“Hey, anybody here? I’m home.” Mike’s voice echoed through the house. He walked through the playroom and looked out the window. Mikey and Sam were in the backyard kicking a soccer ball back and forth. When he reached the bedroom, he found Kelly sitting on the floor reading a book. Three baskets of laundry were on the floor, and several stacks of clothing were spread out on the bed.
“Hey,” Mike said. “Have a good day?”
“Pretty good,” Kelly answered, not looking up from her book. “I got sort of sided-tracked with a few things, so I picked up pizza.”
Mike surveyed the clothing on the bed. “So, are we going to be able to sleep on the bed tonight?”
Kelly looked up abruptly. Mike’s tone had been teasing, but Kelly was sure she saw frustration in his expression. She stood up and turned her attention back to her book. “I don’t know,” Kelly replied sarcastically. “Would you like to put them up, since I washed, dried, and folded them?” She left the room before Mike could reply.
Mike stood in the bedroom for a moment, bewildered, and then he removed his tie and walked into the kitchen.
“Did I upset you?” he asked. “I was just kidding.”
“Uh huh,” Kelly shrugged as she placed two slices of pizza on a paper plate. “Here’s your pizza.”
Mike looked at her for a moment, and then he sighed and went into the den. Kelly turned back to the sink. She saw the dirty dishes and a pang of guilt shot through her. She had let the housework slide lately, and she felt badly about that. But her guilt was quickly replaced with irritation over the way Mike had walked into the den and sat down on the couch, feeling no obligation to help her. If Mike wasn’t going to help, what right did he have to complain? Weren’t they supposed to be a team?
Kelly spent most of the evening working on the computer; she had been consulting on a minor project. At about 8:00, she ushered the boys toward the bathrooms for their showers. Then Kelly walked back to the bedroom to put on her pajamas. When she walked into the room, she noticed that the clothes were no longer on the bed. Mike had put them away. Kelly’s eyes stung for a moment. Things weren’t that bad, really. They were just both busy. Something stirred inside Kelly, and she put aside the shorts and t-shirt she was going to wear, choosing instead a silky blue gown. She brushed her hair, washed her face, and brushed her teeth.
After Kelly had put the boys to bed, she brushed her teeth again just to make sure her breath smelled minty. She sat down beside Mike on the couch. “Thanks for putting up the clothes.”
“No problem,” Mike replied. “I know you have a lot to do too.”
They sat watching television until about 9:30. The Kelly moved closer to Mike. She gave him a lingering kiss. “I’m going to the bedroom now,” she whispered.
Kelly smiled as she climbed under the covers. It had been so long since she and Mike had shared this type of intimacy. As Kelly lay there, her desire to be with him grew. This was sure to be a salve for the distance between them.
Several minutes passed. Kelly decided to turn on the television. Mike was bound to come in soon and close the door. It always took him a few minutes to turn off all the lights and lock the doors. Eventually, however, the sitcom Kelly had been watching ended. She looked at the clock. It read 10:00. Kelly took several deep breaths. She went to the bathroom and brushed her hair. Then she lay back down and watched the clock some more. 10:05, 10:08, 10:15. A knot formed in Kelly’s chest as she realized that Mike wasn’t coming to the bedroom. She got out of bed, took off the gown, and put on the shorts and t-shirt. At some point, she finally dozed off.
Sometime later, Mike did come into the room. Kelly stirred and held her breath, her back to Mike as he climbed into the bed. After a few minutes his breathing became deep and regular, and he started to snore. Kelly carefully got out of bed, grabbed her pillow, and went to the guest room to sleep.
Tossing and turning, Kelly felt disappointment wash over her. When she did sleep, she woke up several times from the troubling dreams that had taken up residence in her mind. They always had the same theme, and they always left her breathless. Then her cheeks would color as she lay there wondering if she should feel guilty. But they were just dreams, after all. No one could control their dreams. Besides, the real world wasn’t cooperating. A pleasant dream never hurt anyone.