Lost and Found
Chapter 2 - Candy's Quandary
Candy pulled her head out from the oven, yellow rubber gloves on her hands and sweat on her brow. She put the sponge she had been using down on the floor beside her and allowed herself a moment's rest, taking a deep breath. The cushion placed under her knees gave her some comfort, but she still had a lot of work to do until she could take a proper break. She glanced over at her chore chart on the fridge. Wednesday, as usual, meant it was the kitchen that required her attention. After allowing herself to catch her breath, she returned to scrubbing. It was incredibly unlikely that Steve would check her work, but she knew how angry he would be if there was a single speck of dirt or grime left behind. She shuddered as she thought about the last time her work hadn't been up to standards. 'Never again,' she thought to herself.
Twenty minutes later, she was finally satisfied with her work, closing the oven door and standing up with a pained groan. Her knees were aching and she allowed herself a few small steps around the kitchen's linoleum floor to stretch out a little. Candy placed the sponge and gloves in the sink ready to be cleaned later, absolutely parched after her hard work, and that needed to be fixed. She grabbed the kettle, filling it up and preparing a mug, popping a tea bag inside and grabbing a teaspoon from a drawer. As she waited for the water to boil, she looked out of the back window over her small but immaculately kept garden. She had always loved gardening and had partially chosen to rent the house because of the patch of grass and flower beds that seemed to almost be calling to her, as if awaiting her green thumb.
Her mind flashed back to a few years earlier, when she had first moved into the house she now considered a home, her first real home since she was a child. She had been an independent woman, managing a successful local restaurant and bringing in a nice income back then. She worked hard and spent her spare time crafting, gardening, and socializing with friends. She was incredibly happy but then the pandemic hit and everything changed. Suddenly she was out of work, left to potter around in her small two bedroom house all by herself, trying to fill her days with housework, television, and crafts. She had needed to claim benefits and along with the isolation, money became a real concern and several times she was unsure how she would be able to pay the rent. After a while she struggled keeping out the dark thoughts in her head caused by going over all the mistakes of her life, especially her greatest regret. She wondered where he was, if he was healthy and happy, if he thought about her too, and the scariest thought of all, if he hated her. Thinking about it had brought her to tears numerous times and she was gradually heading down a dark path, trapped in her own mind. It was on one of her lowest days when a friend had reached out and while they had talked, she had recommended a dating app to Candy.
"Hey, you might not meet anyone you want to be with, but you might make a friend?" she had reasoned. "It will help distract you and keep you busy at least?"
Candy had been skeptical but downloaded the app anyway, swiping away idly to help pass the time, working her way through the local eligible bachelors. Being in such a small town, there wasn't a lot of choice but she had found a couple of guys she liked the look of. This is how she had first met Steve. The two had matched and started chatting and while he wasn't her usual type, he had been sweet, considerate, and very complimentary about her appearance. It had been many years since Candy had been with anyone, causing her self-worth to plummet and for the first time in a long time, she had felt good about herself. The messaging led to phone calls, video calls, and eventually in person dates once the restrictions had started to lift a little. Finally Candy's smile had started to return, the dark cloud of depression and self-doubt lifting.
As the pandemic had stretched on Candy had done her best to make money, using her skills of knitting and sewing to bring in some extra income, but it still wasn't enough for her to get by. Eventually she had broken down crying and confided in Steve about her financial woes and he had suggested moving in together to alleviate the pressure. Candy was unsure about this having only known him a few months, but with bills rising and no way to pay them, it seemed to be her best option and so she had agreed. The transition had a few bumps, which was to be expected, but eventually they settled into a routine. Steve would go off to work and Candy would stay home, cooking, cleaning and generally taking care of the house. While she was happy to have someone that loved her and no longer be alone, she was an ambitious woman and wasn't happy just being the 'typical housewife.' She had been looking for jobs for some time and finally, after months of trying, she got an interview for a role at a local takeaway. It wasn't anything groundbreaking or glamorous, but it was a start and she was delirious with excitement to get back out into the world.
She had waited for Steve to finish work, eager with anticipation, picturing how excited he would be in her mind's eye. The thought made her smile and want to do a happy little jig as she waited for him. When he got home she rushed to the door to greet him, wrapping her arms around him. His beer belly pressed against her, the scent of masculine sweat, dirt, and oil hanging in the air as she planted a kiss on his cheek.
"Hey baby," he said, "What's got you so excited?"
"I got a job!" she exclaimed happily. "At the chip shop down the street!" She gave him an enthusiastic squeeze. "Isn't that exciting?" Steve's face turned dark, eyes narrowing, lips twisting into a scowl. Candy shrank away from him, surprised at his reaction.
