Greener Grasses by Cosgrove Julie B

Author:Cosgrove, Julie B [Cosgrove, Julie B]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Romance
Publisher: Prism Book Group
Published: 2016-02-19T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

John, along with Ellen, silently prepared plates for the just-delivered pizza and salad, courtesy of Faulkner, Faulkner and Tate. Robert remained noticeably absent. After a while, Erin entered the kitchen, red-eyed and timid.

Her shuffled feet caused John to pivot. Hurt over her words still tightened his jaw. Erin moved to the sink and yanked a paper towel from the roll that hung beneath the cabinet. She doused it under the faucet and dabbed her eyes and cheeks. Ellen ignored her as she continued to count out forks.

Erin perched on the stool. “I, I’m sorry. To you both.” Her sentence ended in a shaky sob.

Ellen dropped the forks on the counter and pulled her twin into an embrace. “Me, too, sis. Me, too.”

For the next few minutes the twins swayed and cried pent-up-for-ages tears. John grabbed a wedge of pizza and exited on tiptoe. After a while, he found Robert in the study as he sat at their father-in-law’s desk digging through file folders. John sauntered up to him, hands clasped behind his back.

“Need help?”

Robert peered at him through his readers. He edged back in the swivel chair. “These I can figure out. My wife? Another story.”

John leaned against the bookcase. “Tell me about it.” He jutted his thumb towards the door. “Now they’re in the kitchen crying into each other’s shoulders. Lunch will be a while.”

Robert ran his hand through his hair and removed his glasses. “Ellen thinks I’m having an affair. She’s threatening to divorce me.”

John thunked into one of the chairs facing the desk. “Wow.”

His brother-in-law laced his hands over the piles of papers. “Yeah. Things haven’t been so great in our bedroom lately. Well, ever since Jade was born. Having a third kid at our age? Big mistake. It’s worn her out. That and her social obligations. At the end of the day there isn’t any energy for me.” He swallowed hard. “I’ve gotta admit. I’ve been tempted.”

John nodded. “Been there. Twins can be taxing. But once they got into middle school, things calmed down and Erin’s, well, interest in me increased. That is, until I again refused to accept a management position. Now all I hear is how I can’t provide. She keeps tabs on you guys. Did you know that?” His voice raised a few octaves to imitate his wife’s. “Erin has a new car. Robert got new golf clubs. Mom tells me they’re vacationing for two weeks with the girls in San Juan…”

Robert pushed away. “And Ellen nags about how I don’t live up to what she and my mother expect. We had to go because the Edwards and the Goldsteins were going. What would people think if we didn’t? Never mind it cost thousands of dollars.”

The two sat in silence for several minutes.

John cleared his throat. “No one ever told me marriage would be this tough. My parents make it seem so easy. Even now I see them sneak loving glances. Jesus bound them together forty years ago and they take it seriously.

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