The Ariana Trilogy by Rachel Ann Nunes

Author:Rachel Ann Nunes [Nunes, Rachel Ann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction
Publisher: Deseret Book Company
Published: 2008-05-06T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

The next week, Paulette came down with a severe cold. The doctor, fearing another bout of pneumonia and an early delivery, ordered her to bed, and Louise once again took over running her household. But Paulette seemed to be recovering nicely.

The end of July found me alone in my sitting room, wondering where the days had gone. Lu-Lu’s wedding was to be held in a mere two weeks; we had still found no way to stop it. I sighed and gazed out the window into the dark night. My reflection stared back at me, my eyes seeming to fill my whole face, large and pensive. I glanced hurriedly away.

It was Monday, and I had hoped Jean-Marc would come home for family night, which I always held after dinner; but he didn’t. I had put the children to bed at their usual time, after reading a Book of Mormon story and singing to them in the dark.

I missed Jean-Marc. A feeling of melancholy settled over me as I thought about our relationship. How could I reach the part of him that was holding back? And why was he holding back? I needed to ask him, but I was apprehensive of his reaction. I didn’t want him to retreat from me to think things over. Is this how life is supposed to be? I wondered. The burdens seemed much heavier than they should have been. I put my head in my hands and sighed.

“Mommy?” Marc and Josette stood in the doorway.

“Is something wrong?” I asked. They nodded and ran to me, burrowing their faces into my body.

“I’m scared,” Josette said. “The closet was open, and I could see a man in it.”

“Why didn’t you shut it?” I asked Marc. He shrugged.

“He was afraid, too.”

“Was not!”

“Was too!”

“That’s enough!” I hugged them both tightly. “I guess I’ll go take care of the man in the closet.”

Amidst the giggles, I heard someone at the front door.

“Daddy!” The children ran to the hall and smothered him with chubby arms and wet kisses.

Jean-Marc smiled wearily but returned their embraces. “What? Still awake? I guess the tiger will have to eat you up. Grrr!”

They screamed in delight. Now it would take even longer for them to settle down and sleep. But I forced a smile; at least they were able to spend some time with their father. The wrestling continued until Marc hit his head on the coffee table. He screeched in exaggerated agony.

“Big baby!” Josette taunted.

“It hurts!”

Their argument began in earnest, but it was only a shadow of what I faced daily alone. At least now my husband was here to take care of it. He would sit them down and discuss why they shouldn’t argue and how the Lord expected them to act. I turned to face Jean-Marc, but his expression frightened me.

“Go to bed now!” he said. His face wore an ugly frown. “I have enough problems at work; I can’t deal with this petty bickering!”

“But I can’t go—” Josette began.

“Now!”

“But the closet,” Marc wailed.

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