Chapter Two

River

Hey, River.” Annett and Cheryl announce in unison as I enter the lobby and make my way behind the teller line to clock in for my shift.

“Ladies.” I nod in greeting. “How are you two today?” I ask as I boot up my computer and then walk over to the station next to me and lean over Cheryl’s shoulder and clock in on her computer.

“I’m so much better now that I’m going to lunch!” Annette announces as she pulls her purse from beneath the counter and waives goodbye.

“See you in an hour!” I waive, walking towards the vault to get my teller drawer.

I get to my station, my system finally completely booted up as the phone starts ringing off the hook. I glance to Cheryl’s station and notice that she’s waiting on Mr. Brixy and lift the receiver to answer the incoming call.

“United First, this is River. How can I help you?”

“Oh, Mr. River, how are you today handsome?” Mrs. Fischer.

“I’m well, how are you today Mrs. Fischer?” I ask as I type Edna Fischer into the system and pull up her account profile.

“I’m good just needing to check my balance. Did my social security check come in yet this month?”

“Sure, can you just tell me what the last four numbers of your social are?” I ask, verifying her information, although I already know that it’s her that I’m speaking with.

“Have I ever told you that you sound just like my late husband, Eddie? Lord rest his soul. I was driving down the road the other day and I saw a field full of Indian Paint brushes, they are the flower that he always brought me. I remember being a young girl and my daddy would take me out in the fields and I would pick handfuls of them for Mama. I sure do miss Mama. She would be ninety-two this year.” She keeps rattling on and I attempt to cut in, only to be cut off as she gets a second wind. “Have you met my Layla? She was always Eddie’s favorite. I personally like Harry better, he’s my baby. He was such a good baby. Always quiet and as sweet as pie. Everybody loved my Harry. Oh, did you know that I got a dog? I named her Ollie. She’s one of those little dick dogs. You know which ones I’m talking about, she’s long and skinny and her fur is that red brown color and has those short legs and floppy ears?” It is taking everything in me to not bust up laughing, I mean dick dog? Wow!

“Yes ma’am, you mean a Dachshund, right? Hey, while I have you here, let me give you your account balances. Is that okay?” Sometimes the only way to get back to the task at hand with Mrs. Fischer is to just jump right back in.

“Why sure son, that would be great.”

“Okay, do you mind just giving me that last four numbers of your social security number?” I ask again, hoping to be able to get her off the phone before she gets started on another tirade again.

“Of course. It’s 3281.”

“And your mother’s maiden name please?”

“Burton.”

“Thank you, Ma’am. Okay. It looks like your account balance is currently 878.97.” I tell her, swapping screens so I can check her savings account balance. “And your savings is 5,342.68”

“Awe, thank you honey. Okay, well I better let you go. My Eddie will wonder what’s taking me so long. He’s so impatient, that man.” I feel bad; Mrs. Fischer sometimes has problems with her memory and has times when she forgets that Eddie passed away almost four years ago. I don’t correct her though. Why break the little lady’s heart?

“You have a great day, okay Mrs. Fischer? I’ll talk to you later.” I exit out of her profile as she gives her goodbyes and I hang up the phone.

As soon as the receiver is in the cradle, I feel a tapping on my back. I turn around to find Cheryl bouncing on the balls of her feet, hands braced on the wall dividing our stations.

“What’s up, Cheryl?”

Cheryl is old enough to be my mother and she typically acts the part too.

“So, did you call her?” she asks, her voice laced with excitement.

“Call who?” I ask, confused.

“The girl that gave you her number on Friday. Finley, was it?” Finley? I give her a look that says that I don’t have a clue what she’s talking about. “What? Why not? She was absolutely adorable!”

“Cheryl, when would I have time to date? Between working here and school and volunteering at the hospital, any time I have is spent doing schoolwork or sleeping.”

“Speaking of the hospital…how was your visit this morning?”

Everyone knows that I visit the hospital. I’ve had many customers comment about the volunteer work that I do. I’ve even gotten the bank staff to do their community service by volunteering at the hospital as well.

“Good. Good. No changes.”

“Did you bring that girl more flowers?” she asks, an ear-to-ear grin across her face.

“Of course, never miss a day.” I shrug, turning back to my monitor to check my emails.

“It’s her, isn’t it? She’s the reason that you won’t give anyone else a chance.” I don’t answer, just keep checking my email as though she’s never spoken. “She may never wake up. You know that, right?”

“I know, Cheryl. But...I just...” I trail off, trying to find the right words.

“I know, honey. I just don’t want to see you waiting around for a girl who may never wake up. You’re young, you’re handsome and you could have any girl want.”

“Thanks, Cheryl.” I say, just as a customer walks up to my window. “Good afternoon, Sir. How can I help you?”

I spend the next hour with customers before I can look at my phone again. I have a missed call from Fynn, and a text telling me to call him back. I’ll do that on my break.

I also have a message from my professor saying that I still haven’t turned in my assignment that was due this morning. Damn it! I completely forgot about it. I make a mental note to get it done during my lunch break.

A young woman with a toddler in tow comes up to my window and the young boy starts whining for a sucker. I reach into my drawer and pull out a green sucker and hand it to him before his mom can reprimand him for whining.

He just looks at me with big, round eyes. He looks to be about two and is the spitting image of his mother, with blonde hair and the cutest button nose.

The young woman smiles at me, mouthing a thank you before she tells me what she needs to do.

“Alright Miss, I’m going to need to see your license and the account number that you would like to make this deposit into.” The mom digs through her purse, handing me her license and a scrap of paper with a bunch of numbers scribbled on it. Taking the items from her, I log in to her account. Her name is Claire and she is wanting to deposit a check. I look at the check and start to key in the numbers when I notice that the name on the check is not hers, but rather a man’s name, Ben Mathews.

“Is this your husband’s check, ma’am?” I ask, glancing up from the check.

“No, my boyfriend. He doesn’t have an account here, so I’m just going to deposit it into mine. Is that a problem?” she asks, and I can tell by the tone in her voice that she’s becoming agitated with me.

I hate to be that guy, but I have to ask this question. If I don’t, and we accept the check, if he would have come in later wanting to cash it, we would be liable for that amount.

“Not a problem, Miss. Do you happen to have your boyfriend with you? I just need to see his I.D. to verify that the check is going to him, not that we don’t trust you, it’s just a security measure that we have to take to protect both parties.” I try to explain, and she is having none of it.

She starts yelling, saying that she isn’t a crook and that we are trying to steal her money. I do everything in my power to stay calm, even though I would love nothing more than to tell her that no one that works here has any interest in her boyfriend's money. I hear the shuffling of feet and Cheryl comes over, gently ushering me away from the counter and takes over. She is the epitome of calm as she speaks to Claire in a soft voice, trying to make her see reason. I stand off to the side and watch as the little boy sitting in the cart that Claire brought in, looks between his mom and Cheryl with wide, fearful eyes.

He holds his sucker in front of him, using it as a shield against the angry words that are being thrown around by his mother. I take a step forward to talk to the little boy, but Cheryl waves me away, indicating that I should go and take my break now. With a nod, I head to the break room.

Grabbing my phone from my locker, I shoot Fynn a text telling him I’m on break and will call in a few. Then I open my backpack and pull out my laptop, quickly pulling up the assignment that is now late and get to work.

It takes me the whole thirty minutes to complete my assignment and I have just enough time to inhale a ham sandwich before my break is up, and I have to get back to the teller line.

Walking back to my station, I can see that Claire has left and Cheryl has a huge smile on her face as she counts the money in her drawer.

“Man, you are a miracle worker. How did you get her to leave?" I ask, amazed. I was sure that we were going to have to call the cops.

"I talked to her, listened to her. And I also told her that if she had her boyfriend come by with his I.D. that I could accept the check for her with no problems." Cheryl shrugs, looking at me like it was the easiest thing ever.

"Well, you handled that beautifully." I tell her, as I log back into my computer and then unlock my station. I have just enough time to check my texts before the afternoon rush hits. "Fynn needs me to call him back. I'll do it during the lull."

"Sounds good. River, can I talk to you about something?" Cheryl asks as she walks over to my station. She pulls a chair up behind the counter and takes a seat next to me.

"Sure, what's up?" I ask, confused. Cheryl never has 'private' talks with me. She's more like the cool aunt that always has your back.

"I...uh...well...I'm retiring." She announces.

"What?!" I practically yell. "When? Why? I mean...uh, sorry...wow. That was unexpected." I fumble through my words and then Cheryl starts to laugh.

"It's okay. I know, I'm kinda young to be retiring, but I want to spend more time with my husband and travel a bit before we get too old to do so." She smiles.

"I'm happy for you, I really am, but man, who is going to be able to fill your shoes? You've been here forever. You know every customer we have by name, and you know their whole life story." I say, honestly.

"I know. I told the manager that I would stay on and help train my replacement for a few months, so don't worry. You're stuck with me for a little while longer." She laughs and so do I.

After a few minutes, Cheryl heads back to her station as I call Fynn back.

"Hey man, what's up?" I answer.