𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐄 ~ 𝐌𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐌𝐈𝐃𝐓

⁰⁰¹

"Abby, wake up sweetie" I said as I gently opened the door to the room seeing Abby laying down in her fort we had made for her last night.

"She not getting up?" Mike asked as he walked into the room, trying to do up his tie.

"No, come here" I said, Mike came over and stood in front of me, I helped him do his tie up before smiling at him.

"Thanks"

"You're welcome, do you want a coffee?" I asked and he nodded so I walked past him and went to the kitchen to make me and Mike some coffee.

"Five minutes" I heard Mike say as I finished pouring out the coffee.

It took Abby a bit longer than five minutes but eventually she was ready to go so me and Mike dropped her off at school before we went to the building where Mike and I would be meeting with the counselor. Mike ended up losing his job as security in the mall because he beat up a guy in broad daylight in front of his child.

"I'm worried Grace" I looked up at the man driving the car with a confused look.

"Why Mike?" I asked him and he looked at me.

"What if I can't get a job? I won't have money meaning I'm not fit to look after Abby meaning she'll go to aunt Jane" he rambled and I looked at the road.

"I highly doubt that you won't get a job Mike, sure you can let your past get to you sometimes but it's a lot better than what it used to be" I replied and he sighed, a small smile on his face.

"Thanks Grace, I'm lucky to have you" he said before kissing my hand which made me smile.

"Your welcome Mike" I said just as we pulled into the car park.

We entered the building and went to the front desk, they gave us a number and told us to take a seat, someone would come soon and call our number.

"Number 27?" I looked up and saw a lady looking at the people sitting in the room, I elbowed mike and he quickly snapped out of his daydream and stood up.

"Follow me" the lady took us to a room with a man, his name plate said he was Mr Steve Raglan, a career counselor.

"Mm. What is your deal, Mike? What are you, some kind of…head case? You beat up a man in broad daylight, in front of his child" Mr Raglan asked Mike and he looked down, not making eye contact with me when I looked at him.

"That was a mistake. Um…It was a misunderstanding. I-I thought…" Mike stuttered, I placed a hand on his and rubbed it slightly.

"Just look at your employment record. Tire Zone, sales associate, two months, terminated. Insubordination. Media World, custodial staff, one week. It’s like you’re not even trying here, yet you sit before me asking for help. I am just trying to figure out who you are, Mr. Michael Sh…" he stopped talking when he looked at Mike's name, making me confused along with Mike.

"Is something wrong Mr Raglan?" I asked and he looked at me and shook his head.

"No no, nothing is wrong" he said before getting up from where he was sitting.

"Coffee?" He asked us.

"Sorry?" Mike replied back while I stayed silent.

"Uh, would you, would you like some… some coffee? I made some coffee" Mr Raglan said rather nervously and I shook my head.

"No" Mike said, he seemed really annoyed at this point so I squeezed his hand and he smiled slightly at me, squeezing my hand back.

"I’m-I’m gonna be brutally honest with you here, Mike. Given your track record, your options… are gonna be extremely limited." Mr Raglan said as he finished pouring coffee before looking at us.

"I’ll take anything, okay? Any-any job you got" Mike and I looked at Mr Raglan.

"Yeah and if you have a job for me as well then I'll take it too" I said to Mr Raglan.

"No. No. Look, I-I-I get that part. Um, it’s just… You know, it’s not that easy" Mike sighed and nodded before getting up and grabbing his coat.

"Yeah. Thank you, come on Grace" I got up ready to leave and just as I was about to grab my coat, Mr Raglan spoke up.

"I have a job for you, both of you actually" I stopped in my tracks and looked at Mike who was looking between me and Mr Raglan.

"Come on, sit down" Mr Raglan said before he continuously asked us to sit so we did.

"Okay, uh, well, what is it?" I nodded and Mr Raglan looked at both of us.

"It’s a security gig. Full disclosure: it’s not great. Right? High turnover, that’s what we call it in the business, but you get to be your own boss. Sort of. And you only have to worry about one thing, keeping people out, and-and, you know, and keep the place tidy" Mr Raglan told us and it didn't sound too bad but I wasn't too sure about it.

"That's two things"

"You both want the job or not" I looked at Mike and he looked at me before looking back at Mr Raglan.

"How's the pay?" Mike asked the counsellor and by the look on his face, it wasn't too good.

"Not great, but the hours are worse" Mr Raglan admitted and Mike seemed a bit annoyed.

"I can't do nights" I heard him whisper to me.

"Excuse me?" Mr Raglan asked both of us.

"I can't do nights, Grace probably could though" Mike said louder.

"I don't know, if it is the only thing available then I'll consider it" I replied and Mr Raglan looked at us, slightly disappointed.

"That's such a shame" he said before me and Mike got our things together.

"Thank you Mr Raglan" I said before shaking his hand and going to walk out of the room.

"Wait, uh… in case you have a change of heart" he handed us both a card with his name and number on it before allowing us to both leave his office.

"Do you think we should take it?" I asked Mike and he shrugged.

"If there's no other job available during the day then I guess we have no other choice" Mike replied before wrapping an arm around my shoulders, kissing the side of my head.

"I guess you're right" I muttered before we got to my car.

"So what do you want for dinner tonight?" Mike asked and it was my turn to shrug my shoulders.

"Probably won't eat anything, not really feeling too hungry" I admitted and he nodded.

"I love you Grace" Mike took hold of my hand and placed a kiss onto it causing me to smile.

"Love you too Mike, let's go home, I'm completely exhausted from waiting around for that meeting" I said, Mike laughed at what had been said as I started to drive us back home.

"All we did is wait in a room, how does that tire you out?" Mike asked and I shrugged.

"I don't know, it just does" I said with a small smile on my face.

"What ever you say"

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