Interpersonal Massager

**Authors Note: I’m not a writer by any means; in fact, I have never written a story period. I’ve been a reader on here for a long time and thought it might be fun to give writing a try. I wouldn’t expect flawless grammar or gripping storytelling if I were you!**

I enjoyed my job. I really did; unfortunately, very few of the customers at my maker space used me as a resource for projects.

People came in with really good ideas every day, but very few of those ideas turned into usable products. My job was to help these people's ideas turn into finished products. I taught classes on how to use the machine shop, woodworking tools, 3D printers, and computer design software. I also was available to give engineering and design advice, but it was very rare for others to accept my help.

Constructive criticism wasn’t usually taken well for whatever reason. Most customers would rather vainly continue on a flawed design rather than accept some advice from a professional engineer and inventor. Maybe it was because I was the same age as most of my customers at 25, I don’t know.

Either way, work had become a welcome break from my home life. I had a beautiful petite red-headed girlfriend named Kelly. I truly loved her unconditionally after the 5 years we’d spent together. She was as smart, or even smarter than me, kind, fun, and loving in her own way. She was never as intimate, touchy, or expressive of her love like I was, but I accepted that; however, she had been getting more and more distant. The sex went from a couple of times a month, which was bad enough, to maybe a pity screw every couple of months. She became detached and disinterested in me quickly. I tried everything I could to re-spark our relationship, but nothing worked. She had already made up her mind, and there’s no changing the mind of a girl like her.

I wasn’t much to look at. Pretty below average overall. 5’-10”, lanky, and starting to bald and get grey hair at 25. On the other hand she was cute and petite at 5’-1” and finally filling out to be curvy, sexy, woman, with the perkiest B cups you’ve ever seen, and a small but definitely nice round backside compared to her tiny waist. My attraction to her still grew every day, but the same wasn’t true in her eyes.

I knew she had fallen out of love, but she was just scared to move on after building a life with me. I couldn’t bring myself to let her go either. I still thought I could fix things, and I knew she wasn’t cheating on me yet.

I still had my work to look forward to at least. In the last couple years my little upstart had done pretty well. I got loads of grant money and donations. The city, had wanted to someone to start up a maker space for years, so they made sure I had enough funding. People either paid a small membership fee, or got a one-day-pass. I had enough business to cover nice salaries for myself and my only employee, Caitlin.

I didn’t know much about Caitlin, except she was a Jack of all trades kind of like me. That’s why I hired her despite not having any of the qualifications listed on my job advertisement. She was smart enough to figure out all the machinery on her own, or read the manuals when needed and she was quick learner. The actual post-grad engineers (like myself) that applied didn’t have a clue how to operate a lathe, much less how to teach a layman how to use one safely. Caitlin could.

I don’t know much else about her. I think she’s single. She moved a long way from home to work here and she mentioned to me once she didn’t have family she intended to see again. She’s a redhead with a cute face, I can’t tell much else because she’s usually wearing the company coveralls. I wouldn’t mind seeing more of her though…

Buzzzzzz!

I was knocked out of my daydream by a buzzing sound coming from one of the workbenches.