Read Online Fourteen Days by Steven Jenkins - Free Book Online Page A

as he mulled over the decision, he picked up the menu. “Not sure if I can fit it in.” He ran a finger down the list of options. “Everything looks so nice though.”
    “You don’t have to decide right now. We’re not in any rush. Let’s have another drink.”
    “Yeah, you’re right. We’ve got all day. No reason to rush home. Plus, we’ve got the cinema later.”
    “Exactly. You have a dessert. I won’t though. I’ll just watch you stuff your face.”
    “Are you sure?” he asked, reaching over the table to stroke her hand.
    “Of course I’m sure.”
    And with that, he glanced again at the dessert menu, and then flagged down the waiter.

    The rain hammered down on the quiet road.
    Richard held onto Nicky’s arm as they crossed over. He gripped the umbrella over both of them as it flung from side to side in the wind. As they blindly stepped onto the pavement, the umbrella pulled away from his grasp, blowing down the road out of reach. Running to get it, he stepped in a deep puddle, soaking through to his sock, causing his wife to chuckle.
    “Leave it!” she shouted.
    Stopping in the middle of the road, he turned to her, his eyes squinting with the rain and wind. “Are you sure?”
    “Yes, come on—the car’s over there!”
    Running back to join her, he took her arm and they both fast-walked down the pavement with their bodies hunched, trying to avoid the cold rain hitting their faces.
    They reached the car, both of them soaking wet, and climbed in. Turning to his wife, he laughed.
    “What’s so funny?” she asked, grimacing.
    “Your hair.”
    She pulled down the passenger sun-visor and stared into the small mirror to inspect herself. “Cheeky bastard,” she said, while trying to fix it with her long fingernails.
    “Can’t believe how wet this year’s been. Hope it gets better for summer. I’m sick of all this rain.”
    “Me too,” she said, pushing up the sun visor. “Maybe we should go away this year. Somewhere warm. What do you think?”
    “Sounds good. Once I’m back in work and I’ve sorted a few things out, I should have some free time.”
    She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I’ve heard that before.”
    Frowning, he asked, “What are you talking about?”
    “Well, you say the same thing every single year, and every year you’re too busy—or we can’t afford it.”
    “That’s not true,” he replied, struggling to find conviction in his words. “We’ve been away lots of times.”
    She looked at him in bewilderment. “That was our honeymoon, Rich—three years ago.”
    The car fell silent. “I know, you’re right,” Richard confessed. “But I have been thinking since I’ve been off work, and I am gonna change. Life’s too short. We will go away somewhere this summer.” He put his hand on her leg. “I promise.”
    Subtly nodding, she put her hand over his. “I hope so.”
    Silence gripped the car again, so he started up the engine and reluctantly headed back home.
    I will change , he thought, as he drove through the heavy rain, windshield wipers on at full-speed. I know I can. I ’ll show her. When I go back next week, I’ll be a changed man. And she’ll have to eat her words. Work isn’t everything .
    He turned on the radio, hoping to block out his guilt. The station played love songs—which didn’t help. Then he remembered the woman from his kitchen. He had almost gone the entire day without thinking about her, about the possibility of his house being haunted. He tried to shake off the events of the last few days: the TV, Nicky talking in her sleep. But he couldn’t. The closer he got to home, the more his mind raced.
    He looked at the digital clock on the dashboard: 10:06 p.m. Straight to bed , he thought. No time to mill about in the kitchen. Nicky’ll be working tomorrow. She’ll need to sleep. Yes, everything’ ll be fine.
    But tomorrow I’ll be alone again.
    He pushed the thought of tomorrow to one side and focused on the road ahead. They hadn’t said