I do not disagree, and neither does anyone else.
We settle Fred in the guest room that I stole furniture from when I redecorated the meeting room, then walk Sarelia’s parents over to Heidi and Basil’s house, the better to create somedistance so nobody kills anybody during this visit. Heidi greets us at the door, and Sarelia and I bid goodnight before leaving her parents in my sister’s capable hands.
On the walk back home, Sarelia deflates.
“That was a disaster!” she exclaims, rubbing the heel of her hand against her eye. “They clearly have some–some sort ofplanto have another one of their ‘chats’ with me. It’s going to be the retirement thing all over again, except this time I can’t run away. They’re cornering me!”
“Us,” I correct. “They’re corneringus. Because you are not alone this time, love. I’m right here with you.”
“This is awful. I should’ve just… I don’t know. I should’ve just agreed to go and visit them so they could see that I am whole and healthy and of sound mind, then come back when they’d calmed down. I can’t believe I brought themhereto spread their…” She waves her hand backward, toward them. “Whateverto you. I’m so sorry, Archie.” She stops, turning to me. “I’m so,sosorry.”
What a silly woman my darling wife is.
I put my hands on either side of her mouth as it spills apologies still, then pull her toward me until my lips silence hers.
“You’ve nothing to apologize for,” I tell her when we part. “Your parents are your parents. I don’t care about them outside of the fact thatyoucare about them. My only concern right now is your well-being. If having them here is an issue for you, then I’ll ask them to leave. But, my love, my princess, you will not be going with them if they do. I’ll not have you away from me for the sake of appeasing people whose opinions are not only wrong, but also stupid on top of it. They think you and your brother incapable of anything beyond nonsense.” My nose scrunches. “It’s ridiculous. They claim your brother to be smart, yet at the same time put him down for idiocy. They think you don’t know the basics of caring for another living creature when I know that you spenthourspreparing to have a pet in our home.” I rest myforehead against hers, then tap her nose to mine. “We know they love you, but goodness, they’re so blinded by their own worry that they cannot even see the magnificent woman they’ve raised, or her brother, who may well turn out magnificent himself.” I tut. “And not a single bit of that is your fault. You owe no apologies for the actions of wayward relatives. Not to me, and not to anyone else either.”
She sniffs. “You’re too good for me.”
I shrug. “And if I am, then let me wallow in the mud. I’m quite content basking in the way it makes me feel.”
Thick lashes flutter. “In books, the man normally responds with something along the lines of, ‘Oh, no, I could never be too good for you. I am a worm beneath your feet. You are everything.’”
I hum. “Yes, well, their confidence issues have nothing to do with me.”
My heart stutters when she laughs, then takes off like a rocket when she presses that laughter against my lips, allowing me the pleasure of swallowing it whole.
“We’ll get through this visit together,” I murmur when I’ve had my fill of her mirth. “You and I. Husband and wife. Archie and Sarelia.”
“I appreciate you,” she replies. “And I love you.”
“I love you, my darling.” I kiss her nose. “Now, let’s get you home. We have a long day with your parents tomorrow, and Pesky is likely missing us.”
She presses a sweet, light kiss on my cheek, then spins, marching toward home. “She’s probably worried,” she mutters. “My poor baby.”
“Ourpoor baby,” I remark.
She pauses, turns, grabs my hand, then resumes her march. “Let’s get home toourpoor baby.”
We do, only to find Pesky sound asleep at the foot of Sarelia’s bed, not a worry in the world.
And when we join her, I find that it’s quite simple to let go of our worries and fall into slumber as well, if only for the night.
Chapter Twenty-Three
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Sarelia
“This is the best day of my life,” Fred declares as his eyes rove the table, skittering over the veritable feast Rosie’s laid out. “Do you do this every day?”
“No, dear,” Rosie answers. “Only once a week, I fear.”
His eyes bug out, and he turns to our parents. “I’m moving in with Lia,” he declares. “Effective immediately.”
Mom’s eye twitches. “You are not moving in with Lia. You have school.”
“I can do homeschool,” he suggests. “Lia’s retired, so she has plenty of time to teach me.”
