A long day

My day had been long and hot and sweat poured off me as I pulled into my driveway.  All I wanted to do now, was to sit with a beer and watch the football.  If I had known how the evening was going to end with an interception I would have felt more worried.

I knew that Gloria and the kids would have other ideas. Not seeming to understand that I’ve been at work all day, whilst they’ve been at home.  It’s school holidays and my boss, Jeff, would not allow me annual leave, so any chance of a holiday away was out.

Now sitting in the car, I thought I knew what’s ahead of me. My head is throbbing but I’m ready for my daughter, Janie to launch herself at me. For Freddie to show me his latest Lego building and an exhausted Gloria, to tell me that my dinner is in the oven.

Late evenings

Night after night I have reheated food, though to be fair the time is now 9 pm. Gloria has often looked suspiciously at me on these late evenings. I’ve told her that I’m too tired to entertain playing away as I’m working for many hours.  Now loosening my tie, I lock the car and walk into the house. Immediately I hear,

“Daddy.” As Janie in her pyjamas, intercepts me in the hall. I hug her tight, it’s nice to be home but the sick, stressed feeling remains. Gloria is sat watching television, catching up on her favourite soaps.  Janie should have been asleep by now, but she will always wait up for me. Giving her a kiss and telling her to go to bed, Freddie appears forming another interception, I can feel my tummy rumbling, I need my dinner.

Now pushing potatoes around my plate, I reflect on our life. Gloria is a school teacher, a hard-working mother to our two children and I’m an accountant. Balancing our working lives and home is hard. The ongoing stress we both feel is often coming between us.

Terry

My extreme tiredness prevents me from relaxing watching the soaps. Often I will watch television alone in the kitchen. As the football now starts I hear a sad voice,
“Michael.” Looking up I can see she is crying. Now I’m concerned.
“What’s happened, why are you crying?”
“Jen has just phoned, it’s Terry.”

“What?”
“Today he went to work and has not come home. She’s phoned the police, but no news yet. He’s usually home by 6.00 but it’s now 10.00.”
“Maybe he’s in the pub. Doesn’t he have other friends?”
“The only friend Terry has is you. He always comes straight home.” She then added, “We need to do something about us.”

Life and stress

“How do you mean?”
“This animosity between us, I always feel that I’m not good enough.” She was now sobbing hard. I reached for some tissues, so she could wipe her face and blow her nose.
“You are good enough, plenty good enough. I’m always tired from work, Jeff is a real slave driver”. Pulling her close, I was now lost for words. Terry was my best mate, he had been since school and we would talk most nights on messenger. I hoped that he was alright but I couldn’t help thinking there was something more.

The last time we spoke he had said that a man had been following him. I had dismissed it, saying why would anyone follow you? Terry worked in a jewellers and he had felt he was being watched.
“Gloria I need to phone the police, this could be serious. Terry said something, this is not good.” Head pounding and feeling sick, I now phoned the police. I told them what Terry had told me and gave them the address of the jewellers. I wondered now if they had been planning a heist. Maybe Terry was safely tied up inside. I hoped the police could intercept the thieves if this is what had happened.

        ☆ ☆ ☆

The ‘Princess Diamonds’

Sat now in a tiny little room, Terry looked at the barrel of a gun.
“Safe code?”
“I don’t know it, I only work here” he lied.
“Come on, we know the ‘Princess Diamond’s’ are in there. Give us the code and we can all go home.”

Terry knew he was lying. He suspected that as soon as he gave them access to the diamonds they would shoot him, he needed to play for time. Feeling a sharp kick to his ribs he squealed in pain but told himself that he could not give in.  It felt like he had been there many hours when he heard glass smashing upstairs. Then shouts and searching. The men stiffened, what now? they had nowhere to hide. Terry tried to scream but was given a sharp kick as he went to open his mouth.

Interception

The sound of police radios could now be heard. Terry willed them to find him and wondered how they had known to search the jewellery store.  He now heard boots on the stairs and a gun being fired. Trying to intercept the policemen, the thieves had tried to run. The police woman at the top of the stairs, Sarah, now shot both in the legs preventing them from moving any further.

Terry now felt the warmth of two police officers untying him.
“How did you know I was here.”
“Your friend, Michael phoned us. He told us about you being followed and that you might be here.”
“They wanted the valuable ‘Princess Diamonds’.
“Well you and them are safe now”.

☆ ☆ ☆

Safely home

Early the next morning we were woken by Jenny. Terry was safely home, I was glad that he had told me about being watched and followed.  The scare had made Gloria and I realise we needed to make more time for each other. The stress of work needed to change. We had been unhappy for so long, we needed the spark back. Being exhausted just meant we were taking it out on each other.

Terry had survived his ordeal but he could just as easily have been killed last night. Now was a time to be thankful for our blessings, move on with our lives and try and be happy.

Written for Blog battle – Intercept

For more see, Money does not bring happiness