Michael and Susan

Chapter 11 (Susan): Better

Copyright © 2024 by GroveltoHEA

I didn't have long to look at Michael because in two strides, he was across the room to me. Taking my face in his hands he pressed his lips to mine -- not even caring that Father Ellis was right there -- and it was a kiss from a starving man. Since we'd married, we'd never been apart even two days much less two months. He leaned back, his hands still on my face and looked me over.

"I've missed you so much, Suze."

Then he hugged me to him, right in front of the priest! 

"Michael," I murmured.

"I don't like being without you," he said, and that caused a flash of anger in me and I pushed away from him.

"Talk to me when you've been on your own for seven months," I snapped at him. 

"I was home every night with you," he said sharply.

"Am I supposed to be grateful? So what that you lied to me and spent three or four nights a week with Linda, eating her meals for seven months, but, oh! you were home in bed every night with me. Nothing else matters!"

"Susan, that's not what I meant."

"By all means, please explain how you meant it. I'm all ears!"

"I'm without you all the time! You're never home. You've left me, Susan, and I hate living without you."

"I didn't leave you for another man, Michael. Not like you left me on my own when you chose to spend time with another woman."

"I didn't leave you for her! It wasn't like that! I would never leave you. You've left me!"

"If I could," Father Ellis interjected firmly, interrupting our rapidly escalating disagreement. Fight.

Michael and I both turned to him, and I felt myself blushing at behaving like a shrew, especially in front of our priest.

"Since we have limited time before the vestry meeting, perhaps we should get started? If you would, please."

Michael and I sat in the chairs he indicated.

"Susan, would you like to begin?" he asked me.

I nodded, then looked at Michael, wondering how to start, so I just jumped in. "I need you to sign a contract for me."

"A contract?" His brows pulled down. "For what?"

Now came the hard part. "I've been selling Avon for a while, and they want me to be one of the models for their fall campaigns. That means my face would be in the catalogs. They would pay me very well for my time, but I have to have you sign the contract so they can schedule a photo session."

"You've been selling Avon? Why? I make more than enough for us. Why didn't you tell me? When did this start?"

Fidgeting with the clasp on my purse, I thought about my answers to all of his questions. He didn't sound angry, just a bit bewildered and taken aback. Hoping that was a good sign, I looked at my husband. No wonder Linda wanted him. He was a very handsome man. And that southern accent...

"I started selling it about eight months ago. About a month after you started working all those extra hours." I gave him a sour look that he ignored. "I needed something more to do with my time because cooking, cleaning and church committees weren't enough, and I had a great deal of free time on my hands. So I thought maybe I could make a little money, add it to the leftover from my allowance you gave me each week and I could save a nice deposit on one of those Harley Davidson motorcycles that you'd wanted for so long."