Page 45 of Falling Again
“I will. Thank you.” Not forgetting his political savvy, Anthony turned to Mae. “It was a pleasure meeting you. I’m sure we’ll cross paths again soon. Good night.” He waved over his shoulder and bounded back into the house.
When he got inside, Anthony checked the battery on his cell phone. He was nearly fully charged, but he still sent off a slew of texts to his parents and Alice letting them know about the power. His was about to shut down his phone when Alice called.
“Hello?” He answered in a hushed voice.
“The power’s out, huh?” Alice chuckled.
Anthony rolled his eyes. “Yes, and?”
“AndI’m calling with some sisterly advice.”
“Oh boy. What did I do to deserve this type of cruel and unusual treatment?” Anthony scoffed.
Ignoring her brother’s tone, Alice continued. “Listen. I’ve seen enough Hallmark movies and read enough romance novels to know this is a godsend for you.”
Anthony pulled the phone back in confusion, as if the device would explain his sister’s ramblings. “I don’t follow.”
“I figured you wouldn’t.” Anthony could practically hear Alice’s eyes rolling. “So I’m offering my help.”
“Your help? Your help is keeping my children alive for the next week. Are they okay?”
Alice sniffed. “They are both perfectly fine. They’re asleep. I even gave them a vegetable with their dinner.”
“What vegetable?” he asked skeptically.
“Corn.”
“Corn isn’t a vegetable.”
“It is to children. Now shut up and listen. You’ve been blessed with a power outage, which means uninterrupted time with your wife. Use the lack of lighting and distractions in your favor.”
“How?” Anthony asked, suddenly very interested in what his sister had to say.
Sensing the change in his tone, Alice laughed but continued. “Plan something romantic. If you don’t have any power, you won’t get interrupted by the TV or your phones. Find some candles and plan a romantic meal. The gas grill out back should help with cooking.”
Anthony walked into the living room and flopped down on the couch. “These are all really good ideas. You learned this from Hallmark?”
“And dozens of romance novels. You mock my free time big brother, but I’m saving your bacon. Mark my words, plan something fun and you’ll have Natalie eating out of your hand.”
“I can’t believe I’m taking your advice.”
Alice sounded pleased with herself. “I know. It’s terrifying, isn’t it?”
Anthony thanked Alice for her help and ended the call. Tiptoeing to the bedroom, he found Natalie asleep. This time there wasn’t any snoring, but she was shivering outside of the blankets. Anthony edged her close and lifted the comforter over her exposed skin. His fingers grazed down her leg as he tucked her in, and he had to shake his head.
How on Earth could Natalie think he wouldn’t be interested in her after a few gained pounds? She was the mother of his children. Her body went through hell and back, and he was not about to criticize her for having a little padding. Anthony made a mental note to compliment Natalie more often. She deserved to find her confidence with him again. He hated himself for hurting her, even if inadvertently.
Walking back to the living room, Anthony decided to check the game cabinet. Looking around he found a few decks of cards, Twister, and Clue. It would be enough to fill their time, and depending on her foot, Twister would allow for a different kind of fun. Anthony smiled to himself as he placed the games back and went out to check the grill. There was enough propane to get them through the week. Once he checked that the ice in the cooler was still frozen, he moved things around to avoid the food spoiling overnight.
Striding down the hall, Anthony went into the first guest room and checked if there were any books or games hiding in the closets. Fortunately his mother kept a tidy home, so he located a few extra options right away. An old copy ofPride and Prejudicewas on the nightstand, along with a stack of children’s books from their visits with the kids. Anthony sat on the bed and paged through the first book, a story about a little boy and his dog. It was a childhood favorite of Anthony’s that he loved sharing with his kids.
Looking around the dark room, Anthony felt a pang of sadness that this could be his last time in the lake house. Granted, they only came once a year, but it was still a special place with a lot of happy memories. He and Alice came of age in South Bass Island, their summers filled with ice cream cones, water sports, and endless family game nights.
Some of the happier memories that Anthony didn’t want to lose involved the woman sleeping down the hall. He and Natalie had celebrated their first anniversary on the island and had come back out before Madeline was born. It was a quiet week of Natalie nesting and Anthony doting on her. There were countless foot rubs and nights on the water in their canoe. He had cradled Natalie in his lap while her hands rested on her growing baby bump.
Dampness covered his cheeks, and Anthony realized he was crying. He couldn’t fathom not coming back to this house. Suddenly it was like he had more to save than his marriage. Anthony needed to save their family home. The thought of walking away from such a happy place made his stomach turn. He would get to the bottom of his parent’s desire to sell, and he’d save his marriage along the way.
