Learning To Love It by Butler Arnica

Author:Butler, Arnica
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: anonymous
Published: 2024-02-26T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter eight

Alistair was in the study reading when he heard the front door open and shut. The usual sounds of Sheila jettisoning her assortment of bags followed. He heard her sigh, then kick her heels off.

After setting his book down, he pulled his reading glasses off his nose and folded them atop of it. He stood up out of his armchair and walked to the door to the hall.

She glanced over at him as she saw him emerge from the study, and sighed.

“Long day?” he asked.

“Ugh…I totally forgot we had a department meeting after my last class,” she muttered, rubbing her forehead. “Do we have any white wine?” she asked.

Alistair smiled. “I think there are a few bottles in the fridge downstairs. I’ll go grab one for you.”

“Oh, thanks, Al. I’m exhuasted,” she said.

A tiny disappointment hollowed his stomach. He’d been hoping that her sleeping in this morning meant she’d be energized by the time she got home.

He’d been having a hard time focusing on his reading, his mind continually drifting to thoughts of her and Booker. Nonetheless he walked down the stairs to the basement.

They had a small wine cellar and cooler at the front of the house. He opened the cooler and pulled out a bottle of Pinot Grigio. He walked back to the stairs, then paused when he saw the door to Booker’s room open a crack.

He set the wine bottle on the top step and walked quietly down the hallway until he was peering around the edge of the open door. Booker was lying on his bed, headphones on, scrolling through his phone and making notes on a tablet with a stylus. He seemed engrossed and not aware that the door was open.

Alistair saw him put one hand behind his head and rest his tablet on his stomach as he went back to his scrolling. He decided not to bother the young man. He made his way back upstairs.

Sheila had moved to the kitchen. Her pile of bags was stacked right in front of the front door, along with her shoes.

He walked into the kitchen, peeling the capsule of the closure to get to the cork. He set the bottle down on the counter and pulled an opener out of the cupboard.

“Did you have a good day?” Sheila asked.

He shrugged as he twisted the screw into the cork. “One day closer to retirement,” he replied.

She chuckled and shook her head.

He poured out two glasses of wine and handed one to her before replacing the cork in the bottle and putting it in the fridge. “You want to maybe head to the living room?” he asked.

“Yeah. That sounds good,” she said. She hoisted herself up off her chair and followed him to the living room.

They plopped down on the couch together. Sheila lifted her feet and set them in his lap, sipping at her wine.

“Is that a hint?” he asked.

She shrugged and smiled. “Only if you don’t mind. I feel like I’ve been on my feet all day,” she said.

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