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Authors: Allison Kingsley
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little boy a stern look. “Now, Michael, think. Where are your favorite hiding places?”
Michael started muttering something unintelligible.
Olivia suddenly shrieked, making Stephanie jump. “You put my game in the washing machine?”
Stephanie rolled her eyes. “Wait here. I’ll go and look.” She started for the door, then paused to look back. “Don’t either of you move one inch or speak one word until I get back.” Hoping that was enough to hold them, she flew into the laundry room and opened up the washer. The video game lay at the bottom of the drum. Muttering to herself, Stephanie hooked it out and took it back to the kitchen.
Neither child had moved, though Olivia’s face was red with temper and Michael was staring at his feet.
“Here. Take it and go.” Stephanie handed the game to her daughter, who took it and with a last, sinister glare at her brother, fled from the room.
Stephanie crossed her arms. “That was very bad of you to take your sister’s game. No TV for you tomorrow.”
The boy’s face crumpled. “But it’s
Saturday
. My favorite shows are on.”
“You should have thought of that before you took Olivia’s game. If I’d done the wash early this week, it would have been ruined. You have to take responsibility for your actions, Michael. Now go to your room.”
Bursting into a flood of tears, Michael rushed out the door. She could hear him crying all the way to his room, until the door slammed and peace was restored once more.
George looked up when she walked into the living room. “What was that all about?”
“The usual. Michael took something of Olivia’s and hid it. I don’t know why that boy torments his sister like that.”
“Probably in retaliation for something she did to him.”
Stephanie sat down on the edge of the couch. “Were you mean to your sisters when you were his age?”
George looked at her from under lowered eyelids. “I was terrified of my sisters. I kept out of their way.”
Stephanie grinned. “Coward.”
“Guilty as charged.”
She took a deep breath. “Now that I’ve restored order in the house, would you mind if I popped out for an hour or so?”
He looked surprised but said mildly, “Of course not. As long as you’re not chasing after men. Or murderers.”
Her stab of guilt made her cough. “Honey, you know you’re the only man in the world who could interest me.”
He gave her a look that made her wonder if he could possibly read her mind. “Unless, of course, he happens to have killed someone, then you’d be all over him.”
“Well, I’m certainly not expecting to find a killer tonight.” She got up, telling herself that wasn’t really a lie. “I’m just going to have a beer with Molly and Clara.”
“Somebody’s birthday?”
“Nope, just a girl’s night out.”
“Okay, then. Go ahead. You deserve a break.”
A sudden rush of warmth propelled her over to his chair. Flinging her arms around him, she murmured, “I’m the luckiest wife in the world. I won’t be late.”
“Just don’t come home drunk.”
She drew back in mock horror. “Have you ever known me to come home drunk?”
“There’s always a first time.” He planted a kiss on her nose. “Slightly tipsy would be okay. Could make things interesting.”
“Just like a man. Only one thing on his mind.” She tripped over to the door. “See you later, then.”
He raised a hand at her, then settled down on his chair to watch the rest of the news.
Feeling decidedly guilty, she checked on all three kids, then slipped into her coat and walked through the house to the garage. What was it she’d said to Michael?
You have to take responsibility for your actions.
She could only hope that she wouldn’t have to eat those words before the night was over.
Clara had just finished closing up the store and was pulling on her coat when Molly walked in, carrying something that smelled wonderful. “Pizza,” she said, holding up the carton. “I remembered
Michael started muttering something unintelligible.
Olivia suddenly shrieked, making Stephanie jump. “You put my game in the washing machine?”
Stephanie rolled her eyes. “Wait here. I’ll go and look.” She started for the door, then paused to look back. “Don’t either of you move one inch or speak one word until I get back.” Hoping that was enough to hold them, she flew into the laundry room and opened up the washer. The video game lay at the bottom of the drum. Muttering to herself, Stephanie hooked it out and took it back to the kitchen.
Neither child had moved, though Olivia’s face was red with temper and Michael was staring at his feet.
“Here. Take it and go.” Stephanie handed the game to her daughter, who took it and with a last, sinister glare at her brother, fled from the room.
Stephanie crossed her arms. “That was very bad of you to take your sister’s game. No TV for you tomorrow.”
The boy’s face crumpled. “But it’s
Saturday
. My favorite shows are on.”
“You should have thought of that before you took Olivia’s game. If I’d done the wash early this week, it would have been ruined. You have to take responsibility for your actions, Michael. Now go to your room.”
Bursting into a flood of tears, Michael rushed out the door. She could hear him crying all the way to his room, until the door slammed and peace was restored once more.
George looked up when she walked into the living room. “What was that all about?”
“The usual. Michael took something of Olivia’s and hid it. I don’t know why that boy torments his sister like that.”
“Probably in retaliation for something she did to him.”
Stephanie sat down on the edge of the couch. “Were you mean to your sisters when you were his age?”
George looked at her from under lowered eyelids. “I was terrified of my sisters. I kept out of their way.”
Stephanie grinned. “Coward.”
“Guilty as charged.”
She took a deep breath. “Now that I’ve restored order in the house, would you mind if I popped out for an hour or so?”
He looked surprised but said mildly, “Of course not. As long as you’re not chasing after men. Or murderers.”
Her stab of guilt made her cough. “Honey, you know you’re the only man in the world who could interest me.”
He gave her a look that made her wonder if he could possibly read her mind. “Unless, of course, he happens to have killed someone, then you’d be all over him.”
“Well, I’m certainly not expecting to find a killer tonight.” She got up, telling herself that wasn’t really a lie. “I’m just going to have a beer with Molly and Clara.”
“Somebody’s birthday?”
“Nope, just a girl’s night out.”
“Okay, then. Go ahead. You deserve a break.”
A sudden rush of warmth propelled her over to his chair. Flinging her arms around him, she murmured, “I’m the luckiest wife in the world. I won’t be late.”
“Just don’t come home drunk.”
She drew back in mock horror. “Have you ever known me to come home drunk?”
“There’s always a first time.” He planted a kiss on her nose. “Slightly tipsy would be okay. Could make things interesting.”
“Just like a man. Only one thing on his mind.” She tripped over to the door. “See you later, then.”
He raised a hand at her, then settled down on his chair to watch the rest of the news.
Feeling decidedly guilty, she checked on all three kids, then slipped into her coat and walked through the house to the garage. What was it she’d said to Michael?
You have to take responsibility for your actions.
She could only hope that she wouldn’t have to eat those words before the night was over.
Clara had just finished closing up the store and was pulling on her coat when Molly walked in, carrying something that smelled wonderful. “Pizza,” she said, holding up the carton. “I remembered
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