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Katherine once was an insufferable shrew of a wife married to a two-timing cheating wimp of a man for almost 16 years.

Jim is a wrecking yard owner and scrap dealer. He comes from a long line of lawyers, doctors, and family members in the diplomatic corps. He has three brothers and one sister in those professions. Jim absolutely loves his work, especially the hard physical labor involved.

Jim is a plain man bordering on homely. He is also built like a fireplug wrapped in muscles and is as strong as an ox. Jim’s intellect is as sharp as a virgin scalpel. He plays it down to his advantage so that people will underestimate him. He finds their lack of insight amusing.

Jim and Katherine were neighbors for almost ten years when unforeseen events devastated Katherine’s life. She is a very pretty woman with shoulder blade-length copper red hair and green eyes. Katherine has freckles that decorate her lithe and trim figure which she used to hate them.

Jim started calling her Kate to annoy her, the reference being the Kate from Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew”.
At first, Katherine had no idea of the inference, or the fact Jim attended private schools, followed by college to earn a six year degree. Kate was a pretty thorn in his side, while Jim was a thorn in hers until she moved in with him.

Kate has nothing to go back to because she came from nothing, growing up in a shabby trailer court in an immaculately clean rundown trailer in central Florida. Kate lived in that tiny abode with her mother, grandmother and grandfather, Kate’s father leaving when she was five. Her grandpa Jack taught her the fine sport of billiards in the recreation hall of the trailer court.

Grandpa Jack was a scoundrel in his younger days, making a living as pool shark; he taught Katherine well. Katherine’s grandpa Jack loved Kate more than anything in the world and died when Kate was thirteen followed by Kate’s mother who was killed by a bus walking to work when Kate was fifteen.

An honor student, Kate dropped out of school to work full time so that she could care for her grandmother. At nineteen, Kate married a man almost twenty years her senior and moved with him to New York.

Kate’s ex-husband, the passive aggressive wimp, ruined her finances and reputation. He left her nothing but the clothes on her back when the house from the divorce settlement literally burned to the ground destroying all of the contents.

The fire marshal deemed the suspicious fire as arson. Katherine was the prime suspect in the ensuing police investigation that led to a grand jury hearing and subsequent bench trial culminating in a plea deal out of desperation.

Kate’s husband, Thomas, is no doubt laughing his proverbial ass off in his Villa in Costa Rica with his new young bride who would be Thomas’s age of 55 subtract 40.

Thomas planned everything with the precision of an atomic clock. He took three mortgages plus several loans against the house forging Kate’s name. He opened and charged to the max on multiple credit cards letting the balances accumulate interest and late payments ruining her credit.

To make matters worse, the home owners insurance was cancelled without her knowledge a week before the fire was deliberately set. Katherine was in Florida on a bi-yearly trip visiting with her Grandmother in the nursing home.

Kate’s bank accounts were frozen shortly after the fire by the Internal Revenue Service as were her credit cards. To compound her problems, Kate received a letter from the Internal Revenue Service demanding payment for 7 years of unpaid joint taxes; her husband is untouchable in Costa Rica or so he thought.

Their story begins in Jim’s driveway the day after Katherine was sentenced to five years probation.

Jim was rebuilding the engine of his restored 1969 Plymouth Road Runner and the silence of no Kate to complain was bliss to his ears.

Kate or Katherine, whatever you prefer was in one dandy of a mess. Jim saw an opportunity to have a clean house not to mention a piece of ass on the side.

*****************************************

“So let me get this straight, Kate, as a condition of your probation you are required to have a place to live with valid mailing address.”

“We have been neighbors for 10 years, Jim. I know we have our differences but I have always thought of you as a good man. Your business sponsors several youth sport teams and you coach your own little league team. You have such a big house and it is just you living here.”

“Why should I, Kate? You and I never got along, but assuming I agreed. I will wash your mouth out with soap if you talk to me the way you did to your husband.

Afterward you wouldn’t be able to sit for a week when I finished spanking your tight little ass. You are hard on the ears but nice on the eyes, pretty Kate.

How many times have you complained to me for working on my cars on my own property, or because the leaves from my oak trees blew in your yard, an act of nature; or because I threw snow on your yard with my snow blower….ridiculous nonsense like that? Your bull shit list of complaints over the years has been endless.”


“I know I went a little overboard as a neighborhood activist but if you don’t agree the alternative for me is prison. I can’t find a job yet to suit my station. I promise you won’t even know I’m around.”

“Suit your station? That’s a good one, Kate” Jim said laughing. You could tell from the look on her face that Katherine wasn’t accustomed to being laughed at.

“I’ll be dipped, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha,” Jim continued to laugh at her, “Suits your station, ha, ha, ha, ha…make yourself useful your Eminence. Please hand me the 3/4” open end box wrench in the third drawer from the top of the tool chest behind you.”

Kate was thinking, ‘You are a homely unfeeling crude beast, Jim Brady. I paid you a compliment about youth sports and you basically being a good man and I meant it…..if I were your wife indeed; fat chance of that ever happening.

Just try washing my mouth out with soap and spanking my bottom you brutish ogre. You are nothing but a junk man trying to live above your station in life with the biggest house on the street and it’s not fair.

I never graduated high school but neither did you Mr. Junk Man.’ (a wrong assumption on Kate’s part) ‘To think I have sunk so low that I have to come begging to you for a place to live.’

But in the end what could she do. Kate swallowed her pride and said, “You have to believe me Jim I didn’t do it. I’m not that kind of person.”

“I listened to you talk for the past hour. Are you done?”

“Yes, I…” Jim interrupted, “Good, now shut your yap and listen for a change.

I believe you pretty Kate,” Jim said wiping his hands on a shop towel as he walked over to her, “It is an election year and the district attorney saw a slam dunk case when he brought your case quickly to trial. You were distraught having lost everything and took a plea deal.

You can be a first class bitch do you know that Ms. self-appointed neighborhood activist. I often got the impression you think your shit doesn’t stink.

Don’t mistake for a minute I don’t know you look down on me. I’m just a common uneducated junk man to you with dirty hands who has his junk cars cluttering up an otherwise compliant neighborhood.

At times you can be an insufferable shrew. That being said I do not doubt your veracity or misguided good intentions.
I don’t believe you did it. I believe you are basically a good person who likes to put on airs.

I also think it is a shame your so called friends and compliant neighbors, the one’s you managed to bully, turned their backs on you the way they did.

But lucky me; I’m your last choice. How sad is that.

In your defense your husband did you wrong. Thomas wasn’t much of a man to begin with so there is no great loss there. Why an obviously intelligent woman like you would marry a man who was so much older is beyond me. You have every legal right to divorce him, however, Thomas has no moral right to do what he did to you.

Like it or not the courts decide divorce settlements no matter the outcome. You didn’t do too badly there until your ex-husband got his revenge. I believe he is behind everything.

It is said that women marry men thinking that they can change them. That is why I never married.

It is also said that men marry women hoping that their bride will never change.

I will never change. I doubt you will ever learn to curb your mouth unless someone tames your tight little ass.

Despite your acid tongue, I have often wondered if there is a tender woman’s heart beating in your chest, a heart as beautiful on the inside as you are on the outside. I have been enjoying the view, you ever since you moved here.

If you are offended by my assessment too damn bad. I’m no prize either and I’m anything but handsome. Granted I’m rough around the edges and blunt, perhaps even crude in your eyes.

But I’m an honest troll…nothing like your former piss ant passive aggressive husband Thomas the investment broker with his soft clean hands and manicured nails.

Tell me the truth, am I your last choice, Kate?”

“I won’t lie, yes; I’m just looking for a fresh start.”

“Excellent, I respect honesty even when it’s directed at me. You have just gone up a notch in my eyes.

Let’s get down to the nuts and bolts; how much money do you owe the half-ass attorney that allowed a plea deal?”

“I owe him twelve grand.”

“Do you owe anyone else money?”

“I filed bankruptcy for everything else except for what the IRS says I owe them. Bankruptcy doesn’t cover that. I need to meet the terms of my probation to stay out of jail.”

“I’ll cover the attorney bill in consideration for your housekeeping expertise.

You can move into the first floor Master bedroom with the attached bathroom my mother used when she was visiting. This will allow you privacy, and I am sure you will be more than comfortable.

Nobody alive I know can keep a house like my Mom used to in her day. Nevertheless I believe you can do a far better job at it than me
I know your house was spotless, Kate. By reputation and the one time you tricked me into attending a neighborhood meeting when my junk cars was the main topic of conversation. It was very clever of you to keep it as the last item on the agenda while you plied me with coffee and coffee cake to soften me up. I never saw it coming.

“Thank you.”

“How old are you Kate?”

“I’ll be 36 in five months.”

“What day in September?”

“The eighth.”

“If that doesn’t beat all, we have the same birthday; I’ll be 37 on the 8th of September,” Jim said laughing, “You can bake us a cake. If that coffee cake you served is any indication I know you can cook.”

“Of course I can cook.”

“I just said that….I need a housekeeper who can a cook. You will fit the bill nicely. Better yet make that a surrogate wife.

It will be a pleasure to have a pretty woman to look at around the house. You will get room and board plus $ 50.00 a week in spending money, provided you learn to keep your yap shut.”

Kate was seething and trying to bite her tongue thinking, ‘room and board? Fifty dollars you smug bastard…surrogate wife! Who are you to tell me I can’t express my opinions. How dare you, you troll…. only when pigs can fly.’

I will send your attorney $250.00 a week until his bill is paid. After your attorney’s bill is satisfied your wages will be fourteen hundred a month in addition to room and board. This pretty much means that you will have the run of the house.

That should satisfy the conditions of your probation. You now have a place to live and are gainfully employed. I don’t think we require a written contract. There is no need to thank me, as it will be an equitable deal for the both of us.”

“What duties other than cooking and cleaning do you require?” Kate asked sweetly.”

“As I said, you are a pretty woman, Kate. I might want to roll in the sack on occasion as any good wife would do as part of her wifely duties. At least until your attorney is paid.”


“Don’t think for a second I will ever let you put your coarse dirty hands on me. You probably can’t get it up you ugly beast. It’s no wonder why you never married. I’ll bet you a year wages that your tiny weenie is a joke. Do you think I’m some kind of high class whore?”

“I never said or even implied that you emasculating shrew.

I never used the word “high class”.

What a shame you are such a frigid, unfeeling, ungrateful bitch. What a shame your beauty is only skin deep. I take back what I said about a woman’s heart.

I’ll bet my left testicle you never had an orgasm in your life.

I also doubt you’ve ever been with a real man. A good fucking followed by an honest orgasm might thaw you out some. It might do you some good; now you will never know.”

“You conceited egotistical troll, you a real man? Don’t make me laugh, ogre! If your imagined libido was as huge as your enormous ego your little cock would still only be 1 ½ inches long, assuming you can manage to get it up.

“Who do you think you are some kind of satire? Why are you laughing, asshole? Stop laughing at me!”

“The word is satyr, Kate, not satire. Satire is a literary work in which human vices or folly is attacked through irony, derision, or wit. It can be of a verbal nature such as you just unsuccessfully attempted.

While a satyr is a mythical manlike woodland creature from Greek mythology depicted as having the pointed ears of a goat, the short horns of a goat on his head; the short tail of a goat and the hairy legs of a goat ending in hooves. I’ll only concede I’m an ugly man going bald,” Jim ran his hand over his close cropped bristly head, “minus the mentioned appendages of genus Capra.”

Jim grabbed Kate roughly and kissed her lips making her eyes get big. Kate gasped and sputtered with surprise and indignation, thinking, ‘He has been playing with me all along. Nothing I said rattled him. Nothing I said got through his thick troll skin.’

“You…you can go to hell you smug bastard. I’d rather go to prison!” and with that Kate picked up her donated Salvation Army suitcase full of used clothing from the same and walked away.

*********************************************

It was almost midnight when Jim’s doorbell rang and he leisurely got out of bed. He put on his robe to answer the door.

When Jim opened it, “I’m not going to beg. Is the job still open?”

“Well, hello, Kate.”

“Hello, Sir, may I come in?”

“Of course you may. Let me take your suitcase,” and Jim did, leading Kate into the kitchen. He pulled out a chair for her to sit down.

“Have you been crying, Kate, you look terrible.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Fine, are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?”

“No thank you, Sir. Why do you insist on calling me Kate when my name is Katherine?”

“I don’t want to talk about it, Kate.”

“Fine, you’re the boss, Sir.”

“Well you woke me up. I’m going to make myself a cup of Earl Grey tea to have with some short bread cookies. Would you like a cup?

“Yes, Please.” She gladly accepted as it was her favorite tea, and his.

“What happened to calling me Jim?”

“That wouldn’t be proper, Sir.”

“I can live with that. Call me Sir if you wish.”

“Then… you are going to hire me?”

“Of course, we share the same birthday and as I said, you are a pretty woman and a delight to my eyes.”

“What if I wasn’t a beautiful woman? Would you still hire me?”

“There you see, we do agree on something.”

“What do we agree on?”

“That you are a beautiful woman…….ah hah!”

“Now what’s the matter?”

“Stop pretending that you can’t smile…..you are still pretending…..that’s better…..very nice.”

They sat quietly for a time in the kitchen sipping their tea. Jim pretended not to notice that Kate ate most of the cookies, finally, “It’s getting late, Kate. Let me show you to your room.”

********************************************

Kate lay on the bed without bothering to undress or unpack her suitcase. Earlier she cried her eyes out. She was absolutely drained and exhausted from worry that Jim wouldn’t take her in.

Kate was thinking, ‘I’m surprised Jim didn’t to rub my nose in it…..the hell with him. The troll only wants one thing from me, sex. I’m not going to change for anybody. I’ll call them as I see them…..I’ll just have to be extra careful around him; the troll really would spank me.

I also better get accustomed to being called Kate.’

Kate woke up late the next morning feeling refreshed if somewhat momentarily puzzled. Someone, Jim, had taken off her shoes and covered her with a cotton quilt while she slept. Jim also unpacked her suitcase putting everything in the closet or dressers.

‘Well I guess the troll saw my “GPS” ankle bracelet. I can deal with everything else but this is so humiliating. I’m not some kind of wild animal or dangerous career criminal or rapist. I was going to tell him.’

Kate went looking for Jim and found a note on the refrigerator addressed to her, “Dear Kate, I’ll be overseeing Little League tryouts for most of the day.

Look around and get used to the house. You may have noticed there are no locks on any of the inside doors. I’m not being sarcastic. Help yourself to whatever you need and make yourself at home, Sincerely, Jim.”

Kate made herself a poached egg on wheat toast along with a banana for breakfast before taking her shower.

She was pleasantly surprised and then mildly annoyed to find her bathroom freshly stocked with towels, washcloths and toiletries. ‘What an ego the troll has to assume that she would come crawling back.’

That was Kate’s wrong assumption. Jim’s intentions were good even though he guessed right that Kate would be back. He knew Kate was in a hard way; just as he knew somebody close to her case.

There were several brands and types of shampoos and conditioners for Kate to choose, as well as ladies razors, shaving creams or gels. Kate found several styles of toothbrushes and different brands of toothpaste.

Then there were the soaps, however, not just any common brand of store bought soap. Jim bought Kate locally made hard milled organic soaps by Hawk Moon Soaps with names such as Pink Clover. The wrapper described this soap having a light fruity and floral combination with fresh jasmine, lily of the valley, violets and lavender topped off with notes of fresh ripe peaches and raspberries.

There was Jamaican Sunset, Slice of Summer, Powder Room, Red Ripe Raspberry, Mystic, Spring Lilac Herbal and Scented Goat Milk. There was Sun Shower, Sweet Grass & Sage and finally, Country Almond Oat.

Jim is a practical man and planned on using any or all of the soaps that she didn’t like.

Kate was thinking, ‘the troll can go to hell if he thinks I’m impressed or I can be bought this easy.’ Despite the fact that Kate was secretly pleased.

Kate took a leisurely shower. She dressed and explored her new home for at least the next year. Going room to room Kate was thinking, ‘The décor and color scheme in most of the rooms in this house are very masculine in flavor and seem to emanate testosterone.

All the furniture is heavy and massive. It looks to be very comfortable. This must be his favorite chair,’ and with that Kate dropped down into the well worn but lovingly cared for brown leather chair putting her feet on the matching ottoman.

‘Just try laying a hand on me Mr. Troll,” she thought punching the arm of the chair, ‘I bite as well as bark.’

Kate sat there for a moment imagining that this was her house with Jim as her indentured servant. Jim was wearing a long blond wig and dressed in a French Maid’s Uniform serving her tea.

This thought had Kate grinning from ear to ear. “This tea is tepid,” she said out loud while pretending to pour the tea from an imaginary cup to the floor, “bring me a fresh hot cup immediately and clean up this mess! You can then stand in the corner, sissy boy. When I’m done with my tea you will be spanked again with my hairbrush,” and this caused Kate to get silly and laugh out loud.

‘If nothing else the sissy boy’s mother has good taste. I love the way my room is decorated and furnished. It is almost if I decorated it myself. It will be my safe haven in a storm.’

Kate decided the house cleaning duties wouldn’t be so bad since the floors were finished wood with carpets. The kitchen and bathroom floors were tile. With the exception of her room, the wood floors had the oval sectional rag wool carpets of Jim’s rustic and masculine taste.

Kate’s room had a genuine hand woven wool oriental rug. There was a genuine Tiffany floor lamp next to the huge floral and cherub carved mahogany poster bed that was the centerpiece of the room. There was a matching Tiffany table lamp on her makeup vanity table with the carved mirror and matching carved chair. Add the lace curtains and the heavy brocade drapes on her bed, that where identical to the canopy and curtains …perfect.

There was a mahogany floor to ceiling wardrobe with mirrors on the inside of the doors. There were two dressers of mahogany carved to match the rest of the bedroom furniture.

Kate explored the three story house, an historical landmark, and a house that she secretly coveted. Kate went from top to bottom; from stem to stern looking through every closet and drawer. Kate even went up in the enclosed widow’s walk going outside on the roof near the railing to look over the neighborhood through Jim’s Swarovski binoculars and telescope. Kate didn’t recognize the brand but she recognized their quality when she handled them.

No doubt the troll wanted the house cleaned from top to bottom and stem to stern and here is where Kate started after going downstairs for the Murphy’s Oil soap, a bucket of warm water, rags, glass cleaner, paper towels, a broom and dustpan.

Kate cleaned the inside of the widow’s walk from ceiling to floor, returning with glass cleaner to do the windows inside and out. Kate noticed one of the windows was sticking. She would have to talk to Jim about that.

Next Kate tackled the finished attic, opening the windows on both ends for a cross breeze.
‘This attic is a disgrace,’ she thought, ‘just look at all this dust and clutter; boxes scattered about including on top of the billiard table.’


Kate moved boxes and swept and dusted. Kate then vacuumed intending to wash walls and mop the floor after checking in with her Probation Officer. Kate lifted the corner of the nylon tarp to check the surface of the pool table. She was pleased to see it still in excellent condition. Kate loved playing pool and was quite good at it; as it turned out much better than Jim.

Kate went to the kitchen to make to the telephone call to get his voice mail. She reasoned that was good enough for now. Being a little hungry Kate ate another banana, a can of tuna with celery, red onion, lemon juice, black pepper mixed in on top of saltine crackers.

She drank three glasses of water while sitting at the table and compiling the grocery list. She reasoned that it would be good to get into her routine again even if it wasn’t her real home.

Kate made a mental note to discuss removing all the contents of the beat up cardboard boxes and plastic garbage bags in the attic to put them into plastic storage tubs with lids so that they could be stacked. It wouldn’t hurt to label them as well.

About the time she finished the attic, Kate heard cars pull in the driveway and the loud noise of excited youthful commotion that could only be boys. Looking out the window she saw dozen boys of all shapes and sizes with groceries bags in hand piling out of Jim’s Chevy Van and four more boys get out of a black sedan.

The last person to get out of the sedan was Robert Jervis. Kate thought, ’great, just my luck.”

They already had the grill out of the garage, the ice chest full of ice and soda pop before Kate got outside to talk with her young Probation Officer, Robert Jervis; he couldn’t be more than twenty-two or twenty-three at the most and he was all hardnosed business. In Kate’s mind she was being bossed around by an insufferable child who was too big for his britches.

When she approached him, “I’ll be with you in a minute, Ms. Ryan.”Kate was using her maiden name of Ryan now, “I’m not here on official business…..OK, you boy’s line up behind your Coach and then we need a show of hands of who needs a baseball glove…pay attention, Sam.”

He then turned to Kate and said, “We will talk after we bring the boys home, Ms. Ryan,” and Kate wondered why the change in attitude. He was addressing her as Ms. Ryan instead of Katherine.

In the mean time more boys showed up and immediately got in line behind Jim or Robert. These boys were wearing their team’s uniform from the previous year.

“You players pair-off with a boy in uniform,” Jim said, “he is going to be your practice buddy for the entire season…..what did you say, Sam?..... Yes, after you are paired off and get your glove we will have hotdogs and hamburgers…..Yes, Sam, we will be having soda-pop too……yes, Sam, everybody is going to get a uniform but not today…..

*************************************

Kate went into the house to get cleaned up to be ready with her meeting with her Probation Officer. It was after dark until Officer Jarvis came inside. He seemed to be in good spirits.

“Coach is driving the boys home who don’t have a ride.”

“Who is Coach?” Kate asked.

“Coach Brady,” Officer Jervis replied, “I assumed you knew. Jim was my Little League coach. Normally all the best players are picked first. Coach and I pick the boys we know nobody else wants; the misfits. We mix them in with the better players from the previous seasons who stick around to mentor; the buddy system.

Some of the new boys will lose interest and quit early but most stick around to become adequate or good players with the occasional outstanding player emerging from the mix.

I was lousy when Coach picked me. I am merely adequate now. Our team seldom won any games but we were a tight group. We learned the most important lesson of all; to have each other’s back covered.

There were no stars on our team. Everybody got to play. I have my own team now and I follow Coach’s philosophy.”

“As you can see Officer Jervis, I am in compliance. I work for Mr. Brady as his live-in housekeeper. I still contend that I’m innocent.”

“Yes, Coach and I discussed your case in great detail.”

“What do you mean in great detail?” Kate asked starting to get angry, “What business is it of his?”

“Your trial is a matter of public record, Ms. Ryan. Coach has copies of the trial transcripts. I didn’t give Coach any personal information about you if that is what you are worried about and he didn’t ask.”

“I had no idea that trial transcripts are that easily available, Officer Jervis.”


They’re not; access generally requires a written Freedom of Information request and that takes time.”

“Then how did Mr. Brady get them so quickly?”

“I have no idea….perhaps because he is Coach. I caught hell for referring to you by your first name, Ms. Ryan and I apologize.

Coach explained it was disrespectful and unprofessional of me to address a mature woman in such a manner.

‘A mature woman,” Kate thought, ready to kill the troll.

I also read the transcripts of your trial. I’m not supposed to take a stance one way or the other. Off the record I don’t believe you did it either now, Ms. Ryan. The good news is that I do have some discretion in the administration of your probation. You will no longer be required to wear the “GPS” ankle bracelet.”

“Thank you, Officer Jervis.”

“You are welcome, Ms. Ryan.”

******************************************

There was a dark storm cloud gathering above Kate’s head in the kitchen as she waited for Jim to return.

When Jim walked into the kitchen, “Hello Kate, I trust you slept well?”

“Yes, thank you for asking, Sir.”

“Do you like your bedroom?”

“It’s adequate, Sir.”

“I see, just adequate,” Jim said, shaking his head in annoyance, “I also see that you are still fixated on calling me Sir?”

“Yes, Sir, I’m trying to be professional about it unlike some people.”

“Alright, what’s bothering you, Kate?”

“May I speak my mind without fear of being beaten or fired, Sir?”

“You may.”

“And you won’t wash my mouth out with soap.”

“No, spit it out,” he said grinning.

“Don’t think for a minute that you can buy me so cheaply.”

“Are you dissatisfied with our arrangement? Do you want more money? I feel I have been more than fair.”

“I can buy my own shampoo and other things like that. I’m not destitute, Sir.”

“What are you talking about, Kate? I was just trying to be nice to make you feel at home. I have no idea what brands you prefer.”

“You just want to get into my pants. It’s patently obvious. “

“Is that what you think, Kate? I have no other feelings or motives aside from the patently obvious?”

“All men want something. I know what you want, me.”

“Apparently there is no pleasing you, Kate, and yes I still do. That is part of our agreement,” Jim replied raising his voice with this difficult woman.

“You are angry. There is no point in trying to reason with you and discuss this sensitive issue further, Sir.”

“Don’t try and manipulate me, Kate; “there is no point in trying to discuss” is a manipulative argument falling on deaf ears.”

“Fine, we will have it out her an now. What business is it of yours reading my trial transcripts or interfering with my Probation Officer? I’m more than capable of handling that on my own.”

“Are you aware that as your employer I am required to provide Bobby with monthly time sheets along with a progress report?

I have to talk to your Probation Officer as a condition of your probation. You approached me, remember. You asked me for help. I have every right and a vested interest.”

“No I didn’t know about you reporting to Officer Jervis. But if you think I’m innocent why inquire?”

“Because I am looking into a few things, Kate.”

“Next subject ; don’t you think it hypocritical that you insist Officer Jervis address me as Ms. Ryan and you address me as Kate when my name is Katherine?”

“No, I do not think it is hypocritical.”

“How convenient, I….” Kate stated sarcastically before catching herself to really speak her mind.

“Bobby is one of my boys, Kate. I was his Little League Coach. He worked for me summers during High School and summers while attending college.

Bobby just turned twenty-two while you are going to be thirty-six in September. Bobby doesn’t have your life experience or sophistication.

Furthermore, Bobby has only been a Probation Officer for six months. In theory you are old enough to be his mother.


Bobby is young, inexperienced, highly motivated to succeed, perhaps a bit hardnosed. I am certain when he gets older and gains experience, Bobby will calm down and mature into the job.”

“I thought it was something else.”

“Fair enough, but I have to tell you I didn’t like finding the ankle bracelet on you. It is totally unnecessary and demeaning. It is no different than a shock collar on a dog.

You are none of those things and it angered me.”

“There is one more thing, Mr. Brady, is the occasional role in the sack open for negotiation?”

“In a word, no!”

“I have made a grocery list for you to approve. Many of the items in your cupboards are questionable or out of date. They need to be replaced. I’ve put them aside if you care to look.”

“That won’t be necessary. I’ll take your word for it. Dispose of them as you see fit.”

“I cleaned the widow’s walk and started on the attic. The window facing North on the widow’s walk sticks. You need to look into fixing that.

We can talk about the plastic storage tubs with lids and what my days off will be tomorrow. Do you need my services for the rest of the evening, Mr. Brady? Are you hungry?”

“No, I’m full of hotdogs and I have my team roster to go over.”

“I will be in my room, good night, Mr. Brady.”

“Goodnight, Kate.”

**********************************

Three months had gone by and Kate was well settled into a routine. She was getting used to Jim’s ways. Kate had no real complaints because she had the run of the house from top to bottom and kept it immaculate for them.

Kate is a well organized woman with a system and once she got things the way she wanted them, all Kate had to do was maintain.

Kate rearranged all the kitchen cupboards and moved furniture around including his bedroom. Jim didn’t complain.

As long as his leather chair and footstool had the floor lamp next to it and his meals were on time, everything was OK in the world as far as Jim was concerned.

Jim approved her grocery list every week and for the most part let Kate plan all their meals.

They took all their meals together even lunch. Jim came home from work for an hour most days and telephoned her when he couldn’t.

Jim wasn’t a picky eater and ate whatever she put in front of him aside from liking his steaks rare. Encouraged by this, Kate started trying out different recipes and dishes, something she wasn’t able to do when she was married.

The ex was an extremely picky eater who would throw a tantrum if she broke the yolk on his egg. Jim didn’t care as long as it was cooked.

It was amazing, Jim ate and ate with a healthy gusto never seeming to gain weight.

She found herself constantly comparing Jim with her ex- husband. Jim took all of his meals at a properly set table with her. He never in front of the television to eat, like some people, the ex-asshole.

Jim was considerate. He picked up after himself. He wiped out the tub and shower with his bath towel when he was done bathing, put his dirty clothes in the hamper….little things like that.

Jim hadn’t demanded Kate perform her wifely duties to date although out of the blue when she least expected it Jim would grab Kate and kiss her lips leaving her flustered.

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