. Nuri cut him off with a gesture. “Not here, Conor.” Then to the detective who was lurking outside, “Uncuff my client.” “Sir, he is charged with serious drug trafficking crimes!” “WHAT?” cried Conor, horrified that he was even associated with such activity. “CONOR, not here,” Admonished Mr. Nuri. “Detective, I advise you to get your evidence in order. We will deal with you in the morning.” “I have video,” The detective said sheepishly. Conor looked puzzled. Mr. Nuri was furious, “Thank you for finally sharing that. Show us. AFTER you uncuff my client!” Reluctantly the detected did uncuff Conor before setting a computer before them. The video was dark and hard to make out. Conor was surprised that there was even a camera at this location. It was the first
The next morning, Jarad Brown, Mr. Nuri’s Paralegal, greeted Conor with breakfast. “Mr. Nuri was called away to one of our other offices out of town on urgent business. But I can take you anywhere you need to go this morning.” “Umm, well I probably need to check-in at work” Jarad drove Conor to the GrizlHut. As Conor walked in, he was met by the glaring eyes of a cross-armed Pops. “If you think that Mr. Cochan is going to tolerate a drug dealer working here and using his business as a distribution point, you are dumber than I thought. Hand over your uniform, NOW!” “But that’s not what happened! I can explain! No, my lawyer can explain!” Conor reached for the door but saw Jarad already driving away. “Now, Conor! Hand it over. Not only were you arrested but I had to deal with a customer complaint about you trying to charge her for something she didn’t even order! Jessica should never have married you and if I have any influence I will see you ou
It was almost noon when he arrived home, his mind still reeling from the events of the past day. He was surprised to see Jessica already home, sitting at their small dining table and picking at a salad.“Jess, what are you doing here? I thought you were at your dad’s office today,” Conor said, trying to keep his tone light despite the tension he felt.Jessica looked up, her expression unreadable. “I could ask you the same thing! Isn’t today one of your shifts at Grizlhut? And where were you last night? I never heard you come in.”Conor felt his face flush as he tried to decide how to explain. The events of the previous night were still fresh in his mind, but he knew how bad it would sound. “Well… last night, I ran into some legal trouble… I was framed while on a pizza run.”Jessica’s eyes widened in shock. “What!? What the hell, Conor?”“I swear, I’m innocent! My lawyer can explain everything. But Pops wouldn’t listen—he just knows the cops questioned me, so he fired me on the spot. Di
Conor hung up with a small glimmer of hope, but still a bit at a loss as to how the week would go. He was hopeful that his new job would provide some opportunities, but that didn’t start until the morning. He decided to wander around town and perhaps look for something nice he could make for Jessica for diner. As he strolled through town, he come to a local megastore. Things tended to be less expensive here and they carried many products from all over the kingdom. Conor wandered inside, hoping to be inspired. He strode down one of the aisles, an elderly old lady reached for something on the top shelf. She was so short she was practically climbing the shelves to try to grab a box. Conor rushed over and offered to help. A look of relief washed over the lady’s face. “Thank you, young man. The one on the left please.” Conor easily grabbed the box of cereal and placed it in her cart. “No problem. Glad I could help.” The old lady smiled at him and said, “You are ra
Conor arrived home with a sense of determination. He was exhausted from the day’s events, but tonight, he wanted to do something special.It had been far too long since he and Jessica had shared a peaceful evening together, and he hoped tonight could be a step toward mending the distance that had grown between them.He set about preparing dinner, starting with a shrimp bisque bourbon soup. The rich aroma of simmering shrimp, butter, and bourbon filled the small kitchen as he carefully stirred the pot.He moved on to the main course, a shrimp scampi with a garlic butter sauce. The smell of roasting garlic mingled with the scent of fresh herbs, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.As the food cooked, Conor laid out a simple but elegant dining set on their small table. He placed two candles, which the store manager had provided, in the center and lit them, watching as the soft glow flickered across the room.Everything was ready. All that remained was for Jessica to come home.He glan
Conor arrived at Jackson’s Furniture at 8 a.m. sharp the next morning. He had chosen to wear his new suit and tie since that was similar to what the sales team had been wearing yesterday. When he walked through the doors, several sales associates powerwalked over to him. “Can we help you find anything today?” “Are you looking for a sofa, or perhaps a recliner?” “How about dining room furniture?” “I can direct you to the bedroom suites.” Conor was overwhelmed and held up his hands. “I am a new employee. I am just here to meet with Mr. Matthews and get my assignment.” “Oh.” The dejection and disappointment were clear on each of their faces. As they drifted away, one lingered and finally stepped forward, hand outstretched. “name’s Arty. Arty Maron. You said you were to meet with the boss?” Arty was a thin man in his later fifties, with wispy gray hair combed over a balding head. He wore thin glasses near the end of his nose. “Yes