Waiting for Andrew to become a man

By Eva Nathan

Andrew knew he had to tell Vera one day or another, but he was stalling.

Sure they could still stay at Spring falls apartments for another month or so. But eventually they had to move back.

He scratched his head as he went through his meagre salary slip for the umpteenth time. There were the twins' braces that still needed two payments- he could make that with the deposit money. Vera's hair and nail appointments as she tried to look good for house-showings. If you could call fifty looking good. At least she wasn't fat.

He still could not understand why she still was paid in commission. So no sale, no job.

His boss was a real douche to put it mildly. And moving eleven hours away from your family just to come stay in some 'cheap' neighbourhood and city where you're the only one who is still the odd one out sounded like high school all over again.

But he still loved Vera and her children.

But he was not going to kill for her. So come July, they were going to move back to Kensington and to his family. Tonight he was going to have "the talk" with her.

Vera pushed her light blonde coloured hair out of her face as she walked to the house. Mayfair and Jason was depending on this sale, she reminded herself. Oh, she wanted to prove to herself and to that whole sobbing office that she could make it. That she also could make it out of blue to yellow zone and then into orange.

While waiting for the couple to arrive she locked open the door and bolted straight to the large window. Fresh air spilled into the room. With a smile she fished out some lavender freshener from her handbag and sprits-sprits, she flicked her wrists. A sweet cheap- lavender imitation spilled out into the room. Dimly at first, then grew to an almighty orchard pushed on by the gusty wind blowing in through the windows. She quickly grabbed a cushion from one armchair and began to wave the smell away.

"What would Jackson do?" she pondered as she waved the cushion and recited what she knew. She was panting now as her heartbeat started to pound in her ears. Stopping, she replaced the cushion back to its place and wiped her hair away from her face she took a deep breath.

"I will make this sale..." she hummed her mantra, "I will make this sale." her miraculously late-born children always in front of her. Andrew somewhere in the background. Smiling meekly.

These days she didn't think much of him, in fact. He was... dependable like a swiss watch. Always there looking after their money. Paying the bills, she admitted that she was lost without him.

But now that she was actually smelling the money- the lavender fields was practically gone- she would be okay.

She walked to the hall and spruced her hair a little. She applied a little lipstick and pondered again about Jackson. She actually thought more and more about the guy, and as she made her way into the kitchen she hoped that she did not have a teenage crush on the man.

He had light brown wavy hair, light blue eyes and a physique that she wished Andrew had kept up. She knew he was not married but that was as far as she was about to go with him.

He was cute and kind, sharp and always knew how to close the deal. The first one to help her in this ever demanding and competitive work. And in a way she envied him.

He had no run down 2000- something Mercedes to carry him to work. He had a little dark blue car. A Chinese make- that was all she knew about cars. There was no one to hassle him about school fees and braces- although she loved her children with all her heart. No worries about starting your life away from long nosed in-laws and falling behind on payments. She promised herself that given the chance, she would not give up her comforts. And she hated his family!

Just then a car pulled up and her adrenaline shot up.

She ran as quickly as she could in her stilettos to the door and hurriedly brushed over herself as she blew out a small gasp of air.

"I will make this sale..." she sucked in air and opened the door. Just to exclaim softly to the man walking up the driveway, "O my... life..."

If she was starting to develop a teenage crush it just turned into a full blown yearning as she looked at his striding posture. Blood was rushing to her cheeks. His leather boots making scraping sounds as to announce his self-confident stride. He took to the stairs as she watched his crisp light buttoned top, wondering who ironed it for him. Or if he was just that damn good. Her heartbeat resounding in her ears she went from first to fifth gear within seconds. He was standing in front of her now stretching out his hand professionally.

"Hello new girl," he smiled as she slipped her hand into his. Warm to the touch, she felt. Soft too. She nodded her head childishly. He's eyes dropped for a second as to look her over. Still holding her hand, looking intently at her, he continued, "Vera Asmerov, right?"

"Yes," she answered trembling. Get a grip on yourself girl, she scolded herself and broke off contact by loosening her hand.

"That I am. How may I help you?"

"The company sent me," he softly cleared his throat and smiled softly so. "To help you."

She did not know how to respond to this. Sure he was the top salesman, and he even helped her with a few pointers when all the others did was smirk. But she now folded her arms in front and looked at him puzzling. "To help me with what?"

His light blue eyes drifted to the house and back to her. "With your first sale, why of course!"



And what a sale, she thought that night when she brought her Mecedes to a halt. She thought of his comment about the stink in the house with a smile before she brought the culprit to light. Still sitting in the car she took out the bottle and opening the door, she threw it in one of the boxes.

Finally she could move her name to the yellow block, and she also had a date tomorrow to discuss her second helping of his good nature.

Skipping up to the kitchen she gave her husband a look as he was standing by the dining room table. Her twins were also sitting there.

"Good evening," she said but it was evident that they did not here her.

"I told the teacher but she locked the door!" Mayfair suddenly exclaimed as Vera walked nearer, looking at Andrew. "And what is this all about?"

"Her grades are failing and she simply refuses to bring her study-guides home."

"Is this true, honey?" Vera asked tenderly as she slipped out of her stilletos. Standing all day in them were a necessity today, but not at home. Mayfair looked up at her, and her heart softened. But her grades spoke for itself and he regrettably was right. Jason's grades were on the other hand a love letter.

"Keep this up and you'll have to stay at home alone this summer," Vera's verdict rang out and Mayfair pushed her chair away as she sprang incredulously to her feet. "What!"

"And you'll only wear clothes that I decide on. And you know that means the loony-tunes outfits from middle school. School allowance cuts... etcetera etcetera. Boy I'm tired..." she walked to the kitchen to dial up a pizza. She could at least afford that now, with Jacksons help. Mayfair walked up to her, arms crossed head resting on her back.

"Hello... yes, carnivore pizza... three cokes," her daughters face lit up immediately.

After dinner that night Andrew waited for his wife to come to bed. Apparently a sale had gone through that day.

But still intent on telling her his solution he lied arms crossed behind his head. Seeing how she handled Mayfair and spoiling the child rotten, ignoring his pleas and buying food, he laughingly decided that he was married to a lovable but incompetent fool. When it came to her children, she always wanted to be right.

She now came in waddling in fluffy pink shoes, a long white nightgown and eying his wife, decided that his news could wait until at least morning.

"What!" Vera exclaimed with her heavily laden fork halfway in the air. "What are you telling me, Andrew?"

"We will have run out of money. Already, as it seems."

"But I..." her eyes glaring at him. "I made a sale. I am getting good at what I am doing," she let out incredulously. "You can't do this..."

"You sound just like your daughter, Vera. Are you twelve?" Her eyes popped out as she looked over at her children sitting hunched over their food. Apparently Mayfair didn't hear the insult.

"Let's go into our room. Let's talk," she jumped up and sent the stool screeching back.

"Let's, honey. While we still have a room to go into!" she stormed out.



Jackson's devastatingly and ravishing good looks could not save her that morning as she sat at her desk looking at him. He was explaining something to Mayra. A sad and sorry individual. Still looking at him he now walked over to her.

"And what's with the long face?" She wondered if she could disclose her awful news but decided against it. "I have a problem." He pulled out a chair from the next booth and sat next to her. Her heartrate pitched up. Blood went gushing to her cheeks and she now smiled a happy smile.

He smelt so good!

"Tell me, what's up?"

"I have to make another sale and I... I'm just so... incompetent," she lied. Looking up to him she decided that she would tell Andrew to take the kids and go and she would follow.

"Should I accompany you today still and show you the ropes?"

"I would so appreciate that, Jackson."

"Okay. Meet me in the foyer in five."

It became a regular occurrence that week, she meeting him in the foyer. Them going out to eat afterwards. And for that whole week she rarely spent a day in her own car. She admired his work-ethic, learned from him, took everything he had to learn and got even more aroused.

When she made love to her husband she was thinking of him.

When Andrew called her at work and asked if she would be okay without them she assured him that she would miss them, but that she would work out her notice period and join them.

At his parent's house.



The next week skidded by fast, as it was already Wednesday, she thought whilst eating at her desk. She was now practically living off attention from him. Shooing away flies as they zoomed around him. Myra was the first, Zanetti after and Silique next.

"Meet in the foyer?" she asked him as he passed by. His feet stopping abruptly as he motioned for a yes. "Now, quickly Vera?"

He wants me... she thought giddily as she bobbed her head. She shot out of her chair and followed him. Smelling his essence as he walked in front, wearing that light blue shirt and devastatingly dark blue levi's hugging his well framed hips and legs. He had a bounce to his walk. A warmth to his eyes. Just like her dead ex-husband.

Eyes watching them admiringly, she decided as she scanned the room.

In the foyer he turned to her, like James Bond would to his new woman. He told her in not so many words that a huge house was going to get sold by them. Meaning them two. Meaning tonight will be the night that they'll be swimming in dollars!

Walking next to him in conversation she felt so important. Working side by side with New England's finest salesman was her pride and joy. She never felt that way with Andrew. Never!

Last night's call was as dry as ever, she preferred to talk to her children who was staying with her grandma. Who would ever want to move to mommy and daddy's house?

Like Jackson always says, "Those who don't try don't get by."



So they went from room to room airing it out. Going over points, taking photos. Talking and laugh-ing. He pointed out a small crack on the ceiling and begrudgingly made a joke about lowering the price because of it.

"But that is not how you do things, Jackson. You just win."

"No I don't," he replied and walked over to his laptop. Before her hand went out and grabbed his wrist. She looked admiringly at him, "You do. And you never sell yourself short."

"I appreciate it, darlin'." A sudden burst of loving energy made her ask, "Will you join me for supper, tonight?" He smiled dashingly. His teeth were pearly white, his chin shaved neat and clean. His eyes so clear she could see the ocean on a sunny day.

"Not tonight," he chuckled giddy, his twang getting the best of him. "I'm askin' my girlfriend to marry me!"

Everything inside of Vera came to a screeching halt. She let go of his arm and he, in turn, marched straight to his laptop as if his legs were a wound up machine. Her eyes flickering over the white painted room of the massive hall she asked, "What?"

Klikkerty-clack, went his fingers as he responded to an email.

"They're gonna be here in an hour's time."

"You're getting engaged?"

He looked up and smiled. Looking just like Everett looked when she met him in college. Heart aching, he had to truly admit to herself that she settled for Andrew. That she saw her last light passing by with this youngin'. That college and youth truly were something of the past. And holding onto it just made her feel more pathetic and old. And in times like this, just hurt a hell of a lot more.

"Yeah. Texan boy is goin be wed. Ain't it great?"

With a pain in her chest she answered a defeated and weak yeah.

They sold the house and got paid. Yeah...

She took her leave after the girls congratulated her on saving them from making a fool out of them-selves in front of Jackson. "Thanks aunty Vera..." Yeah...

The next week she quit her job. Got on a plane and joined Andrew at his parents' place. Cramped and getting crankier she bounced over to her granny's house with her children.

Waiting for Andrew to become a man.