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“Wow.” Remembering the fun Brett and I had with the water hose and the shower sex we’d shared afterwards, I could feel my face flushing. I suddenly had a great idea. “When do you train? I mean, is Gary around?”
“No, just me or maybe a few other women, why? I promise Gary wouldn’t tease you.” She grinned and leaned forward to get another muffin. “He’d encourage you and praise you for trying. The only one who’d get a smack on the ass would be me.”
I almost spewed the mouthful of coffee I’d just taken. Surely she wasn’t… they didn’t… Managing to swallow with only a cough into the napkin she quickly handed me, I said, “Um, no, I just meant that I’d kind of like to make it a surprise. You know? It would be fun to shock Brett since he thinks I’m basically a slug-a-bug.”
“Well, we’ll show him,” she said, lifting her cup to clink it against mine. “We’ve got three months to train. With your runs and our training sessions, you’ve got plenty of time to get ready. It would be so neat to have you both on the course with us.”
I left Stephanie’s house feeling better about my life than I had in a while. Sure, life with Brett was great—well, when he wasn’t smacking my ass, but that had only happened once. I finally felt as if I could make a good friend and surprise my husband with something other than a messy house and a stressed-out wife.
After dropping off the dry cleaning, I went to the PX and bought some new sports bras, socks, and picked up an extra pair of running shoes. After going by the commissary and picking up groceries, I went home. I filled a crockpot with potatoes, carrots, onions, mushrooms, and after searing the pot roast I’d bought, added it to the pot.
I was watering the plants when my phone buzzed. Hopping up onto the swing, I answered the call.
“Hannah? This is Judith Powers. I’m sorry I’m late returning your call but we went out of town. What can I do for you?”
Dread filled me as this woman was married to General Powers, and I was about to do something frowned upon in the military. I was going to retreat.
“Thank you for calling me back,” I said, wishing my legs were long enough to be able to push the swing. “I’m so sorry, but I won’t be able to chair the committee for the Harvest Dance.”
“Oh? May I ask why?”
“I’m just so busy… I mean, I know you’re busy too, but…” Biting back a sigh, I told her the truth. “I sort of let things spin out of control and, well…” Okay, so I hadn’t told her the whole truth, but I was not about to confess that my husband was actually determined to get me under control and how he planned to accomplish that feat.
There was a pause and I wondered if she was even now jotting down a note in some book to inform her husband to put a big black mark against Brett’s name. I just couldn’t let the blame fall on him. “To be honest, Mrs. Powers, my husband is right. I’ve let too many things at home go. I really want to do all I can to help out with everything, but… well, I’ve got to put my husband and my home first.”
“I totally understand, dear. It’s easy to overcommit, and you are always the first to volunteer and do an exemplary job.”
Startled and a bit shocked, I said, “Thank you. I feel just awful, but, well, I know that Marsha Higgins has been asking to take on more, and I think she’d do a great job chairing the committee. Oh, and I’m not saying I can’t help. I’d love to do something as well—just not be responsible for the entire thing.”
“That sounds lovely. I’ll give Marsha a call. And, Hannah?”
“Yes?”
“You take good care of that man of yours. I guarantee the greatest happiness you can achieve is having a good marriage.”
“Thank you.”
Hanging up, I sat with the phone in my hand and just looked out over the yard. Seeing the willow tree, I smiled.
I spent the afternoon scrubbing the kitchen floor. If I had to drop to my knees again, at least they wouldn’t be grimy when I got up. There was no way I could get my house in proper order quickly as I’d ignored it far too long. It would also take a few days to clear off the dining room table, finishing the baskets, flyers and printing out the invitations. But I couldn’t help but feel that I’d put a dent in things by the time I took a quick shower and changed into a sundress. The house smelled like pot roast, and I’d set the kitchen table by the time I heard Brett pulling into the garage.
“Hi,” I said, meeting him at the kitchen door.
“Well, hello,” he said, removing his hat and reaching for me. After a long, toe-curling kiss, he set me back. “You sure look pretty, but did you change your perfume? You don’t smell like lemons.”
I laughed. “No, you’re smelling eau de pot roast. It will be ready by the time you’ve showered and changed.”
I could see the pleasure in his eyes and it made me feel great. We actually enjoyed our dinner, and talked during it instead of scarfing down fast food. He had seconds and complimented me until I was beaming.
“I also took the dry cleaning in and the t-shirts to Stephanie. She was so sweet about it.”
“She’s Gary Carter’s wife, right?” he asked, spearing another baby carrot.
“Yes. Why?”
“No reason, I’m just putting faces to names. He’s not on my team, but Gary’s a good guy. He was wounded in Iraq but has recovered amazingly well.”
I hadn’t known that, and Stephanie hadn’t mentioned it. It made me feel even more determined to make a good showing in the Mudder Run. We spent some time talking about his day and then he helped me clean up.
