by Alice Audrey
“How about we live together?”
“What?” Did he know nothing about her? As if she was the kind of girl who would!
On the other hand, she wasn't the type to have a one night stand, either. She was the marrying type. And she'd fallen for yet another man who didn't want her for the long haul.
“I don't think that would be a good idea,” she said carefully. She refused to look at any part of him.
“I think it's a great idea,” Trigvey said cheerfully. He sat beside her on the bed, his expression eager. “If we live together, then we don't have to worry so much about my irregular hours. Every chance I get, I can come home to you. It’ll be great.”
“No!” Diane threw the covers off and stomped off to the bathroom. She knew what was going on. She knew exactly what he wanted, love on tap. He wanted her to do all the things a wife did, clean up after him, cook for him, make love to him, and be there all the time in case he needed her, but he didn't want a legal document tying them together.
If he offered her money, she'd scream.
Trigvey stood. “We're lovers and we’re going to buy the house together.”
Diane slammed the bathroom door in his face.
This was what she got for opening up to a man. Every time she did, she turned into a door mat. If he offered to marry her she would have accepted without a second thought. And then what?
She leaned forward, hands braced against the cold, porcelain sink. She didn't need a man like Trigvey in her life. She needed to get serious about her career.
“Diane?” Trigvey tapped lightly at the bathroom door. “What's the matter?”
“What's the matter?” She straightened up, caught sight of her red, splotchy face in the mirror, and dashed away angry tears. “I never said I'd buy the house with you, and I don't want to live with you. You're jumping to all kinds of conclusions.”
****
Trigvey thought he was being smooth. The first step was living together, then in a few weeks or months, he'd propose. He already knew she was prickly about marriage.
“Diane? Come out and talk to me.”
“No!”
“Be reasonable. All I want is—”
“To take over my life,” she finished for him. “You want a slave. Well I won’t be a slave to you or anyone else.”
“I am not trying to make you my slave! I’m not even trying to make you my wife.”
“That’s right! You aren’t even asking me to marry you.” She threw the door open. “You only want to live together. But I know myself. If we lived together, I'd only want to marry you. I'd want to stay home and be the little wifey, fixing your dinner and mending your shirts. I wouldn't ever be satisfied with living together. Not even for a minute.”
“Then marry me.”
“I wouldn’t marry you if—” She glanced at him and growled. “Forget it. It isn’t going to happen.” She stomped over to her dresser.
“Why not? We’re perfect together.” He followed close behind. “I’m a good bread-winner. I can easily support us both. Once I’m established we could live anywhere in Madison.”
“Like Maple Bluff?” The smoothness of her voice should have clued him in, but he only paid it half a mind.
“Sure. Maple Bluff or anywhere else you like.”
She pulled out a T-shirt.
“You’re good at everything I’m not,” he continued.
“Like cooking and cleaning?” She took out a pair of shorts.
“And decorating,” he put in quickly. “It’s like we were made for each other.”
“Oh sure, you say that now, but I know exactly what you’d say on our wedding day.”
“Oh yeah? What?” She wasn’t listening to his careful arguments and he didn’t like her putting words in his mouth.
“You’d say, ‘You’re a wonderful girl, but I’ve come to realize you just aren’t enough for me. I need someone who can hold her head up when people ask what she does for a living. I need someone I can be proud of.’”
“What makes you think I’d say anything like that?” he asked.
“Those are the exact words spoken by my ex-fiancé right after our dress rehearsal.”
The anger that had been slowly simmering like a pot of heated oil flashed into brilliance.
“You were an idiot,” he snapped. He intended to say she should have waited for him, but she didn’t give him a chance.
“Yes. I was. And I never will be again.”
“Ah, so you will marry me.”
“No, I won’t! I'm not going to do it no matter how much you ask. Go away—”
“Go away? I’m not going to let you jerk me around. If I walk out that door now, there won’t be a second chance. Is that what you want?”
“Yes. Go away! Get out of my life and don't come back!”
“All right! I will!”
Trigvey marched into the hall and slammed the door behind him. Idiot! What an idiot! He wasn’t sure if he meant her or himself. He was half way up the stairs before he remembered he’d left without his shirt.
****
“What time?” asked Diane.
Her voice, coming clearly from the downstairs hall, made Trigvey stop in his tracks. If he went to work now, he’d have to pass her. Petty though it was, he didn’t want to face her, not even in passing.
“Come at six.” Miranda’s voice rose strong and clear. “This is so great! Do you realize this will be the first time since Vin and I got together that you’ve agreed to join us?”
“That isn’t true,” said Diane.
“It is! You always beg off in the last minute.”
“I do not.”
“I’ll bet twenty dollars you beg off this time too.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Of course I won’t.”
Unable to resist, Trigvey leaned around the turn in the stairs to see Diane’s face. Sure enough, she had a stiff-lipped, prim expression.
“A hundred dollars. I’ll bet a hundred dollars that you do, and without a good excuse. Deal?”
“Quit shaking my hand.”
“Deal. Good, because you weren’t the only one Suzie wanted to invite as thanks for taking care of Gene.” Miranda’s headed up the stairs.
Trigvey quickly pulled his head back. He glanced both ways, trying to decide if he should go back into his apartment, or head down the stairs and pretend he hadn’t heard anything. Considering he’d already locked his door, he’d better go down. Having decided, he moved forward.
“No, Miranda!” Diane sounded panicked.
“Something wrong?” Miranda called sweetly over her shoulder. “There you are, Trigvey.”
Diane squeaked, then dashed into her apartment.
The first week after their big blow up Trigvey had still been angry, and he’d stomped past her apartment without second thoughts. In the second week, he realized how juvenile he’d acted and her reaction hurt.
Miranda blocked the stairs half way down, one hand on the banister.
She fluffed her hair. “You heard, right? Dinner at Suzie’s house. Six p.m. tomorrow.”
He thought through his schedule and was amazed to realize he actually could do it. “I don’t think I should.” He tried to push past her.
Miranda caught at his shirt and held him in place as though she’d rough him up if he didn’t listen.
“Whatever she did to you, we can fix.” Miranda frowned earnestly. “She does this every time she starts to care about a man. She says or does something to drive them away.”
He tried to come up with a response that didn’t make him feel like an idiot. “She likes me?”
“From what I’ve seen, she likes you more than any other man. Ever.”
Like he believed that. He shoved past impatiently. “Yeah, sure she does.” He wasn’t going to let Miranda manipulate him. If Diane liked him so much, she could say so.
“Do you ever talk to her anymore? From the way she’s been moping around, I’ll bet you won’t even look at her.”
“It
’s none of your business.” He stopped and turned around. “What happened between us doesn’t involve you.”
Miranda looked like she’d gladly shove him down the last few steps. “It does involve me. Diane is my friend, and you’re hurting her.”
Trigvey started back down the stairs.
“Ok, fine,” called Miranda. “She’s hurting herself.” She made a cutting gesture through the air. “I know exactly what that’s like. For years I did the same thing. I could never stay with a man for more than a few months before I drove him away. But I changed, and so can Diane. In fact, it would be even easier for her than it was for me because she isn’t as messed up.”
She clattered down the stairs behind him. “All I’m asking is that you come to dinner with us.”
Trigvey stopped. “And her.”
“And her. If you insist, we’ll seat you as far away as the table will allow. It’s a big table. Just come.”
Trigvey hesitated. He couldn’t imagine being in the same room with Diane and not looking at her. It was hard enough when they were in the same building together.
“Please. It’s Suzie’s way of saying thanks for helping Gene. It means a lot to her.”
“Fine.”
“Great!” Miranda danced past him, obviously eager to leave before he could change his mind.
“Miranda.”
“Yes?” She stopped on the threshold.
“Did you ever really get it worked out?”
“Yes!” She flashed a diamond ring and a grin at him. “Thanks to Vin, and the help of my friends, I did.”
She dashed off before he could ask another question. He made his way to the door much more slowly. With his hand on the knob, he hesitated. Maybe he should say something to Diane about this. If her friends were determined to play matchmaker, it could get ugly.
Diane’s door opened behind him. “Trigvey?”
He turned hesitantly.
“I’m sorry.” She had her hands clasped in front of her and her gaze on the floor. Her lower lip looked a little shaky.
“You’re sorry?” He came to her side. If anyone should apologize, it was him. She’d been right when she said he was making all kinds of assumptions. He’d only assumed she would leap at the chance to marry him. What an arrogant fool. He didn’t have time to make a relationship work.
“I don’t know why I said the things I said. I know you weren’t trying to turn me into a slave or anything. I’m sorry.”
“I said some things I shouldn’t have, either. My grandmother always said you should never make ultimatums. She sure was right.” He jammed his fingers into his hair. “I feel like such an idiot.”
“Friends?” She stuck out her hand.
He looked at it, but didn’t take it. “No.”
“No?” Her smile crumbled.
“You can’t live with me and not marry me. I can’t be friends with you.” He waited until her hand sank. “I’d like to be your boyfriend.”
Hope and excitement welled up in her eyes, then were quickly squashed as her chin came down.
“I’d like that,” she said, still keeping her head down.
“I would too.” He lifted her chin, and made her look at him before he kissed her.
Chapter Nine
Diane and Trigvey sat side by side in Suzie’s formal dining room, close enough to touch shoulders. They’d decimated the food on their plates and drunk a fair amount of wine.
Diane felt good and judging from the way Trigvey lounged in his chair, one arm across her back, Trigvey was in the same mood.
It could be her imagination, though. Yesterday, when he kissed her, she was sure he would spend the night. Instead, he muttered something about work, and ran off. She hadn’t seen him again until a few minutes before they came over for dinner.
The boys, Ben and Gene, had already excused themselves. Miranda’s fiance, Vin, looking rakish with his dark wavy hair and satisfied sprawl, sat next to Miranda and shot her impish grins that made her squirm. Cool and neatly trimmed, Suzie’s friend Drew, sat at the head of the table opposite Susie. The two of them smiled knowingly to one another. And Trigvey had his arm around Diane. She felt like she’d graduated into an exclusive club.
Diane eyed what remained of Suzie’s homemade layer cake. Trigvey still had a bite left on his plate and apparently no plans to finish it off. That one bite would be enough to satisfy her.
“Still hungry?” Trigvey asked, his eyes soft and provocative as he looked at her. His face came too close. Diane fell into the depths of his eyes until she realized everyone was looking.
“Um. No. Not really.”
“Here. You can have my last bite.” He scooped it up on his fork, then held it out to her.
“No,” She looked away, trying to ignore the heat in her face. “I couldn’t.” She didn’t dare look around the table. Chances were Miranda would be gloating, and Suzie would have that concerned expression she wore so often.
“Sure you could. It’s just a bite. It won’t do you any harm.” His expression was so soft and intimate, as if they were alone. He leaned forward with fork in hand, and she couldn’t tell if he intended to feed her or kiss her. He waggled the cake inches from her lips.
She took it like a snapping turtle, gobbling it off the fork so fast he couldn’t tease her anymore. He chuckled as he set the fork down. Quiet laughter went around the table. Diane blushed.
It felt good, being one of two instead of a third wheel, even knowing what they would all say when her relationship with Trigvey ended.
“So…” Miranda said with a gleam in her eye that had Diane on edge. “When’s the wedding?”
“Miranda!” Suzie scolded.
Vin and Drew merely looked on with amused expressions. Trigvey removed his hand from the back of her chair and shifted uneasily.
Miranda shrugged. “Diane always wanted to be a housewife, and you earn more than enough money.”
“Miranda!” Suzie half rose from her chair, then thumped back down at a signal from Drew.
Miranda’s eyes were far too sharp. “It’s time to settle down.”
In the past when Miranda got like this, Diane could put her put her off by telling her to look after her own life first. But now Miranda had Vin. And not just for however many days it took until she destroyed the relationship. Miranda had changed.
“How did you do it? How did you change?” The question burst out of Diane.
“I made a conscious decision. You should too. It’s the only way you can have real and lasting happiness. Every time you catch yourself thinking something dumb like, too bad it can’t last or I can’t do this, make yourself stop. The only reason you haven’t been able to get serious is because you tell yourself you can’t.”
“That’s all it took for you?” It seemed so simple.
“That and the love of a good man.” Miranda winked at Vin.
“But I think for you it will take one more thing,” Suzie said. “You need to realize that you are valuable as a housewife. That we will still love and respect you if that is what you want. And that, if you decide to give up your job for the sake of a man, you’re being loving, not foolish.”
“Suzie,” Diane said with remarkable restraint. “Let’s not go overboard here. I’m not a complete idiot.”
Trigvey watched her. “What does that mean?”
“Housewives aren’t as valuable as career women.”
Everyone at the table looked at each other as if surprised. It made Diane uncomfortable.
“I think housewives are more important.” Trigvey looked serious.
“You’re kidding.” She leaned away from him.
“No, I’m not. I think career women are selfish. When I was growing up it wasn’t my mother who was there for me. It was my grandmother. My grandmother never tried to be anything but a good wife to my grandfather. She took care of me. If it weren’t for her, I don’t know what I would have done.”
“Yeah, me too.” Diane thought about all the things
her own grandmother did to help out. “But it wasn’t my mother’s fault. She didn’t ask my father to dump her. Or any of my stepfathers either.”
“Not a very good example,” Drew muttered.
“But her grandmother was there for her,” Suzie countered. “Wasn’t she, Diane?”
“But my grandparents were old fashioned. Things are different now.”
“Not really. You don’t see me working outside the home,” Suzie said.
“That’s ridiculous. You’re the landlord. Running this place is your job.”
“It wasn’t like that when I first married Ben’s father. I stayed home until Ben was in school.”
“That isn’t the same.” Diane looked from one person to another. She could hardly believe they would argue the point. “Staying home for your kids is one thing. But what Trigvey wants is for me to stay home whether there are kids or not.”
“What Trigvey wants?” Trigvey crossed his arms and glared. “I’ve already said I don’t care if you work or not. If you want to stay home, fine. If you want to work, fine. What I want is you.”
Like she’d believe that. No man would—stop thinking like that. If she wanted her life to change she had to change herself first. But did she want to?
“You see?” asked Miranda. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a housewife or a regular wife. As long as you marry him.”
“Miranda, he hasn’t proposed.”
“Haven’t I?” Trigvey’s arms remained crossed and his jaw tightened.
“Oh give me a break. What kind of proposal was that?”
Both Vin and Drew laughed, then looked away in embarrassment. Miranda smirked at Vin. Suzie had her hand over her mouth, but her eyes danced.
“I would say,” Suzie cleared her throat, “that was a fairly normal proposal. I do wish you would accept. With his busy schedule and your tendency to stay home all the time, I’m afraid you will fall apart when the house is sold.”
“But that won’t happen any time soon,” Diane said.
“Maybe not, but the real estate agent was here a couple of days ago while both of you were out. She and the potential buyer stood out front talking for a long time. I think the house might sell at any moment. I’m worried about where you will go.”
