When Should the Tough Love Kick In?

My husband secured $24,000 worth of business for a stone finishing group he hopes to work with on an ongoing basis. This was for one of his best clients. He just returned from their home to tell me how stunning it looks. Trouble is, he didn't negotiate a sales commission before he made the referral, so he earns...nothing.

This is the group owned by the fellow who got a free paint job in his home: Muraling in the boy's room and faux work. All done by my husband with the hope of developing a working relationship. This is on top of the 3 other jobs that my husband sold and earned $2,500...while devoting more than 8 weeks to the work and completion of these projects.

My issue? His "hope" is not materializing into anything. So we're dipping into savings, while my husband continues to pursue this dream.

My personal belief is that once you show someone that you can be taken advantage of...they rarely turn around and offer you a great job for big bucks. The pattern already established here is excrutiating for me. Keeping my mouth shut is excrutiating for me. (Note to self - neighbors down the block can hear me banging on my keyboard. I've got to calm down.) And even though he agreed to look for a job last week...he made no effort.

Watching my husband buzz through this year without a care in the world is eating me up inside. He clearly does not share my angst, despite my tearful and pleading outreach to him.

He keeps asking me to wait through the end of the year. Give him 4 more months.

How am I supposed to do that when he doesn't even practice good business sense? Like negotiating a sales commission to insure he gets paid? There is no movement here! There is no growth!

Do I just continue to pray? Do we have yet another chat? Do I go into the family room right now and ask him why he is casually watching tv? And not painting something for me to sell on ebay?

The tears are now flowing. The heart is now knotted-up into a stiff, aching ball of hurt.

Heh. Hmph. Ugh.