by Livia Grant
“Does Carol do a good job with Brianna?”
“Yes she does.”
“Then I’m assuming that she knows all that goes in to having a little one to look after.”
“She does and she does a great job with Brianna, she has from the beginning. It’s hard for her to get everything else done though because she goes out most days. Admittedly it’s only for a couple of hours but by the time you take out a little of the day to take Brianna to school and pick her up and then coffee- with her friends...” Crystal made an effort to not emphasize the word again. “She might be home for an hour maybe an hour and a half. That barely gives her time to put in a load of laundry.”
“So this is more than you worrying about another baby?”
“I would like the house to be tidier and I’d like it to run more smoothly, but I’ve been trying for years and I just don’t think I’m able to make that happen. I can’t imagine what would happen if I added a baby to that mix.”
“Why aren’t you able to help Carol with her organization?”
Crystal shrugged and shook her head. That was the question wasn’t it. “It isn’t that Carol is standing up to me and refusing to clean. It just doesn’t seem to come easily to her. Maybe she was born without a neat gene or something.”
Marilyn chuckled. “She can still be encouraged.”
“Oh I’ve done my share of encouraging believe me. She apologizes, says she’ll try harder.”
“And then she doesn’t.”
“Exactly.”
“Then perhaps you need to do something that will really gain her attention.”
“This thing about Carol deciding she needed a pregnancy, do you blame her friends?”
“Not really, it’s nothing to do with them. It should have nothing to do with them.”
“Ahh.”
“What ahh?”
“It shouldn’t, in your mind, have anything to do with them and yet it seems to.”
“It was after one of their coffee mornings that Carol came to this decision that she was ready to experience a pregnancy.”
“There’s that coffee again.” Marilyn smiled. “I think you resent Carol talking to her friends about a baby before she talked to you.”
Crystal didn’t say anything, she’d already kind of figured most of that out.
“I don’t think you’re being entirely fair.”
“You don’t?” That was a shock. She kind of expected Marilyn to take her side.
“Carol’s friends may have inadvertently started her thinking about a baby or a pregnancy, but that doesn’t mean her need isn’t real.”
“So you think I should go along with what she wants?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“I need help. I was going to punish her tonight because she was so bratty on the phone to me last night, but I have a gut feeling that it isn’t the right thing to do. She’s unhappy and I don’t know if that’s because of me, because of how I’ve handled things. Everything seems like it’s spiralling out of control at the moment and I don’t know how to stop it.”
“Pull it back a little.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means exactly what I said. Honey, you are the head of the house, you need to take control of it. First though, it sounds like you need a reset of the rules. Carol can’t follow the rules if she doesn’t know what they are. You let her get away with something you disagree with and say nothing. Then another time she does the same thing and you spank her for it.”
“I’ve been inconsistent.”
“If you think her spending time with her friends is impacting on your relationship, then you need to compromise on that, you work shifts. You can’t expect her to not ever meet with her friends. She needs her support network.”
“I would never do that to her.”
“Tell her what’s acceptable to you and what’s not. If you want her to clean the house and start the dinner before she goes out, then tell her so.”
“I see what you mean.” Marilyn was right. They needed to have a fresh start as far as the discipline went and she needed to set a few boundaries.
“There’s another thing too. Do you think it’s possible that Carol thinks the rules only apply when you’re at home?”
“Maybe.”
“You need to settle that. Respect isn’t something you put on the shelf when it suits you. Love and respect are an ongoing part of your relationship. You have to earn Carol’s respect so that she wants to please you. So that she wants to do what’s best for your family.”
“What about if I tell Carol that I think she needs to think about the baby thing properly for a month and show me that she can handle what she has on her plate already.”
“There, see? That’s a compromise. I wouldn’t though just let Carol have her own way about everything. Reestablish the rules. Make sure she knows the choices she’s making. If she steps over the line, then it won’t surprise her when she lands in trouble.”
Crystal nodded.
“That trouble needs to be something quite unpleasant, a real deterrent.”
“Thanks, Marilyn, as always you’ve made me feel so much better.”
“As always, you’re welcome.”
* * * * *
Crystal’s heart felt light as she drove home. Before her talk with Marilyn, she’d been dreading going home to more disharmony. Now she was clear about what she had to do.
She didn’t park in the garage. They would have dinner and then go out for some ice cream for dessert. It would be a special treat, a family outing so the three of them could reconnect. It would also show Carol that she wasn’t so rigid that she couldn’t bend occasionally. As she stepped out of the car, she could smell dinner cooking, but she couldn’t figure out what it was.
“Hi girls, I’m home!” she called.
“Momma!” Bri called, running to the front door to meet her.
“Hey there baby. Were you a good girl for Mommy?”
“Yep.”
“What’s for dinner?” Crystal whispered. Bri’s wrinkled nose was a worry.
“Left over surprise,” the little girl whispered back.
That explained the mystery smell. She racked her brain for anything that had been cooked over the last few days, but all she could remember was spaghetti. They had pizza last night in her absence. Carol wouldn’t put pizza in there with spaghetti would she? “That sounds, interesting.”
“That’s what grown ups say when things are gonna taste yuk.”
“No, it’s what adults say when, they are about to eat something really interesting, like left over surprise.”
“Mommy said I could have a sandwich if I didn’t like it.”
Sounds like a plan, Crystal thought. She took off her shoes and added them to the rest that sat neatly on the rack.
“Hi. I was doing laundry,” Carol said, coming out from the laundry room. “Running just a little behind here.”
“The house is pretty tidy,” Crystal said, looking around.
“I whipped around a little.”
Carol was chewing her lip which meant that she was nervous. Well that would be because she was expecting the spanking she’d threatened her with on the phone. “Bri, do you need help with your homework?” Crystal asked.
“I have math.”
“Well you go and get it all out and Mommy can come and help you while I finish off dinner.”
“I did all the other stuff.”
“Good girl,” Crystal said with a smile.
“Yep.”
“Go and get ready for your math homework. I just want to talk to Mommy.”
“Are you two gonna kiss?” Bri giggled.
“Quite possibly.” Crystal chuckled. “Now go.”
She walked around the counter and wrapped her arms around her lover. “I’m sorry about the phone call,” Crystal said, pressing a kiss to Carol’s neck.
“I’m not in trouble?”
“Not this time. I think we both overreac
ted. In fact, I think we’ve gotten a bit off track in general.”
“What does that mean?” Carol asked.
“It means that tonight is an amnesty of sorts. Tomorrow when Bri is at school, we’re going to reestablish the rules.”
“Well I’m not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.” Carol beamed.
“Good,” Crystal said. “This smells, savory.”
“Is this really an amnesty?” Carol said.
“Yes it is.”
“Then, I know we had pizza last night, but could we please go out to eat because this here smells like crap and it tastes worse.”
“Hmm. I’ll compromise. How about I make us some grilled cheese sandwiches and then we go out for ice cream?”
“Perfect,” Carol said with a grin. “What should I do with this?”
“Leave it to cool down and we’ll freeze it until trash day.”
By the time the homework was done, Crystal was plating up the grilled cheese.
“Thank you babe,” Carol said. “Looks good.”
“Thanks,” Crystal said. “Did Mommy tell you the good news?”
“Nope. What news?”
“We’re going for ice-cream after dinner.”
“Yay!” Bri said. “We never did that when you’re home, Momma!”
Crystal was a bit taken back. Had she become that unbending? Maybe she was a not letter.
* * * * *
Dinner over, at Crystal’s insistence they packed the dishwasher and tidied the kitchen.
“It won’t take long Carol, we only had sandwiches.” She missed the rolling of her partner’s eyes- luckily for Carol.
“Okay, okay.”
“Oi.”
“Good idea, that way we won’t be coming back to a mess,” Carol agreed, plastering a slightly false smile on her face.
“Uh huh.” Crystal smacked her bottom. “See, it’s done now and we can go and get our ice cream. All it takes is a little organization.”
“I don’t need a lecture, Crys. You said so yourself the place was tidy.”
“You’re right. Let’s go.”
“We should put on coats,” Crystal said as Bri was about to open the front door. “It’s getting chilly out there.”
Carol stopped in her tracks, her eyes widening.
Before she could stop her, Crystal opened the hall closet near the front door. “Ah!” she yelled as everything that Carol had crammed in there fell out. It happened almost in slow motion; balls clonked her on the head as they rolled out of the unzipped equipment bag, along with an assortment of spare netting, shirts and pads. While the frustrated firefighter rubbed her head and counted to ten, the final item dropped seemingly from the air.
“Whoops,” Carol said, wincing.
“That box could have really hurt me,” Crystal said, staring at the spilled contents of the broken first aid box.
“At least it has lots of bandaids in there,” Bri said.
Carol grinned. “She has a point. Are you okay?”
“I’ll live, but we really do have to talk about your organizational skills. This place is a circus.”
“I know, I’m sorry,” Carol said. “Are you really all right?”
“Yes. I really am fine. You though, may not be if you ever shove everything into a closet like that again.”
* * * * *
“I missed you.” Carol happily snuggled back against her girl, so happy that she was home.
“I missed you too.” Crystal’s hands slid from Carol’s belly up to cup her breasts.
The soft brush of fingertips against her nipples made her squirm with a rush of pleasure. “I can see that.” She giggled as the lips against her shoulder moved slowly towards the pulse in her neck.
“I don’t sleep well at the firehouse,” Crystal whispered. “I try but it just doesn’t feel right when you’re not with me.”
“Same. I don’t sleep well when you’re not here.” She turned over and lost herself in her lover’s deep kiss.
* * * * *
“Have a seat,” Crystal said the next morning when they were alone and finally free to talk. “And take that petrified look off your face, baby, there’s nothing to be scared of here.”
“That’s easy for you to say. You’re the one with the pad and pencil and the head full of rules.”
“Sit.”
“I’m sitting, I’m sitting.”
“Good. Now first up, I want us to talk about things that we’re not happy with in this relationship; things we would like to change. So here’s a piece of paper.” She ripped off a piece of paper and handed it to Carol along with a pencil.
“Homework,” Carol said with a giggle.
“Start writing smart alec.”
Carol chewed her pencil while she tried to think of things she wasn’t happy with. It was hard because on the whole, she thought she was happy. She couldn’t help but notice that Crystal wasn’t having any trouble at all. She was scrawling away like her life depended on it. That brought to mind one.
You’re too critical.
I would like to do more fun stuff like last night. I want you to see the funny side of things sometimes.
I want you to listen to me.
I would really like a maid.
I want to be pregnant.
* * * * *
Crystal already had in her mind the things she wanted to talk about so she was able to start her list straight away.
I would like the housework to be done on a regular basis.
I would like to have the meals planned and shopped for accordingly. (I don’t mind helping with that).
She did hold her breath while she wrote the next one, it wasn’t going to be popular. I’m concerned about the amount of time you spend with your friends.
I would like things put away more. (Closets tidy, shoes on shelf, meals cleaned up after they’re eaten).
“Have you finished your list?” Crystal asked.
“Uh huh.”
“Good let’s swap.”
Carol chewed her lip as she read Crystal’s list. “I’m not that untidy am I?”
Crystal put her hand over Carol’s. “I’m sorry, honey, but yes you are.”
“I know you nearly got killed last night with a flying first-aid kit, but that is totally unusual.”
Crystal couldn’t help but smile. “Thankfully.”
“I’ll try to do better.”
“That’s a start but, Carol, we’ve had that discussion before and it always ends the same. You shove things away so that on the surface I think things are clean. You rustle up meals and because you’re doing the laundry at the last minute, you shove all the whites and the colors into the one load.”
“There’s only the three of us. I’m saving water.”
“You’re saving time.”
“I can’t help it if I can’t make gourmet meals,” Carol said a little defensively.
“I don’t expect gourmet, you know that. I would be perfectly happy with anything you make. I don’t even mind a frozen lasagne every now and again if you’ve been to soccer practice or something.”
“You don’t want me to spend time with my friends anymore.”
“That’s not true,” Crystal said. “I do though expect some changes. But before we go into that, let me see your list.”
Crystal chuckled.
“What’s so funny?” Carol asked with a smile.
“You want a maid. See? I do have a sense of humor.”
“It would solve a lot of the things on your list though wouldn’t it?”
“So would the mother of spankings, I’m thinking.” There was a twinkle in Crystal’s eye but she was deadly serious about laying down some rules that would hopefully help things run more smoothly.
“Yes, ma’am,” Carol said. “No maid.”
“You think I’m too critical of you. Can you explain that?”
“You don’t like me the way I am. You want me to be a domestic goddess or something. I don’t think that t
hat’s fair.”
“All I’m asking is that you put this family first. You are my goddess. I work hard for you and Brianna. Now if you had wanted to have a career, things would be totally different. We of course would have hired somebody to do the house and help with Brianna.”
“I don’t want any help with Brianna.”
“Then you’re not sorry you are a stay at home mom?”
“No, of course not.”
“Then I’m sorry, baby, the job comes as a package. What would happen to Jen if Brock came home to find the house a mess and some sort of toxic surprise on offer for dinner?”
“How should I know?”
“Have a guess.”
“She would get a spanking.”
“That’s right.”
“What about Erin?”
“Same. I don’t want to be pigeonholed into a particular role.”
“Tough.” Crystal was determined that she was not going to allow Carol to argue her way out of this.
“Harsh,” Carol said, almost under her breath.
“That’s the way it is. We chose our roles, Carol, and unless you want to redefine your job then you have chosen yours. As far as I can see, you want it all. You don’t want to get a paid job but you don’t want to do what a homemaker does either. You want to run off and play with your friends while oatmeal congeals on the plates from breakfast until you feel like coming home to soak it off in the sink with last night’s dishes.”
“Not fair! I do make a home. It’s just that my idea of what makes a home and yours isn’t always the same. That thing with the dishes doesn’t happen every day.”
“It shouldn’t happen at all.” Crystal felt sick at the hurt expression on Carol’s face. “That’s why I want to do this. I want you to have a clear set of guidelines to help you stay on track. As soon as you’ve ticked off your morning chores, you can go off with Jen and the others for a few hours until it’s time to do the rest of the chores. Be clear though, there will be consequences if you don’t.”
