July 22nd

8:00 A.M. I have never felt more part of a team. Have been invited with all the rest of the wives of Mark's prestigious law firm to build a house for Habitat for Humanity. Honestly how hard can it be? Will be perfect partner and will finally feel a part of husband's life in our dual quest to better humanity.

9:00 A.M. have arrived on worksite to see all the ladies dressed in nice cotton blouses and impeccably dressed slacks with the best manicures that would cause most envy. But not me! I was dressed in denim with hair up walking in arm and arm with husband on this adventure. Surely the others snickered but I was not afraid of a little dirt and besides I was not afraid to get a little soiled but judging by the snooty wives they were just lending moral support.

I was a little distracted by the giggles and wild Chinese whispers until my beautiful husband Mark said, "Darling have I told you that this hard hat and tool belt, which he put on me, " makes me even more eager to build a memory with you?" He whispered in my ear and smiled with those wild dimples.

With a cherub like smile I kissed him madly with him reciprocating to my passionate ploy. Honestly the envy of the faces of the cackling hens faces made it worth it. Quite sad as possibly all spark and fire may have left their marriages and yet I'm competent to believe that I have married a tiger.

Was impressed to see that development was at different stages. I was assigned to the detached garage where I would be assisting with painting. Actually have looked at this as great adventure, whereby I will help paint detached garage and actually next who knows will be our own nursery someday, have to admit have had thoughts about that a lot lately but no success as of yet. Well back to work must enjoy the time as husband and wife and not rush family and enjoy 1st year of marriage, "oh look at him." He just put on his tool belt how magnificent to see him in denims with leather grasping him at midpoint. Ooops! Back to work must concentrate on humanity and not divine human hybrid of a husband. Did he just smile at me? Oh my! Will have to seriously consider remodel of home as long as husband and I are working side by side.Wow, have never seen Mark looking like one of those buff construction workers before, every muscle rippling from sweat of the day, in fact don't quite recall Mark sweating. Where is the digital camera when you need it? Would it be inappropriate to catcall husband.

9:30 A.M. Grabbed for paint roller only to find it was wrong side and hand now resemble brilliant blue stub that was practically smurfy. In my shock I threw it down and paint splattered up catching special senior partner and superior to Mark right straight in face.

"I'm sorry so sorry... I" and as I continued realized rag was full of blue paint at which case senior partner now resembled one of the members of the Blue Man Group.

Continued on the job and hoped that I would do better. Senior Partner wiped his face and was ready to give me another go at it.

So I continued on determined to be better and demonstrate inner poise until I stepped in paint bucket and fell backward into it. In a panic I attempted to clean up taking a hose among profuse apologies but aimed hose directly at loaded roller which made it spin really fast thereby sending paint splatters everywhere in manner of 20 dogs shaking off bath water simultaneously and suddenly realized that the prissy hen coup began to squeal like pigs in slop as their designer clothes became brilliant bright blue.

"Mr. Darcy," he yelled. When Senior Partner's wife caught it in the eye.

"Your...Your..." he could not actually make a coherent statement which is odd for a barrister.

"Sir I assure you this was merely an accident and well...I will gladly pay for your cleaning and anything else..." suddenly realized cackling hens were shaking heads and saying what a pity that a mighty legal lion and respected barrister could be married to such an incompetent excuse of a..." My head hung down and I could feel the tears begin to form. "I have done it and disgraced husband and could clearly see that he will be exiled because of incompetent wife. He wiped tears away and kissed me on cheek.

"Sorry I just thought..." I tried to explain.

10:30 A.M. "Darling here you can help with the cement and bricks...Joe is a nice guy and a new Jr. Partner and he seems very patient, and while I'm working with framing he can certainly use your assistance laying brick..." I tried to say more, especially that I would like to work beside him, but he kissed my nose and I felt a sense of relief that he was patient with me and that he had no designs of chucking me or sending me home like an inerrant child.

Joe was of Greek decent and very beautiful and very helpful. Could not help but notice that he was very friendly and built for labor so imagine my surprise when I heard he was Mark's new Jr. Partner, that in fact he was not blue collar but white collar. V.V. Nice and decidedly would be very nice companion, not for me, but Shazza. Quickly we engaged in pleasant conversation as he explained masonry in a brief course. Will work with him for a while and get to know him, whereby invite him to smug married dinner with one exception will have Shazza there.

He said something clever and I began to giggle, well it was a real guffaw and I was gob smacked until I heard,"Darce steady old man you nearly dropped the framing," heard a loud kerplunk to turn and see Mark seemed a bit red-faced as he looked back at me. Could he be jealous? No Mark is above all that and so I dismissed my suspicions and diverted all attention to brick laying. He is perfect, really, for Shazza. I will engage him in more conversation. Really quite nice as he told me of his life on Cyprus with beautiful Mediterranean accent.

"Here Bridget like this," with that his total body hovered over mine as his hand held mine he proceeded saying pack, smooth, place brick on, and scrape excess cement. "Really it is just four steps. "Pack, smooth, brick, a scrape excess cement...together again..." he began. Oh goodie I'm getting it.

"Ouch!" Heard all of a sudden a very large yell and suddenly saw Mark holding his hand and in incredible pain.

I could hear Giles say, "Mark are you ok...then poor boy it only takes one young partner and soon she will be leaving you?" Patted his back with a look of pity.

I dropped everything, "Ice, someone bring me some ice." I placed Mark's hand in the ice. He looked irritated but I thought it was just because of his clumsiness with a hammer."Bridget what are you doing?"

It was Mark who surmised the situation and gave a somewhat hurt look.
"Mark I was doing so well with bricks..." I said innocently.

"Well I have never seen cement applied in such a fashion I guess you may consider me inept but wouldn't it seem more plausible to not have someone laying on your back?" Ooops all of a sudden realized by agitated statement that husband might be jealous of Joe.

"I was just thinking how nice Joe..." I said it before I realized what I was saying.

"How nice Joe is what?" He was staring down at me with eyes that if they possessed a death ray would have incinerated me on the spot."

"How nice Joe would be for Shazza . Then cautiously I looked up.

"Honestly Bridget why...why don't you just go home and wait for me there...and?"

"You don't believe me?" "You don't want me here do you?" "I thought for once we could do this as partners but one look at some young man and you are ready to lock me up...I don't know what to say...and" I realized that the level of my voice was increasing and Mark was pulling back with embarrassment.

"Later Bridget," All of a sudden the green eyed monster showed that ice could run in those veins and he walked away.

"Fine they look like they need help over there.

First I went to handing tools until I picked up nail gun in which case I did not realize that it was on the unlock position and when I swung around I nearly nailed Nigel to the wall of the tool shed. Suffice to say he liberated that tool as soon as he could from my hand.

Then as I left the tool shed I saw an unmanned jack hammer, "well you should not just leave things sitting around so I will just pick it up and move it to the side." As I attempted to pick up the jackhammer I tripped the switch and the evil jackhammer took on a mind of its own. "I need ...need hel hel help..." Up and down all around bouncing me around until my insides felt like pudding. But odd thing was there were more spectators that were Mark's partners enjoying what I believe were my wobbly bits being bounced around than realizing that I could not release the power. Suddenly saw Joe and then Mark running towards me, but it was Joe that turned it off and picked me up from ditch where I had been thrown when he rescued me.

"Are you all right?"

Mark looked at me and then Joe who released me. I don't think it helped that Joe was wearing nothing but a tank top and I was still holding onto his neck.

"Go now...he handed me the keys to the BMW...go know..." as he walked away.

"Mark wait a minute it really just kept going and lost control and I couldn't stop it...I think you are being unreasonable.

The whole crew looked stunned and I was sorely lacking in all inner poise. Mark turned around without a word and said nothing and the moment stood still with both of us at a loss as what to say. I walked to the car got in and slammed the door. Angry and mad I drove away.

Inner Thoughts and monologue would not cease. Why could this day not have gone better than it did?

Actually Mark was jealous as new junior partner was parading around nearly naked perspiring from all the hard work. He said that perhaps this was not a good place for one's wife and thought I should go home and get a rest, strange thing is I was doing my best.

I told him I was checking out the partner for Shazza but he did not quite believe me. He just seemed to be pulling me along handing me the keys to the BMW, although he was eyeing Phillip's screwdriver and for a moment I think he was contemplating gouging Joe's eyes out. Yikes...maybe husband is serious homicidal maniac bent on destroying all who look at me.

I realized we might be entering into troubled waters if husband finds me inept and in all actuality I would not be seen and supportive partner. Must turn car right around and discuss the importance of being included in all aspects of his life

In fact will pick up Jude and Shazza for moral support.

Yes after he gets a major #$&wittage speech from Shazza and the importance of partnership in a marriage.

1:00 PM Arrived back on site. Bad V. BadSoon Shazza is distracted as well by bronze Adonis, oh this can't be good!

We appeared almost like Thelma, Louise, and Bridget. Mark looked up but with a double take almost not believing his eyes as Shazza nearly leapt towards him like an uncaged cat when she saw this Adonis walk across the way with 2 x 4 laid across his shoulder and every muscle rippling in synchronization. She stopped became verbally incontinent and started drabbling on with no coherency giggling like a little child. Water...WA Wa.. And just like that she picks up pitcher of water and brings it to Joe and he downs it as it splashes down that beautiful body like a cascading waterfall. And then excusing her self she picked up more water under the pretense of hydrating entire site.

"Bridget..Bridget...Dear what are you doing?"

"Well Mark." I said trying to come up with a very good reason.

"Come on Bridget think of a good one!" As I looked at him as an inerrant child gone astray

"Let me see," Mark scratching his chin a bit," after leaving the site you suddenly realized your calling to be a matchmaker, whereby all unmarried girlfriends needed to be matched up and you thought it your friendly duty to give Shazza in this case official water girl status.

Looking again as she nearly chased Joe down with the bucket of water in her hands.

"Or that you have totally lost it, forgot you have a husband, me by the way, and have decided that another look would not hurt."

"Well Actually I have a very good reason." He shook his head as I continued on giving that expression that he was all ears.

"Well...Heading back to the city, they just happened to be stranded on the side of the road with a punctured tyre. I rescued them and then realized that you probably had forgotten to apply sunscreen."

"So where is the sunscreen?" He said matter of factly.

"I left it in their car. Oopps."

"Where is their car? Maybe I can change the tyre." He heads toward the BMW.

"Um... the tow truck took it."

"Uh-huh." Not convincing him in the least.

Whatever!

"Bridget!" Exclaimed Jude, "she did it she got his number." Mark looked at me and then at them and back at me.

"I think that you should go home and wait for me there."

"Well we thought we could help some more." I said again.

"Darling...home please." I moved away realizing that perhaps I was plucking at last nerve and the girls were not really helping.

Prologue

7:00 PM - Evening

After a long day have realized he is home and covered from head to foot with dirt and is very quiet, dropping keys in dish at front door and looking back at me with not a word.

"What's a matter?"

He said, " I'm getting something cold to drink care for some?"

Have catalogued the entire day and cannot imagine what is wrong with him. May have splattered his boss and wife making them look like members of Blue Man Group, have experienced difficulty with electrical tools and proving that it is best to hire contractors for all home improvements, and oh must remain away from all and yet have proven I'm excellent at brick laying...if I say...but I do know what it is. I can't quite get out of my mind how Mark changed my job after Joe assisted me with the masonry work...his face red, his sudden klutziness, and the hammer that came down on his hand.

Have walked in kitchen and I am now directly across from him watching him down what seems to be his third iced tea and watching him stick his hand in a bowl of ice.

"I'm not sure how you did that?" Awkwardly hoping to promote more than a few words.

"I don't know Bridget, (sarcastically) perhaps it was when that good ole' bloke Joe decided it was better to covet your body as he explained the better points of brick laying." "Or your sudden return with with Jude and Sharon to wreck havoc on worksite minus the sun-block.

"Mark that was perfectly innocent...and I can't believe..."

"I'm not jealous," he cut in.

"I think I find that a little hard to believe Mark Darcy."

He paused as I was curt and not willing to be pigeon-holed into guilt that clearly was not mine.

"Aren't you going to drink your iced tea?" He said diverting himself from clearly where the argument was going.

He went to get up and go upstairs..."No you don't," as I pushed him back down and he attempted to get up but couldn't as I straddled him to keep him down.

"You will listen to me and not say one word until this misunderstanding is clear..." clearly he was taken back. "And place your hand back in that ice right now." He relented clearly unable to verbalize any opposition to the direction I had taken this conversation.

"Ok I may not be the skilled worker...or a traditional wife...or have the most suitable friends for your haughty lifestyle." I was blowing a bit of steam now. "But all I wanted to do was work side by side with you." "But you placed me everywhere else but beside of you."

"Bridget...I" he tried to interjected almost at a loss for words.

"I'm not finished, but one thing is for sure I would never cheat on you and I did try my best to help and if you would sit back and think about the day you would realize that I was really trying to be...well be a part of your life." "That is all," and I attempted to get up.

He pulled me back with his good arm and I fell into his lap where he began to capture me with his lips but I attempted to get up and pull myself away but he pulled back and succeeded.

"I apologize I have been just awful with you today and I really deserved that bollocking." And then pushing hair out of my eyes, "but I love you and when I saw Joe over you with that rippling physique...well jealousy overtook me and Giles kept prattling on about how his wife left him for a younger man...and well suggestion became all too real for me and then you developed...how do you say mentionitis and well I began..." and before another word could leave his lips I claimed them as we snogged giving him love bites occasionally and developing a deeper hunger for him, and he for me.

Later 11:00 P.M.

Well diary I have shagged husband senseless and I believe any insecurities may have ebbed away as we had an intimate soak before retiring for Bedfordshire. He does sleep soundly now that I look over at him curled up close to me. Now have realized that husband is not homicidal maniac but just humanly vulnerable and jealous which just proves how much he loves me just as I am.

"Bridget," he pulled at Diary playfully, "put that down and pay more attention to me.

"No," I smiled.

"Yes!" And with that he took it from me and rolled me to my back. With that he showered me with kisses and we entered into cataclysmic passion. Honestly I could never imagine anything or anyone more beautiful than he, oh wait need to ask him one thing.

"Shazza was wondering if her and Joe could...oh Mark!"

Realized that maybe the name Joe might cause husband's animalistic prowess to surface and might have to use for future or
"Gasp," not!

"Never mind let her make her own dinner arrangements." Both us giggling out of control as we built a memory.

The End.