The Perfect Spouse: A Novel. Sioux Dallas

      There is an old English saying that: when a baby gets ready to leave Heaven and be born on Earth, that its guardian angel placed a finger on the lips and says, “Shhhh. Don’t tell what we say and do up here.”

      A cleft or indentation is left on the upper lip which is a blessing. The child, who has this, has more blessings than the one who doesn’t.

       Prologue

      Although there was almost a foot of snow on the ground, and more promised, the sky was blue and clear. The air was nippy, but invigorating.

      Only twenty-four days until Christmas. The street and stores were beautifully decorated and the gaiety of the people, walking on the streets, was infectious.

      He thrust long, artistic fingers through brown, wavy hair and gave a sigh of indecision. Drawing his chin down into his overcoat against the bitter cold, he viewed the building he was facing. His sea-green eyes held a look of uncertainty gazing at this particular place of business. His brown Armani suit and overcoat were expensive but tasteful. A cream Stetson and snakeskin Western boots looked good on him. The white shirt and red tie completed the outfit. His boots were shiny, but, by the way he was walking in the slush, they wouldn’t be for long.

      Snow laying in heaps along the building fronts and in the gutters, had begun to turn to slush and was icy. There was little traffic. People were only in cars when they absolutely needed to go to work or important appointments.

      His expression was thoughtful and slightly sad. Should he or shouldn’t he? Should he enter this building and take a chance on someone accepting him just as he is, or should he walk on?

      A year ago he had buried his beloved wife. They had only been married ten months when a home invasion left her beaten and dead. He had been at work and was inconsolable when he came home and found her.

      Recently he had visited a friend who had an auto accident. At the friend’s house, he had found a copy of The Blade newspaper from Village of Fayette, Ohio. The friend had lived there and extolled the virtue of the people and town so strongly that he decided to move here as he could not be happy where he and his wife had lived. He had left Lynchburg, Virginia and moved here to Fayette, Ohio and opened a CPA office.

      This lovely town of Village of Fayette had less than fifteen hundred people and was only one and two tenths square miles. There were loads of larger cities and shopping malls close. There was one public school and one privately owned preschool.

      There was emergency medical help but no big hospital in Fayette. There were eight or nine major hospitals close by. Five various religious organizations were in the town.

      The village atmosphere was more of a rural community. Middle income families, single-family homes, apartments and condominiums provided housing. Industrial plants and business on Main Street provided employment. There were several fine dining opportunities.

      He was pleased to find a Lions Club, of which he was a member and Normal Memorial Library where he looked forward to spending many pleasant hours. There was a Village Police Department with full-time chief, some officers and auxiliary officers. A township/village Fire Department with a part-time chief and thirty-five volunteer fire fighters were available with the Fulton County nine-one-one.

      He had met the police Chief Aaron Mason and the Pastor of the Community Faith Church, Dr. Charles Black, during the first week he had lived here. His apartment was three blocks from his office and was a good, pleasant walking distance.

      He had hired Grace Miller for a receptionist as soon as he opened the office three weeks ago. She came highly recommended and had been a secretary for an aged attorney, who had died and left her with no employment. During the first week he had been open, he hired Elizabeth Mitchell who had three and one half years of college and was determined to finish with a BA in Business Administration. Although she was engaged to be married, she stated that she expected to continue working.

      During the second week, Gregory Martin had applied for a job stating that although he had graduate training, and came highly recommended, he was staying at home to care for his invalid mother. Greg had been hired and Jason felt he had an excellent staff.

      Taking a deep breath, he reached for the glass door to The Perfect Spouse which was a dating agency. He wasn’t interested in a permanent relationship, but wanted to find new friends in church and, hopefully, in here.

       Chapter One

      “Hello. Welcome to The Perfect Spouse. Please have a seat. My name is Corella Swanson and I’m the manager. How may we help you?”

      “I’m Jason,” he said nervously, “Jason McBride.” He sat cautiously in the comfortable leather captain’s chair and looked around. He was in a large, open room with maroon carpeting and three long tables. Near the front was an arrangement of several small, round tables and chairs to offer a pleasant opportunity to visit with other people.

      Corella flipped an ash-blonde page boy cut that framed a sweetheart-shaped face. Long eye lashes framed hazel eyes and fell on peaches and cream complexion that needed no cosmetics. Her five-four height appeared taller due to the three inch stiletto light green suede heels. The ridiculous heels complimented the A line lime-green sheath that flirted just below her knees on well-shaped legs. Gold fan-shaped earrings dangled from small ears. Dimples danced in and out on both cheeks.

      “Well, Jason. We’re very glad to meet you and hope you’ll be interested in joining with us. We have forms for you to fill out which will tell us about you. Then we match you with a nice lady whose information will be compatible with yours.”

      “I -- I’m not so sure about this. I just want information.”

      “That’s fine, Jason. There’s no pressure on anyone. Everything is confidential except what you wish to share with others. Why don’t you read through these papers and then decide what you want to do.” She handed him several sheets of paper on a clipboard and two number two pencils.

      Jason walked over to a round table of black and white swirled marble top.

      Farther back there were three long tables and two desks with a lady at each desk. Doors showed rooms on two sides of the long room.

      He sat in a comfortable, padded Spanish-style chair and read through all the papers. He then slowly, and carefully, began filling in the information.

      There was a promise of confidentiality. The fee for joining would be thirty dollars and thirty dollars per month for membership. Anyone could resign at any time without penalties.

      NAME: Jason Allen McBride

      ADDRESS: 286 Main Street, Apartment 2B, Village of Fayette, Ohio, 43521

      TELEPHONE: [phone] - home 419-808-7964 - office

      DATE OF BIRTH: November 16, 1979

      AGE NOW: 30

      HEIGHT: 5’11”

      WEIGHT: 187

      HAIR: Brown

      EYES: Hazel-green

      NATIONALITY: Caucasian (Irish, Italian)

      OCCUPATION: Accountant (CPA)

      EDUCATION: BS in Business and Accounting, Masters in Business and Accounting. Minor in music

      LIKES: People just because they’re people, animals, especially horses, reading, walking, hiking, church and music.

      DISLIKES: Eating in public alone, bitter cold, overly spicy foods.

      I WOULD LIKE TO MEET SOMEONE: who is interested in being friends and take time to see what develops. I’d like someone who is not possessive, who enjoys musicals, attends church and who likes people.

      TELL SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR CHILDHOOD: Here he hesitated. How much should, or could, he share? He wanted to forget