Are We There Yet? pt.2 of 2 (YTeen)
Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 5:52 am
An original short fiction piece written by Adrienne Mann 2008
“Are We There Yet?” part 2 of 2
Thankfully, Annie decided, the working week had seemed to go quite quickly. However, like someone’s idea of a practical joke, knocking-off time on Friday afternoon arrived with a heavy thunder storm. Marvellous, she thought to herself, dancing around the freshly-created puddles as she made her way as swiftly as she could to the bus terminal.
Fortunately, the number 15 was just now boarding and she chose a seat close to the rear of the lower deck. She took her book from her briefcase and settled herself, ready to drift away, briefly, into a world of princes and heroes.
“Hello there,” a voice spoke. “It’s Annie, right? Struan wotsisname’s PA.”
Annie turned to face the man now seating himself beside her.
“Tech Guy!” she exclaimed, certainly louder than she had intended and thus ensuring a sudden blush to redden her cheeks.
He brushed raindrops from his jacket and ran his fingers through his wet hair. “I cannot deny it, for that is what I am,” he confirmed, smiling warmly. “Funnily enough, quite a few people call me that, although, believe it or not, that’s not my real name.”
Annie’s heart sank.
“Oh, I am so sorry,” she apologised, “That was very rude of me.”
Tech Guy laughed. “Oh, I’m just messin’ with you. Seriously, I get it all the time. Don’t worry yourself. I actually find it quite amusing.”
“Well, that’s very generous of you, but if it were me I’d be a bit cheesed-off about it.”
“Nah. Much more important things to get worked up about, don’t you reckon?”
Annie returned Tech Guy’s smile and then met his gaze. His eyes were the colour of chocolate and for a brief moment she wondered if he looked at everyone with such seeming kindness.
He held her gaze for a while longer.
“Smile a lot, don’t you.” It was more a statement than a question.
Annie laughed softly and fiddled nervously with her book. “Only when I have something to smile about,” she replied.
“Well, it’s a very nice smile,” he offered, gently nudging Annie’s elbow in fun, “So best you keep happy so everyone else can reap the benefits, eh?”
You’re lovely, Annie formed the words in her head, unspoken.
“So,” Tech Guy asked, “You off home then?”
“Yes, ready to enjoy the weekend.”
“Big plans?”
“The biggest. I’m painting the fence in my back garden, ready for the winter,” Annie told him. “I do like to live the high life.” She smiled.
Tech Guy laughed. “I’m tempted to swap places with you, then.”
“Oh? You’re having a rip-roaring weekend too, are you?” Annie turned to face him. “Don’t tell me, you’re tiling your bathroom.”
“I wish!” he laughed again. “Actually, I’m off to my brother’s in Poplar this evening. I’m dog-sitting a hellhound. Well, more of a hell-puppy at the moment, really, but I can see just by looking into its eyes that it’s destined for a successful future of pure evil.”
Annie laughed out loud. “Good luck with that,” she smiled sympathetically.
They talked and laughed together all the way from Aldgate to Poplar, at which point Tech Guy shuffled out of his seat and stood up.
“All Saints!” yelled the driver.
“This is where I get off,” Tech Guy told Annie. “Thanks for being such great company on what’s usually a pretty dull journey.”
“My pleasure,” Annie beamed at him this time.
“Might see you around the building some time next week, then,” he smiled warmly, his eyes sparkling as he spoke. “Have a great weekend, Annie.”
She watched him make his way down to the front of the bus and stifled a giggle as he tripped over an elderly lady’s shopping bag and umbrella, which the lady had rather inconveniently placed beside her on the floor in the aisle. Although he had apologised and picked up the oranges which had escaped from the bag and rolled across the floor, the elderly lady still felt it necessary to give him a scornful look and tell him to watch where he was going.
Tech Guy got off the bus and waved at Annie from the pavement. That is one seriously good smile, she thought as she waved back at him.
She felt a little flutter of tummy butterflies at the thought of seeing him again after the weekend and wondered, hopefully, how she might engineer a ‘chance meeting’ with him at work. Taking a sledgehammer to her PC would certainly be effective, although its lack of subtlety was likely to give the game away.
Yes, she would very much like to see him again. Nice guys seemed to be so thin on the ground that she’d almost abandoned the idea of ever meeting one she might actually get along with, let alone possibly have a relationship with. Most of the men she came into contact with these days were like Dorian Heath, and she would rather spend the rest of her life single and alone than get involved with someone like that.
Annie shuddered. In fact, she'd rather stick her head into a bucket of scorpions.
Not that she was overly concerned about remaining single, although she had always hoped to someday have children and, being a bit of a traditionalist, she supposed that finding a potential husband should probably be the first step in that particular direction.
Still, this man – this hugely pleasant, funny, warm and friendly man, had given her a flicker of hope. Nice guys do still exist.
And then suddenly it dawned on her: She still didn’t know his name.
******
“Come on, you two!” she yelled back into the house, her hands full with plastic buckets, spades and rock-pool nets.
The two young boys came running out of the front door, almost knocking Annie over and they raced each other to the car. “Sorry, Mum!” the taller of the boys shouted behind him as his little brother overtook him on the pathway. Everything’s always a competition with those two, she sighed, shaking her head with a resigned smile.
After throwing the buckets, spades and nets on top of the picnic cool-box and the beach rugs that were already in the boot of the car, she went back to the house and locked up. Then, after checking the boys had strapped themselves securely into their car seats, Annie settled herself into the passenger seat.
“Got everything?” her husband asked, turning the ignition key.
“I think so, but too late now if we haven’t, I suppose.”
“Then let’s get this wagon rolling!” he declared, their sons loudly yelling “Yee-ha!” as they drove off, heading to the coast for the day.
Annie gazed out of the passenger window as they journeyed through the Sussex countryside, smiling in wonder at the newborn lambs gamboling playfully in the fields, the sun warming her face through the windscreen. She was half-listening to the boys nattering behind her and they seemed to be having a lively discussion as to who was more likely to build the best sandcastle.
Her husband glanced over at her. “You okay, love?”
“Yes,” she smiled back at him, resting her hand on his thigh. “Everything’s fine.”
She could hardly believe they had been married for almost 10 years now, and she could remember the day they had met like it was yesterday.
She could also remember, with no small amount of embarrassment, how she had laughed out loud when the minister asked if she would take this man “Charles” to be her lawfully wedded husband. To Annie, he was just Charlie. Only his great aunt Dorothy called him Charles, and Charlie said that was only because she’d married a man from Windsor and had fancied herself as the posh one in the family ever since.
As with any marriage, it hadn’t all been plain sailing and she remembered now that first year after their wedding and inwardly winced.
How many times over the years had she thought she’d made a terrible mistake in marrying Charlie, in getting married at all, and that remaining single and alone had seemed preferable? How many times had they had screaming matches over what later seemed to be the most ridiculous, pointless things? How many times had she told him she wished she’d never laid eyes on him?
How she had managed to miss his head when she’d thrown that dinner plate at him had always been a great mystery to her, too.
She thought now about all the times she had since regretted the anger and the arguments and realised that she was, in fact, a very lucky woman to have found him. And she chuckled quietly to herself as she remembered those times over the years when she had reminded him that he was so lucky to have her! Graciously, he had always agreed with her… before telling her that she really ought to stick with him because no-one else would have her.
This time she laughed out loud.
“Penny for them?” Charlie asked.
“Maybe later,” she replied, gently squeezing his thigh.
“Are we there yet?” asked one of the boys from the back seat. Charlie groaned and said, “Well, at least that took a little longer than usual.” And he smiled.
That smile! That lovely, warm smile. Although it was no longer as shy as it had been in the early days, it was still the same smile that had captured her heart all those years ago.
All those years ago when she had called him Tech Guy.
*****************************
“Are We There Yet?” is an original short fiction piece written by Adrienne Mann 2008
“Are We There Yet?” part 2 of 2
Thankfully, Annie decided, the working week had seemed to go quite quickly. However, like someone’s idea of a practical joke, knocking-off time on Friday afternoon arrived with a heavy thunder storm. Marvellous, she thought to herself, dancing around the freshly-created puddles as she made her way as swiftly as she could to the bus terminal.
Fortunately, the number 15 was just now boarding and she chose a seat close to the rear of the lower deck. She took her book from her briefcase and settled herself, ready to drift away, briefly, into a world of princes and heroes.
“Hello there,” a voice spoke. “It’s Annie, right? Struan wotsisname’s PA.”
Annie turned to face the man now seating himself beside her.
“Tech Guy!” she exclaimed, certainly louder than she had intended and thus ensuring a sudden blush to redden her cheeks.
He brushed raindrops from his jacket and ran his fingers through his wet hair. “I cannot deny it, for that is what I am,” he confirmed, smiling warmly. “Funnily enough, quite a few people call me that, although, believe it or not, that’s not my real name.”
Annie’s heart sank.
“Oh, I am so sorry,” she apologised, “That was very rude of me.”
Tech Guy laughed. “Oh, I’m just messin’ with you. Seriously, I get it all the time. Don’t worry yourself. I actually find it quite amusing.”
“Well, that’s very generous of you, but if it were me I’d be a bit cheesed-off about it.”
“Nah. Much more important things to get worked up about, don’t you reckon?”
Annie returned Tech Guy’s smile and then met his gaze. His eyes were the colour of chocolate and for a brief moment she wondered if he looked at everyone with such seeming kindness.
He held her gaze for a while longer.
“Smile a lot, don’t you.” It was more a statement than a question.
Annie laughed softly and fiddled nervously with her book. “Only when I have something to smile about,” she replied.
“Well, it’s a very nice smile,” he offered, gently nudging Annie’s elbow in fun, “So best you keep happy so everyone else can reap the benefits, eh?”
You’re lovely, Annie formed the words in her head, unspoken.
“So,” Tech Guy asked, “You off home then?”
“Yes, ready to enjoy the weekend.”
“Big plans?”
“The biggest. I’m painting the fence in my back garden, ready for the winter,” Annie told him. “I do like to live the high life.” She smiled.
Tech Guy laughed. “I’m tempted to swap places with you, then.”
“Oh? You’re having a rip-roaring weekend too, are you?” Annie turned to face him. “Don’t tell me, you’re tiling your bathroom.”
“I wish!” he laughed again. “Actually, I’m off to my brother’s in Poplar this evening. I’m dog-sitting a hellhound. Well, more of a hell-puppy at the moment, really, but I can see just by looking into its eyes that it’s destined for a successful future of pure evil.”
Annie laughed out loud. “Good luck with that,” she smiled sympathetically.
They talked and laughed together all the way from Aldgate to Poplar, at which point Tech Guy shuffled out of his seat and stood up.
“All Saints!” yelled the driver.
“This is where I get off,” Tech Guy told Annie. “Thanks for being such great company on what’s usually a pretty dull journey.”
“My pleasure,” Annie beamed at him this time.
“Might see you around the building some time next week, then,” he smiled warmly, his eyes sparkling as he spoke. “Have a great weekend, Annie.”
She watched him make his way down to the front of the bus and stifled a giggle as he tripped over an elderly lady’s shopping bag and umbrella, which the lady had rather inconveniently placed beside her on the floor in the aisle. Although he had apologised and picked up the oranges which had escaped from the bag and rolled across the floor, the elderly lady still felt it necessary to give him a scornful look and tell him to watch where he was going.
Tech Guy got off the bus and waved at Annie from the pavement. That is one seriously good smile, she thought as she waved back at him.
She felt a little flutter of tummy butterflies at the thought of seeing him again after the weekend and wondered, hopefully, how she might engineer a ‘chance meeting’ with him at work. Taking a sledgehammer to her PC would certainly be effective, although its lack of subtlety was likely to give the game away.
Yes, she would very much like to see him again. Nice guys seemed to be so thin on the ground that she’d almost abandoned the idea of ever meeting one she might actually get along with, let alone possibly have a relationship with. Most of the men she came into contact with these days were like Dorian Heath, and she would rather spend the rest of her life single and alone than get involved with someone like that.
Annie shuddered. In fact, she'd rather stick her head into a bucket of scorpions.
Not that she was overly concerned about remaining single, although she had always hoped to someday have children and, being a bit of a traditionalist, she supposed that finding a potential husband should probably be the first step in that particular direction.
Still, this man – this hugely pleasant, funny, warm and friendly man, had given her a flicker of hope. Nice guys do still exist.
And then suddenly it dawned on her: She still didn’t know his name.
******
“Come on, you two!” she yelled back into the house, her hands full with plastic buckets, spades and rock-pool nets.
The two young boys came running out of the front door, almost knocking Annie over and they raced each other to the car. “Sorry, Mum!” the taller of the boys shouted behind him as his little brother overtook him on the pathway. Everything’s always a competition with those two, she sighed, shaking her head with a resigned smile.
After throwing the buckets, spades and nets on top of the picnic cool-box and the beach rugs that were already in the boot of the car, she went back to the house and locked up. Then, after checking the boys had strapped themselves securely into their car seats, Annie settled herself into the passenger seat.
“Got everything?” her husband asked, turning the ignition key.
“I think so, but too late now if we haven’t, I suppose.”
“Then let’s get this wagon rolling!” he declared, their sons loudly yelling “Yee-ha!” as they drove off, heading to the coast for the day.
Annie gazed out of the passenger window as they journeyed through the Sussex countryside, smiling in wonder at the newborn lambs gamboling playfully in the fields, the sun warming her face through the windscreen. She was half-listening to the boys nattering behind her and they seemed to be having a lively discussion as to who was more likely to build the best sandcastle.
Her husband glanced over at her. “You okay, love?”
“Yes,” she smiled back at him, resting her hand on his thigh. “Everything’s fine.”
She could hardly believe they had been married for almost 10 years now, and she could remember the day they had met like it was yesterday.
She could also remember, with no small amount of embarrassment, how she had laughed out loud when the minister asked if she would take this man “Charles” to be her lawfully wedded husband. To Annie, he was just Charlie. Only his great aunt Dorothy called him Charles, and Charlie said that was only because she’d married a man from Windsor and had fancied herself as the posh one in the family ever since.
As with any marriage, it hadn’t all been plain sailing and she remembered now that first year after their wedding and inwardly winced.
How many times over the years had she thought she’d made a terrible mistake in marrying Charlie, in getting married at all, and that remaining single and alone had seemed preferable? How many times had they had screaming matches over what later seemed to be the most ridiculous, pointless things? How many times had she told him she wished she’d never laid eyes on him?
How she had managed to miss his head when she’d thrown that dinner plate at him had always been a great mystery to her, too.
She thought now about all the times she had since regretted the anger and the arguments and realised that she was, in fact, a very lucky woman to have found him. And she chuckled quietly to herself as she remembered those times over the years when she had reminded him that he was so lucky to have her! Graciously, he had always agreed with her… before telling her that she really ought to stick with him because no-one else would have her.
This time she laughed out loud.
“Penny for them?” Charlie asked.
“Maybe later,” she replied, gently squeezing his thigh.
“Are we there yet?” asked one of the boys from the back seat. Charlie groaned and said, “Well, at least that took a little longer than usual.” And he smiled.
That smile! That lovely, warm smile. Although it was no longer as shy as it had been in the early days, it was still the same smile that had captured her heart all those years ago.
All those years ago when she had called him Tech Guy.
*****************************
“Are We There Yet?” is an original short fiction piece written by Adrienne Mann 2008
good story. Are you going to post any more. I really liked this. It was sweet and fun.
I loved the ending, too! Great story! 
And I laughed at this...