The Bad Boy Next Door

Jo walked into the dining room to find the dinner plates still on the table, the leftover food not put away. She sighed, clearing the table and putting the dishes in the dishwasher. She put what was left of the food in the refrigerator before going back into the bedroom. Pete was already in bed, laying on his back with one hand thrown over his face, lightly snoring. Jo got ready for bed, then slipped in beside her husband. Gently, she shook him awake.

Pete slowly opened his eyes. "What, Jordan?"

"I wanted to apologize before I went to sleep."

"Why didn't you just apologize in the morning?" Pete asked groggily. "I was already sleeping."

"I don't want to go to bed angry," Jo said. "My parents…"

"Jordan, we are not your parents," Pete snapped. "Besides, my parents went to bed angry plenty of times, and they're still married."

Jo somehow kept from pointing out that any love in that marriage had obviously died years ago. She wasn't sure which was worse-getting divorced or staying together out of nothing more than convenience. "I just hate fighting with you, Pete. You're never home, and then when you are, it seems like we're arguing the whole time."

"That's because you keep nagging me."

"I'm not nagging! I just want to actually see you once in a while."

"I'm home now, and what do you do? You storm out during dinner and then wake me up to yell at me!"

"I woke you up to apologize," Jo snapped. "You're the one who started the fight over again."

"You've been at me ever since I came home," Pete replied. "You wonder why I'm never home? Well, dammit, Jordan, who would want to live with this?"

Jo's face fell. Pete did stay gone all the time because of her. "Pete, if I'm a bad wife, I'm sorry. I really do try…"

Pete sighed heavily. "Jordan, you're not a bad wife. You're just a little…trying at times. But I do love you."

"I love you, too." Jo slid up against him, nestling her head against his chest. Pete wrapped his arms around her. "I do appreciate everything you do, Pete. I'm sorry if I seem ungrateful."

Pete kissed her hair. "It's okay, Jordan. I know it does get lonely for you when I'm gone. Why don't you join a book club or something?"

Jo frowned. She didn't want a book club. She wanted a husband who remembered she existed. "I'll think about it."

Pete gave her a gentle squeeze. "There, we're not fighting anymore. Can you go to sleep now?"

Jo let herself get comfortable in her husband's arms. "Yeah," she replied, closing her eyes and ignoring those nagging doubts still at the back of her mind.