Miss Communication

Miss Communication Part 1 Lost Momentum

Matt

Hey, are you ok? I asked my wife. She didn't say or do anything to suggest otherwise but I love her, and I knew her best.

Riley looked at me curiously "You can always tell. You are right" she admitted. "Something happened at work. It's not a biggie"

"What happened?"

Riley shrugged "My evaluation wasn't great" she admitted "I mean it wasn't horrible, but it wasn't great either"

I frowned, confused. Riley worked as a structural engineer for a big contracting company. She was in charge of making sure that everything they build is up to standard. and code and her work was so important to her. It was the kind of job she looked forward to getting up to. "How come?" I asked pretty much assuming that Adam, her supervisor, is being a dick about it.

Riley sighed "He said I am losing momentum"

The thought itself was impossible but a glimpse in her eyes made me wonder "Are you?"

Riley's frown deepened "Maybe just a little" she said "It doesn't matter"

"It used to matter" I said trying to understand her "Did something happen at work? Did they upset you somehow?"

She thought about it and shook her head "No" She admitted "I just lost my momentum I guess"

"Are you doing something to get it back?" I asked her

"Nah" She shrugged again "It will work itself out"

I had to take a deep breath. It was ok for her to have a hard time at work. She seemed unaffected and... unconcerned? It wasn't like her. Riley was young, and this was her first job out of college. She was good at it though. Better than good. Riley worked there for the past three years and she had been promoted twice. This didn't make any sense at all "It wont work itself out without you helping it" I said "Do you need time off? Do you want to talk about it? We can come up with a plan."

Riley sighed dramatically. "Let go Matt" she said "I want you not to worry about it"

"I do worry about it" I pointed out my voice firming up but just a little. "Riles, you are gonna lose your job"

"I won't" she snapped "For heaven's sake Matt I am just tired of working so hard all the time. Everyone at the office goof off all the time and it's perfectly ok, but I take some time to chat with some friends and everyone around me freaks out"

I glared at her "How much time?"

She rolled her eyes at me "None of your fucking business Matt" she said with a tone that borderlines on whiney.

I took a deep breath and studied her. She didn't lose momentum. She lost her discipline. Work was still important to her. She didn't want to risk it, she just didn't want to put in the work for not risking it. This was going to end up badly for her. "Riles" I said softly "You have to trust me. You are going to lose your job. Let me help you..."

My twenty-six-year-old wife stomp her feet in anger "Fucking hell Matt. I said stay OUT!"

"Young lady I should take you over my knee and spank your bottom red" The words came to my head with no warning. It's been years since I even thought about spanking. I wasn't even sure where the thoughts came from. I was just starting to wonder if it was something that might help when Riley's stunned look registered. I didn't think of the words. I said them out loud.