Second Ave Series: Ac-Counting on You (WLW)

The More You Know...

Gwen took a sip from her coffee as she finalized her last calculations for one of her regular clients and tucked the numbers away into a folder. The client, Steve Warwin, was opening his third burger shoppe and just wanted to make sure that everything was in line. It was just as she'd explained, but she understood the need to check all his boxes before he could take another step forward. Starting a franchise could be very difficult given the economy and had the chance of being a great endeavor, or something that would kill his business, so she helped him to strategically purchase a listing that fell well within his price bracket. As an accountant first, and a financial advisor second, this made up a huge bulk of her work on the regular.

Something about the numbers always made Gwen feel better. They were constant. You can't change numbers, Gwen. They're forever. Her dad's words rang clearly in her mind and she smiled as she recalled him only ever encouraging her strong connection to them. They were what got her through basic schooling by the age of fifteen and graduated from college at one of the youngest years recorded in her university's history. Finishing her work and checking the time on her wristwatch, she realized she still had a bit before her little brother's typical Thursday visit and pulled her phone from her pocket.

"Hey, dove!" Her father ecstatically answered after only two rings and she easily grinned as she moved with her coffee in hand from her perch at her desk to her sectional sofa, letting her legs relax along the extended portion. She crossed them and took another sip from her beverage as Clarence added, "How's it going? I'm on a job site now, but if this is an invite for dinner, your mother and I have wondered when we might see you next."

"It partially is. I also wanted to touch base, pops. How are things going on your end?" She let the sounds of a circular saw and the hammering of nails echoing from beyond the call serenade her as they had in her youth.

Gwen loved visiting her dad's worksites and heard his familiar chuckle, knowing precisely what was coming next. "We're great, dove. You hear that? We're working on building a person's dream house in Bremerton today. Right along the water. You want to come see?"

"Maybe later, pops. So, are you and mama going to come over soon?" Gwen checked the time on her wrist again and found that it was three minutes till.

"Of course. We can come any time you'd like. Your brother will be there soon and he and his band made some really great tunes. Totally vibin'." Gwen snorted at how cheesy he always was as she got to her feet and moved toward her sliding front door, hearing the lift just outside carrying someone up to her floor. "Well, I'll talk to your mama and see if we can head over some time this weekend. Would that be alright?"

"That'd be perfect, pop. Thanks."

"No worries. We love you, dove. Give your mama a call later, alright." She grunted her reply and he chuckled, though she could hear someone calling his name from afar. "Well, they're singing my tune. See you this weekend. Take care and remember how well you're doing. We're so proud of the steps you've made, so don't forget that."

"I won't. Love you both, too, pop. Talk later." With that and an ease to her shoulders, Gwen hung up her phone and there came a steady knocking at her door. Resting her hand on its coolness, she listened to the rhythm and smiled as she answered back, matching the beats with her own harmonizing. A cackle came from beyond the door and she opened it, immediately swamped in a loving hug from her best friend. "Hey, slim!"

"Hey, twinkle." Giggling at their family of nicknames, Gwen pulled back and poked his nose, receiving a boop of her own. On top of their habitual pet names for one another, their family had various ways of greeting each other and that which she shared with her brother was both poking their noses. "I got something for you. Check it out! It's an official EP!"