Goody Two Shoes (Invertary 2)

His father glared at him. “This isn’t about me and your mother.”

“You’re wrong, that’s exactly what it’s about—for you. The only problem you have to deal with is your marriage. I can handle my own life.”

“Yeah, right!”

Josh ignored him. He leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees.

“What does Mom want?”

“I’ll be damned if I know.”

“You know. What does she want?”

There was a heavy sigh. His father’s shoulders slumped, and he looked older than his sixty-seven years.

“She wants me to be the way I was when I met her.”

“So, what’s the problem?”

“The problem is that I’m not a young man. I’ve lived a life. I can’t turn back the clock.”

Josh stood. “Well, I suggest you find a way to convince Mom that you are the man she wants. Otherwise you’re going to get that divorce whether you like it or not.”

The answer was silence. With a shake of his head, Josh left him to mope, and climbed the stairs to bed.

Caroline lay in the middle of her bed with the white lace fringed duvet pulled up around her neck. She was wearing her pyjamas, but she still felt naked. Vulnerable. And all because there was no door on her bedroom. She’d heard every single word Josh and his father had said. The house was small. Noise travelled. And now she could hear Josh coming up the stairs to bed.

She held her breath as he reached the landing, but instead of

turning right into the guest room, he turned left into her room. For a moment she was stunned. Then she heard his shoes hit the floor.

“What are you doing?” Her voice sounded as panicked at she felt.

“Coming to bed.”

She heard a zip and then jeans being pulled off. “Your bed is across the landing.”

“Nope. It’s in here with you. Those beds over there are made for midgets. This whole house is made for midgets. I’ve hit my head on the doorframes too many times to count, and the only way I can get my whole body wet in the shower is if I sit in the bath.”

“You’re not sleeping in here.”

“Yes, I am. Your bed is big. Sure, it looks like it belongs to a fairy princess, but it’s a great size.”

She sat up straight. “You’ve seen my bed?”

“Baby, I took the door off the hinges. I’ve seen the whole room. I even tried out the bed. It’s still a tight fit, but at least my feet don’t hang off it.”

“You were in my bed?”

From the dim light in the room she could see him pull his T-shirt over his head. “Have to say, I like the décor in here a whole lot better than the rest of the house. Didn’t have you pinned for frills and flowers, but it suits you.”

Caroline pointed at the door. “Go to the other room.”

“No.” He pulled back the duvet on the side of the bed nearest the door. “Move over.”

“Fine!” She clambered out of bed. “You can have the bed. I’ll sleep next door.”

She stomped to the door, furious that the man was kicking her out of her own bedroom. A strong arm snaked around her waist, her feet left the floor and the next thing she knew she was on her back in the middle of the bed and Josh was climbing in beside her.