10/14/10: Way to shame me into updating again by commenting, people who comment! (Seriously, though, hi, welcome, and pull up one of the splintery old orange crates that we use for seating 'round these parts seein' as we can't afford no fancy chairs.)

The rules from
here still apply.

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Recliner


"Dinner's ready, Arthur!" Hannah carried the last dish to the table, then removed her oven mitt before going back to make sure the stove was off. "Arthur?" She rolled her eyes, but at the same time she was smiling; she'd been married to the man nearly forty years now, long enough to know that when he got wrapped up in something, it practically took a tank to pry him loose.

She wiped her hands idly on her apron as she walked into the living room. He had fallen asleep in front of the television again, it looked like; third time this week, as a matter of fact. Hannah chuckled a bit as she approached his recliner.

"Seems to me you're enjoying retirement an awful lot for a man who swore he wouldn't slow down in his old age, Artie," she chided gently, leaning on his chair. "Come to dinner, and then you can nap all evening. How's that sound?" When he didn't stir, she put a hand on his shoulder. "Artie?" A pause. "Arthur?"

Hannah moved around to the front of his chair, and leaned down slightly. From here she could see the way his head was slumped foward; his face was slack, his eyes open just the tiniest bit. She took a deep, shuddering breath. "Arthur."

"Huh?" Arthur jerked awake, eyes flying open and then focusing on her. "Holy... I dozed off again, didn't I?"

With a strangled little sound in her throat, Hannah straightened up quickly and headed back towards the kitchen. "That you did," she answered, and if her voice was not entirely even then he seemed not to notice. "Now come on, dear, dinner's ready."

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