YOU NEVER CAN TELL
Chapter 19: ‘What A Wonderful World’
Summary: Spike gets up his nerve to ask for a raise, but his boss just may beat him to the punch. This chapter is a study in how there ‘are’ wonderful, campassionate people in the world.
Spike Giles sat on a rock, smoking a cigarette and thinking about the night before. It was first break and Spike was getting ready to ‘talk’ to Mr. Green, about a raise or overtime pay. Buffy and the baby needed so many things and Spike had to be able to pay for them. His wife and child needed him to step up to the plate, completely, and take care of them, right that is.
He’d almost lost his Buffy, almost and that could never, ever, happen again. Spike realized, just last night, that he’d have to swallow his pride, buck up his nerve and ‘talk’ to Mr. Green, Jesse’s dad.
After they had danced last night, Buffy and him, they made love. Not the passionate, heated love-making that they had experienced for some time now, together. This love making was like their first time together, sweet, slow and gentle. Spike realized, even more, how much he loved and needed his wife and child. They were everything to him.
“Dad wants to see you, Spike,” Jesse’s deep voice broke into the teen’s thoughts.
Spike leapt up from the rock, grinding his cigarette butt out under his work boot. He was just about to go ask to see Mr. Green, now the old man wanted to see him?
‘This can’t be good,’ Spike grimmaced, ‘probably about my not comin’ to work yesterday. Bloody hell!’ he hissed to himself. ‘What now? Am I gonna’ get fired?’
After knocking at Mr. Green’s trailer office door, Spike was told to come in by his employer. Spike didn’t know Mr. Green, too well, that is. The man’s son had arranged for this job for Spike, as a favor to their friend, Xander Harris. Mr. Green had never really paid a lot of attention to Spike, or asked a lot of questions of him. That had suited Spike just fine, thank you.
“Sit down, Spike,” Mr. Green motioned to the chair in front of his desk. Spike noticed the rolls and rolls of apparent blue prints that decorated Mr. Green’s desk top.
After doing as he was told, Spike waited, nervously, for Mr. Green to continue.
“I don’t know much about you Spike,” Mr. Green began, almost friendly like. “Know even less about your lovely wife, Buffy is it?”
“Yes sir,” Spike nodded, still uncomfortable at this conversation, no matter how amicable Mr. Green was being.
“Hmmm,” Mr. Green leaned back in his chair and eyed the obviously anxious young man in front of him.
“Mr.Green ,” Spike began, carefully, “if this is about yesterday? I’m sorry I didn’t show, but I…”
“No, it’s not about yesterday, Spike,” Mr. Green chuckled. “Forgive my son, Jesse, but he did explain everything to me, just to cover for you. And that’s fine, really. I’m proud of my son, Jesse, that is,” the older man grinned. “He’s becoming quite a mature, good young man. As for his wife and child? I adore them.”
Spike shifted in his chair, more nervous then ever. What the hell did Mr. Green want from him?
“Jesse tells me that Buffy is due to have your baby, soon now? May I ask you, how old are you, really Spike? And how old is your Buffy?” Green asked, with a raised brow.
“I’ll be nineteen, sir, in August, the 20th that is. My Buffy is just eighteen, last April 14th.”
‘Why the bloody hell does he want to know this?’ Spike wondered, anxiously. ‘Oh shit! He’s trying to find out about Sunnydale? What happened and…’
“Don’t be nervous son,” Mr. Green smiled warmly, “I’m just interested, in my employees. Their families. Especially in you and your wife, Spike. I’ve gotten some great input from my foremen, about your work. They all think you’re the greatest employee I have, including my son, Jesse. I thought it was time to move you up, on the pay scale that is.”
Spike began to feel light-headed, bloody fucking dizzy with excitement. The old man was going to give him a raise! And he didn’t even have to ask, demand or beg on bended knee for it!
“I don’t know what to say, Mr. Green,” Spike stammered, almost shyly. “I mean, thank you, but please, I don’t want to ask for charity and…”
“Nonsense, Spike,” his employer spat, “you give me a good, hard day’s work? I pay you a well earned wage. How would that be charity, son?”
“It wouldn’t be, sir,” Spike whispered, trying not to let the threatening tears of joy and relief spill down his cheeks.
“Also,” Mr. Green, continued, “Jesse tells me that you’re a bright guy, probably can read these damn blue prints of mine. Better’n me, I’m sure. I thought maybe you could help me out with them, help me figure them out? Would you do that?”
“Of course,” Spike blurted in a heartbeat. “I’d love to…” his excited voice trailed off, in sudden embarrassment.
“Good then,” Mr. Green grinned, happily and reached out to shake Spike’s hand. “I’ve also been looking into some kind of medical benefits, to offer my employees. It’d be part of their wage and compensation packages. What do you think, Spike? Do you think you and boys out there might like medical and maybe even dental insurance coverage? For you all and your families?”
“Thank you, Mr. Green,” Spike whispered, unable to speak louder, for fear of bursting into tears of relief.
“Don’t mention it, Spike,” the older Green shook his dark head. “I like you. Don’t know you well, really, but I like the cut of you. Jesse and Winnefred can’t say enough nice things about you and your wife, Buffy. Winnefred just goes on and on about what an asset your little woman is to you. You do think your wife is an asset, don’t you Spike?”
“Oh, yeah, my Buffy’s that, Mr. Green,” Spike just finally let a lone tear slip down his cheek. My Buffy? She’s my bloody salvation, Mr. Green,” he added, sincerely.
“Okay, then,” Mr. Green chuckled proudly, happy to be of such apparent help to another young couple. “I want you to take the rest of the day off, Spike. Go home and take your wife out for a nice lunch or supper. Celebrate your pay raise, eh?”
“Thanks, Mr. Green,” Spike stood up, shakily, holding out his hand, yet again to shake this good man’s larger one.
“Don’t mention it, Spike, or is that William?” The older man grinned, mischeiviously at his employee.
“Either, sir,” Spike grinned back at him. “And sir,” Spike mumbled shyly, “thank you again. You’re a pretty nice bloke, sir. A wonderful boss,” he finished with a shy smile.
“It’s a pretty wonderful world, Spike,” Mr. Green called as the teen turned to leave. “You take good care of your ‘asset’ your ‘salvation’ son. Jesse’s mother and I? She was sixteen and I was seventeen, when we got married. I never finished High School, neither did she. But, twenty-three years and three children later? We’ve done well for ourselves, son. You and your asset will too, I’m sure.”
Buffy was washing her underthings, by hand, in the kitchen sink, humming softly. It was only 10:00 AM and she still had plenty of time to throw together the homemade spaghetti dinner she was planning for supper that night.
Her spaghetti wasn’t the best in the world, even in Texas, Buffy didn’t delude herself. However, it was passable, taste wise, and fairly inexpensive to fix. With a salad and rolls, it made a good meal. Besides, it could be stretched into two meals and that was really important right now.
She wondered how Will was making out at work, with his quest to ask for better pay, that is. It was important for William to make more money, for many reasons. One of which? Buffy realized that her husband needed to feel like he was ‘taking care’ of his family. Her young husband’s pride was at stake here, and Buffy prayed that he could convince Mr. Green to give him more pay.
‘God, Will,’ Buffy sighed as she squeezed out the soapy water from her much larger bra. ‘I hope Mr. Green comes through. I know how hard it is, for you to swallow your manly pride and…’
Her thoughts were interrupted by the slamming of the front door of their rented house.
“Buffy!” Will cried from the front door, “where are you, luv?” he asked. Buffy could ‘feel’ her husband’s excitement from the kitchen.
“Will?” Buffy dropped the wet bra back into the soapy water and hurried to the living room. She stood shocked, in the kitchen doorway, when she saw her handsome, wonderful husband standing in the vestibule, a huge bouqette of red roses in his hands. There was a huge, excited grin on his handsome mouth and Buffy realized that her brilliant hubby must have ‘gotten’ that raise he’d asked for.
“What are you doing home? Now?” Buffy asked anxiously.
“Can’t a bloke come home and see his beautiful, very sexy wife?” Spike countered with a chuckle. He closed the gap between them and threw his arms about Buffy, careful not to crush the flowers or squeeze her too tightly.
“A beautiful, sexy wife who’s husband loves her, so very much. I might add,” he added, with a quick kiss on Buffy’s sweet mouth.
“You got it, didn’t you?” Buffy whimpered, softly. “You got the raise you asked for, huh?”
“Got it, but didn’t even have to ask,” Spike whispered, proudly into his lovely wife’s little warm ear.
“I don’t understand,” Buffy pulled back and gazed into her William’s lovely blue eyes.
“Sit down, Princess,” Spike pulled Buffy to the couch. “I’ll tell you everything, all of it.”
‘What A Wonderful World’ (by Louis Armstrong)
‘I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom, for me and you
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.
I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.
The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of the people going by
I see friends shaking hands, saying how do you do
They’re really saying, I love you.
I hear babies crying, I watch them grow
They’ll learn much more, then I’ll ever know
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world
Yes, I think to myself…what a wonderful world.’
A/N: A quick chapter, to set things up for the next few chapters. Next time? Although Spike and Buffy are doing a little better, financially wise, their past (or should I say their families) are going to catch up with them. What will happen? And, Buffy’s delivery ‘will not’ be easy (who’s is?!?). Everyone, say a prayer and/or keep your fingers crossed for our young couple…they’ll need it when the ‘hounds of Sunnydale’ come a knockin’ at their Houston door.
Thanks for reading and please review. Luv, Spuf
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Thank you to everyone reading this and reviewing.
Luv, Spuf
Luv, Spuf