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careful.”
    â€œI’m careful.”
    â€œWhen we talked about you not going back to work, I didn’t mean you had to take on everything at home, that’s all.”
    She heard the concern in his voice, knew he was being sincere and not trying to be overbearing or patronizing. Just like she knew that if she didn’t organize the house, it would not only take him forever to even get started, but once he did, he’d put everything in all the wrong places.
    Ginny tried to keep her voice light. “What am I supposed to do, Sean? Sit around all day eating bonbons and watching the soaps? Do they even have soaps on anymore?”
    Silence ticked between them. She’d probably hurt his feelings. She tried again. “I have to do something , okay? I’ll go slow; I won’t lift anything heavy. But if nothing else, I need to be able to get the kitchen organized so I can go to the store and buy us some food. We can’t survive on takeout.”
    Well. They could. Their budget was another story. Even as she thought about the grocery store, she remembered the fast-food burger joint in the parking lot. She could just about murder a burger, fries and milkshake. The worst food always made her feel the best.
    â€œYou could get your studio set up,” Sean said after another half a minute. “That’s not too strenuous.”
    Ginny laughed softly. “Not physically, no. Mentally…”
    â€œYou’re a great painter.”
    â€œSure. Of walls.” She looked around the kitchen. “Speaking of which…”
    â€œNo,” Sean said. “No way. Don’t even think about it.”
    â€œI could just stop at the paint store…look at colors.”
    â€œI told you we could go this weekend.” Now he sounded as irritable as she felt, which in turn only made her all the more annoyed. “I don’t want you lifting heavy paint cans, and besides, Ginny, I know you. You’ll go to pick out colors and come back with all the stuff, and I’ll find you up on a ladder when I get home.”
    She couldn’t really argue with him, since that was true. Still, it didn’t sit well with her to be lectured that way, even if he had good intentions. “You worry too much.”
    More silence. Now she’d hurt his feelings for sure. He always clammed up when he was upset, and she stifled a sigh. She settled for a halfhearted apology instead. “I’m sorry.”
    â€œI worry. Of course I do. Am I not allowed?”
    She rubbed the space between her eyes with the tip of her finger. “Of course you are. But—“
    â€œI’ll stop and pick up something for dinner on the way home,” he told her. “It’s Friday. We can just relax tonight, and tomorrow we’ll hit the grocery store, the mall, the paint store, whatever you want. Okay? I’ll be there to do the heavy lifting, and you can pick out the colors. I can paint Sunday, before anything gets unpacked. Easier that way, we won’t have to cover the furniture or anything.”
    When he put it that way, made it sound so reasonable she couldn’t argue, there was no way for her to reply with anything but a murmured “fine.”
    It was far from fine, but as usual, Sean didn’t appear to hear the frustration in her voice. “Good. What do you want for dinner?”
    â€œIf you’re going to pick it up,” Ginny said in a clipped tone, “you should just decide.”
    â€œOkay, good idea. I’ll surprise you. I’ll be home a little later than usual, then. Are you good for now, though? Should I have my mom—”
    â€œNo. If I need anything, I’ll tell my sister to bring it over.” She couldn’t tell him enough times that she didn’t need his mother to help her do the things she could do on her own, or with the help of her own mother or siblings. Or friends. Sean’s mother meant well, but she was an easily