You Never Know by Connie Briscoe

You Never Know by Connie Briscoe

Author:Connie Briscoe
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollinsPublishers
Published: 2023-01-10T00:00:00+00:00


15

As the wintery months rolled into spring, all her work redecorating the condo began to pay off. The living and dining rooms had been refurbished with newly polished hardwood floors and fresh coats of paint. The old furniture that Marcus had inherited from his mother had been replaced with sleek, contemporary pieces. The white kitchen appliances had been upgraded with stainless steel.

She’d had to plan and organize it all on her own, with only the help of a few home design magazines and websites. Initially, she’d hired an interior decorator, someone who came highly recommended. But Marcus quickly nixed that idea when she told him how many thousands it would cost, and no amount of cajoling or pleading would get him to change his mind. He didn’t come right out and say it, but she distinctly got the impression that he figured he shouldn’t have to pay a decorator when he had her.

Not only that, but she’d also had to defend every expense other than paint. And he had insisted she downgrade to a cheaper brand of that. She’d been forced to scale back on so many of her big ideas, like new kitchen countertops and cabinetry. Marcus had put his foot down, insisting there was nothing wrong with the old ones. So instead of the upscale mahogany cabinets she’d had her heart set on, she had to settle for simply refinishing the current maple ones and replacing the hardware. But what could she do? She was totally dependent on him when it came to finances, especially big-ticket items.

She quickly began to see Marcus in a whole new light when it came to money and began to fear that perhaps she’d quit her job too soon. She realized that although her husband brought in a solid living as an attorney, he was as tight as they came. He watched over every major expense like a hawk. Small ones, too. She was doing volunteer work three days a week with a deaf advocacy group, but now she was more determined than ever to find paid work. She needed her own money. Every minute she wasn’t decorating the house or volunteering, she spent looking for a part-time job.

When the main level was far enough along, they decided it was time to show it off and invited Natasha and her husband for dinner. Marcus had met them at the wedding reception and was very impressed with Derrick and his passion for curbing diseases like HIV and malaria around the world. Their lively conversation took place over a meal consisting of roasted duck with a side dish of braised carrots, celery, and onions, all carefully prepared by Marcus with a little help from Alexis. She marveled at how good Natasha’s hearing had become and how easily she kept up with the chatter. When Marcus went into the kitchen for more wine, Natasha could even make out some of what he was saying as Derrick continued to talk to him from the dining room. That would never have been possible before.



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