Max Branches Out

"Ceri…I’m back!" Max called out as he tossed his briefcase on the lobby table. The house was silent. He went into the kitchen and got a beer out of the fridge, walking slowly out onto the front porch and sitting on the swing seat. He thought he knew exactly where she would be, so decided to wait for her in the cool breeze that was blowing up the hill from the lake.

Before too long, he spotted her coming through the small stand of trees that hid Bron and Ed’s house from view. He smiled realising he was right in his assumption that she had been with her sister and Ed. He stood and went back into the house, emerging seconds later with a chilled glass of wine.

Ceri smiled when she saw her man waiting for her by the swing, and quickened her pace to reach him, throwing herself into his waiting arms as soon as they were within reach of each other.

"Welcome home, banker man," she grinned before kissing him passionately. "How did it go?

"Good evening, my sweet. It went extraordinarily well thank you. The plans have been approved, the work starts next week, and I’ve even got two members of staff lined up."

"Will we be doing enough business for two cashiers?"

"Yep, especially as they are willing to job share. Barbara is an older lady who has been in the bank up in Grafton for donkey’s years. She just wants a few hours a week, and as I only plan to open from 10:00 until 2:00 at the start, she would love to work two days a week."

"And the second one?" Ceri asked, leaning up against him and rocking the seat gently, while sipping her wine.

"Ah, I hope you’ll approve of my choice. Bobbie…Roberta that is, has worked in the bank at Coff’s for a couple of years. She found full time too much to cope with along with her studies, she’s training to be a vet of all things, so she’s looking for part time as well, and said that she can cover the other three days of the week for us."

"Oh, Max. That’s wonderful, so it won’t be too long before we have our own little bank branch right here at The Glen, and it’s good that you thought to employ people from out of town…you know how some people gossip, and we don’t want the customers business spread all over the place."

"You’re not wrong there, darling. I wonder if that man Wade will decide to deposit some of his wealth with us. Of course, we can’t give him the same service as his Swiss bank does, but it would be a lot more convenient for him."

Ceri smiled and hugged Max, knowing at least one young man who would be glad to keep his money locally.