This Fucking Economy

My wife Kayla and I came from meager backgrounds. We met in college, each of us the first from our families to attend. We graduated with degrees in our respective fields, and soon each managed to obtain employment in them. We spent most of our savings on the wedding since our families were unable to help much with the expense, and we signed a rent-to-own contract on a house, complete with a backyard swimming pool. We were excited to build a life together in our hometown.

A few months later, the largest corporation in the area announced that it was moving all operations out of the country. The whole area's economy suffered immensely. Kayla was laid off, and I managed to hold on to my job only after agreeing to a severe pay cut. Our remaining savings and Kayla's unemployment payments dwindled as Kayla struggled to find work. Soon, along with next month's due rent loomed the fear and the uncertainty that we would be able to afford the life we had planned together.

Thankfully, when things were looking their bleakest, an unusual opportunity came along.

One of the remaining industries in the area that remained was in online companies. Since they could be run from anywhere, they hadn't suffered as much as the rest of the local economy. One of the bigger online companies was an online dating site aimed at divorcees, and my wife had managed to secure a job interview. One of the main perks of the job was a signing bonus of just enough money for us to make the next month's rent, and Kayla was eager to impress and to secure the position.

Knowing she was going to be interviewing for work at an online dating site, Kayla wore a shorter skirt and showed more cleavage than she might at another interview, though I didn't find that out until I had returned home for work. Along with that mild surprise, she informed me of a couple other shocking outcomes of the interview. The first news she'd informed me of, and the good news, was that she had gotten the job, could start immediately, and that we could afford another month's rent thanks to the signing bonus. The other news was more of a shock, and was worse news than I even knew at the time.