house?” He stood, growing more impatient with his wife. He could feel the agitation in the pit of his stomach and couldn’t prevent the resentment from showing. His voice welled with anger. “I thought we said we were going to watch the spending, Julie. This flip is going to cost a fortune.”
Julie held the phone away from her ear,sighing. He was so mad. Over what, dinner? “Really? When was I supposed to get the groceries, during my lunch break?” she retorted, her voice rising. Her neck had turned red. “Look, Brad, I—”
“Never mind.” Her husband cut her off. “I’m not even hungry. I’ll see you later.” He hung up without letting her answer.
Chapter 3
Julie was pissed. He was so angry lately. Ever since they purchased this house, the light had left his eyes. He had been so easygoing about everything. That’s what had drawn her to him in the first place. Brad was different from all her other boyfriends. He was kind, patient, sweet, and fun to be around. Nothing ever rocked his world. She had been attracted to him for all the obvious reasons. He had the most perfect face; tanned, with lovely gray eyes. He had that boyish surfer look; his long brown hair was streaked by the sun, and he had the toned body of an athlete. Never overdressed, he filled out jeans and a work shirt like an underwear model. Her father never likedhim, unhappy with his lack of a career, yet Julie just didn’t care. She had loved him from the first time he ran to her side of the car and opened the door, helping her out like she was a porcelain doll. She punched in his number again, wanting to finish what they started, but canceled the call, thinking he would get home first, shower, and perhaps cool down enough for them to have an adult conversation. She called her sister Heather instead.
“Hi, Julie. Everything OK?”
“Do you have a minute?”
“Barely. I’m picking up Cooper at soccer and then I have to get Lainey from the orthodontist. I have a PTA meeting at eight, andJack just called and is going to be late. What’s up, sweetie?”
Julie sighed. “I don’t get it…we were cruising along. Everything was great, you know.” Julie paused.
“What? Did you have a fight?”
“Nooo, not precisely. I’m not even sure if there is a problem. I mean, well, there is…I mean, like a problem.”
“Julie, get to the point. I don’t have much time. Are you having a problem with money? Talk, Jules. Is it in the bedroom?”
“Well, I’m not having a problem, but lately he doesn’t want to do anything. It’s like he can’t stand me.”
“Oh, honey. That happens to everyone. One day it’s rainbows and puppy dogs and then…well, they just get over it. Jules, did anything happen?”
“No! I mean everything was moving along fine. We sold the Cape, made some nice money.” Julie went silent, then continued, “It’s since we bought this new house.”
“The old Hemmings place? Hi, Cooper. Throw your stuff in the back.”
Julie heard her nephew enter the car, and her sister switched off her speakerphone.
“Coop’s in the car, so I won’t be able to say much. Look, they all go through stages, Jules. That place was a sty. Is he working hard there?”
“He got angry when I asked him to pick up some dinner. I don’t remember the last time he, you know—”
“You asked him to pick up dinner? Isn’t today his birthday?”
“Shit. I forgot.” Julie was silent for a moment. “I am working full time, too, if you haven’t noticed. This is hard, Heather.”
“I know, it sucks. But what are the choices? You have to make enough to survive today. It’s never enough. Cooper! Stop hitting the back of my seat. Look, I’ve got to go. Make him a home-cooked dinner and then take matters into your own hands. You know what I mean?”
“Thanks, sis.” Julie hung up, resentful butwilling to try what her sister suggested. Brad and she weren’t like her sister and her husband. She thought they had a relationship
Julie held the phone away from her ear,sighing. He was so mad. Over what, dinner? “Really? When was I supposed to get the groceries, during my lunch break?” she retorted, her voice rising. Her neck had turned red. “Look, Brad, I—”
“Never mind.” Her husband cut her off. “I’m not even hungry. I’ll see you later.” He hung up without letting her answer.
Chapter 3
Julie was pissed. He was so angry lately. Ever since they purchased this house, the light had left his eyes. He had been so easygoing about everything. That’s what had drawn her to him in the first place. Brad was different from all her other boyfriends. He was kind, patient, sweet, and fun to be around. Nothing ever rocked his world. She had been attracted to him for all the obvious reasons. He had the most perfect face; tanned, with lovely gray eyes. He had that boyish surfer look; his long brown hair was streaked by the sun, and he had the toned body of an athlete. Never overdressed, he filled out jeans and a work shirt like an underwear model. Her father never likedhim, unhappy with his lack of a career, yet Julie just didn’t care. She had loved him from the first time he ran to her side of the car and opened the door, helping her out like she was a porcelain doll. She punched in his number again, wanting to finish what they started, but canceled the call, thinking he would get home first, shower, and perhaps cool down enough for them to have an adult conversation. She called her sister Heather instead.
“Hi, Julie. Everything OK?”
“Do you have a minute?”
“Barely. I’m picking up Cooper at soccer and then I have to get Lainey from the orthodontist. I have a PTA meeting at eight, andJack just called and is going to be late. What’s up, sweetie?”
Julie sighed. “I don’t get it…we were cruising along. Everything was great, you know.” Julie paused.
“What? Did you have a fight?”
“Nooo, not precisely. I’m not even sure if there is a problem. I mean, well, there is…I mean, like a problem.”
“Julie, get to the point. I don’t have much time. Are you having a problem with money? Talk, Jules. Is it in the bedroom?”
“Well, I’m not having a problem, but lately he doesn’t want to do anything. It’s like he can’t stand me.”
“Oh, honey. That happens to everyone. One day it’s rainbows and puppy dogs and then…well, they just get over it. Jules, did anything happen?”
“No! I mean everything was moving along fine. We sold the Cape, made some nice money.” Julie went silent, then continued, “It’s since we bought this new house.”
“The old Hemmings place? Hi, Cooper. Throw your stuff in the back.”
Julie heard her nephew enter the car, and her sister switched off her speakerphone.
“Coop’s in the car, so I won’t be able to say much. Look, they all go through stages, Jules. That place was a sty. Is he working hard there?”
“He got angry when I asked him to pick up some dinner. I don’t remember the last time he, you know—”
“You asked him to pick up dinner? Isn’t today his birthday?”
“Shit. I forgot.” Julie was silent for a moment. “I am working full time, too, if you haven’t noticed. This is hard, Heather.”
“I know, it sucks. But what are the choices? You have to make enough to survive today. It’s never enough. Cooper! Stop hitting the back of my seat. Look, I’ve got to go. Make him a home-cooked dinner and then take matters into your own hands. You know what I mean?”
“Thanks, sis.” Julie hung up, resentful butwilling to try what her sister suggested. Brad and she weren’t like her sister and her husband. She thought they had a relationship
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