"I simply don't understand you, Mavis. You put all this time into planning an event and then you suddenly decide to back out? Why?"
Mavis gave her husband a death glare. "I don't want to do it anymore, Ron. That's all there is to it. There's nothing for you to understand."
"But usually you're so gung ho on these kinds of things. What made you change your mind?" Ron was trying, he was really trying, to pay more attention to Mavis. Her kidnapping had scared him and had also made him feel guilty. He didn't want to stay married to Mavis but it would be nice if the two of them could part on friendly terms. Plus, he knew she wouldn't gouge him nearly as badly if she wasn't furious with him when he dumped her.
Mavis picked up the newspaper and shook it loudly. "Why do I need to explain my motives to you, Ron? I'm simply not interested in helping the local police stage their silly little ball. What's the big deal? Besides, Lorraine might be coming for a visit soon and naturally I'll want to spend some time with her. She's the only relative I have left, you know."
Dear God, not Lorraine. Ron couldn't stand his sister-in-law. The woman was so completely self-absorbed that she made Mavis look like Mother Theresa. "Do you think it's such a good idea for Lorraine to visit now? I think you should get back to doing your normal things like your charity events and shopping and getting your hair done."
"All I want to do is stay home. I'm going to have my hairdresser come here from now on."
Ron didn't get it. It was too out of character for a complete control freak like Mavis to let a party that she was in charge of planning slip through her fingers. Maybe being kidnapped had made his wife go through a personality transformation and she was going to become kinder, gentler person.
Ron silently snorted. Yeah, right. And maybe gas was going to go back to being a buck a gallon.
"Are you worried about being kidnapped again?"
Mavis shrugged. "The thought had crossed my mind."
"But you're working with a police officer. I can't imagine that you could be any place safer than with Officer Van Husen."
An odd look passed over Mavis's face. "I suppose you're right."
"I don't want to push you, Mavis, only I hate to see you give up on a project you've so clearly been enjoying. I think you might regret it. I also think you should wait on having Lorraine visit. You know how trying she can be and how she always takes advantage of your good nature." Ron wondered if a hole might not open up in the middle of the living room floor and swallow him life for telling such whoppers. He didn't care. The last thing he needed was a visit from Lorraine.
"Why are you being so nice to me?" Mavis asked. "It isn't like you to care about what I do or don't do with my free time."
"You're my wife." Ron wasn't quite a big enough hypocrite to say that he loved Mavis. He didn't think he'd ever really and truly loved his wife. They'd stuck their marriage out for another reason--greed. But of course he cared about her, kind of like how he cared about their accountant or the guy who kept the lawn looking so good.
Mavis seemed touched. "Maybe...maybe I won't quit helping with the Policeman's Retirement Ball. I suppose it would be rather rotten of me to drop it when the ball is just around the corner."
"Good for you." Ron was relieved--both because he didn't want Mavis hiding in the house for the rest of her life and also because he liked it when she went out. Then he got to do whatever he wanted to. And one of the things he wanted to do was drop in and pay a visit on Veronica Chandler...
"I think I'll ask Lorraine to arrange her visit so she can be here for the ball," Mavis added.
Ron's face fell. Some days nothing seemed to go right.
No comments:
Post a Comment