Bob cleared his throat politely.  "So, tell me Amy, what did you want

to see me about?"

Amy smiled bravely and dove in head first.  "Well, Bob it is about our

mortgage--"

His immediate reaction caught her off guard.  "You're late on your very

first mortgage payment.  Several weeks overdue, as a matter of fact."

His tone was neutral, bordering on accusatory-- the banker coming out.

Amy looked down, playing with a button on her white blouse.  Without

looking at the older man, she spoke into her lap.  "Well, you see,

Wendell, uh, he lost his job right after we were approved and he hasn't

been able to find work since then-- but he's looking real hard.  I was

hoping you could help us Bob, the way you helped us to get the loan.

Maybe bend a few rules like you did when we applied.  Just maybe give

us an extension Bob-- Wendell just knows he's going to get a job soon.

He's down at Unemployment now, that's why he couldn't come with me."

The banker didn't blink, didn't respond at all.  She thought he'd be

angry-- he had worked with them so closely to help them organize their

finances.  But no-- he merely looked at her with those emotionless blue

eyes.  He opened the file and read silently.

"Empire Building, that is where Wendell was working-- right?"

She nodded.

He shook his head.  "Too bad.  He was making good money-- almost thirty thousand a year, that right?"

Amy smiled proudly.  Wendell was doing so well for his age.  "Yes, Bob,

and I just know he'll get another job like it very soon.  And he thinks

he might be called back any day now, when they get reorganized.  Right

now he's ready to take anything he can get and we're sure he'll get

something."  She nodded as she said it, trying to show him how much he

should believe her.

A thin smile, then a shake of his steel gray haired head.  "Possibly.

Now, you say Wendell may get called back.  He won't.  Empire is

bankrupt.  They owe the bank hundreds of thousands of dollars. It

has been coming for a long, long time.  They are so deep in the red that

it's clear that that they'll never open again.  Believe me, when  I

heard about this from the Commercial Loan people I couldn't have been

more surprised."

Amy was stunned.  When they had submitted their mortgage application,Mr. Baines had been the one that said Empire was a "solid company" that would be around for many years to come.  He even said they might be expanding soon, with promotions and raises possible.  That had only been three months ago!

"And," he continued passionlessly, "there's no other construction firm

in the whole county that will be hiring.  In fact, with the economy

slowing down every day more and more, there will be more, not less,

construction workers on the street.  older, more experienced men with

connections.  So I don't think Wendell will have any luck getting a

construction job any time soon.  I doubt construction will come back

into the area for at least five years."  A small, curious smile spread

on his lips.  "What other prospects does Wendell have?  What is his

degree in anyway"  He looked at her expectantly, picking up a gold pen

ready to write down her answer.  There was more in the look too,

something she remembered from long ago.

When she had last stayed over for a slumber party at Kathryn's, Amy had

been fifteen. After the other girls had gone to sleep, Amy had woken up

to get a drink of water.  It had been late and she was sure she was

alone as she turned the tap in the dark kitchen.  A sound from the

kitchen table frightened her and she had turned to see a bloodshot Mr.

Baines having a drink in the dark by himself.  She was blooming then

into full womanhood, her breasts swelling under her nightie tee shirt,

her panties pulling tighter around her widening hips.  He had licked

his lips and said that she was a pretty girl while examining her in her

sleep clothes. She had thanked him and tiptoed out quickly,

embarrassed at the way he had been looking at her in her underthings.

Amy could swear he had the same look in his eyes now.

"Degree?  Wendell, uh, didn't go to college, Bob."

Baines looked up, a puzzled look on his face.  "I thought your husband

was a big football star or something in high school.  I had heard he

was being recruited by some big school sin the East."

Amy sighed.  "He was till the accident.  Wendell was going to Boston

College on a full scholarship. Then, after the accident, he couldn't

play any more. So he went to work right away."

Baines exhaled and looked at Amy with kinder eyes.  "That's right-- I

forgot.  A hit and run wasn't it?  Thank God he wasn't too seriously

hurt.  But it was a tragedy about his legs.  You can't be a quarterback

without being able to run a quick four-forty.  Awful. And they never

got the guy, did they?"

Amy shook her head and Baines returned to his earlier question, gently

prodding.  "O.k., no college degree makes it tougher, but I'm sure you

two have thought about your options. What else does Wendell have in

mind for work?"

"Uh, well, I don't know."

Mr. Baines chuckled.  "Not a good answer Amy.  Not a good answer at

all.  How will you meet your adult obligations, my dear?  What kind of

assets do you have?"

Amy shook her head.  "I don't know!  Nothing-- just our principal."

"And that's not much to speak of at this point since you just bought

the house."  He shook his head wearily, glancing back at the file.

"Well, I guess your in-laws will have to meet

the obligation then.  The bank will have to require them to pay your

mortgage."

Her hands flew to her face, panicked at the prospect.  She saw her

in-laws, kind yes, but poor and old.  If they had to pay--

"Yes, they'd lose their home to make up YOUR failure," Baines completed

her thought. "Too bad.  They are older people and to lose your home at

that age...But at least the bank could sell their home to meet YOUR

mortgage."  He sighed.  "What a waste."

Amy's head was swimming.  Her world was falling apart.  Bankrupt, all

their money lost, nothing left, no work...

"Maybe there's a solution," Baines offered hopefully.

Amy looked up, a wide grateful smile on her face for her savior.  "Yes,

Mr. Baines?"

He gave her that look again.  She forced her smile to remain.

"You might need to find work."

Amy nodded.  "I'm a hard worker, Mr. Baines!  And I'll take anything!"

That made him smile.  "As you know, I feel somewhat responsible for you

two kids. Perhaps  there might be something at the bank.  Perhaps as a

secretary."

She nodded.  Amy would get a job, no problem.  It would be work but if

it would help them keep the house...

"Perhaps as my secretary, Amy. Would you be willing to take that

position if it was offered to you?  On a temporary basis of course--

say a few weeks or so. To be frank, I really need a properly trained

secretary.  However, I'm sure you'd be up to answering the phone and

handling my filing, at least for a little while.  And when Wendell gets

a new job, you could leave."  His slate eyes softened, the eyes of an

older friend trying to help. "And you'd be doing me a favor--as I said

I'm without a secretary right now and it would really help us both

out."

Relief spread through her like cool water.  Crisis averted!  Amy

gathered her strength. It would be all right, after all.  Bob had

come through for them.  She was happy she had come here today.

"Yes, yes I would Bob.  I can probably help you more than you think,"

she played it calmly, nodding slowly.  "I can type and take dictation

and file.  I took secretarial classes in high school and I think I

could do a very good job for you, at least for a couple of weeks."

Baines nodded, pleased to have solved the problem...but then a slight

frown creased his face.

"What is it?" Amy asked, worried again.

The banker tapped the mortgage with his gold pen.  "Even working for me

as a temp won't solve your problem.  This," he shuffled the mortgage

file and pulled out a red piece of paper, "is an internal notice to

begin the foreclosure process here at the bank.  The mortgage has got

to be paid right away. Can you pay this today?"

Amy shook her head sadly.  "We don't have a cent, Bob!  It took

everything we had to buy the house!"

"And I overlooked the normal savings requirement too," Baines said in

reminded frustration.  "Maybe, well..."  He closed his eyes in thought

and pondered.  Then he looked up.  "Look Amy, I feel responsible and I

want this to work out for you kids.  What if I agree to give you an

advance on your temp pay and cover the difference between your salary

and the mortgage till Wendell gets a job?"

The grateful smile on Amy's face said it all.  "Would you do that for

us Bob?"

The older man nodded.  "It will mean that I become a secondary creditor

after the bank. You'll have to sign a loan agreement with me, promising

to pay me back when Wendell gets his next job, but yes, Amy-- I think

I'd be happy to do that for you.  Could you bring it home and get

Wendell to sign it?  It also needs to be notarized."

Amy felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of her back.  "We'll

sign anything you like, Bob.  And I can't tell you how grateful we

are."

Baines promised to have the papers drawn up and dropped off at the

house. He stood up and  walked her to the door.  "I'll see you

tomorrow, Amy."  His slate eyes were so warm, so reassuring.  "It's

nice to have you aboard!"