Jim was exhausted. He had just pulled into his driveway and turned the engine off. He sat there in the gloom and reflected on his week. It had consisted of endless travel and meetings with potential clients followed by nights out wining and dining with his business partner to attempt to secure contracts. It had been somewhat successful, with two contracts in the bag and one that seemed very promising. He was happy with the outcome, but it had taken it out of him. He was done in and the only thing he craved was to sit on the sofa, drink beer and lose himself in mind numbing television.
He knew that would not be the case. With a one-year-old that had just had eight teeth come through in the last week and a very tired wife, he was well aware that as soon as he stepped through the door he would be "Dad" again. He would drop the corporate businessman persona and pick up where he left off earlier that week as the loving husband and energetic dad. He just didn't think he had the energy tonight. His wife had been at the end of her tether on Thursday, and he was torn between growing his business and his duties at home. He had been so busy today that he had only managed to text her in the morning to ask how her night went. He had had no reply and was dreading what he was about to walk into.
Don't get me wrong, Jim loved his wife and child to death. His wife was stunning. She was 5 foot 6, brunette with a gorgeous pear-shaped body with lovely petite breasts that fit perfectly in his hands. He was just as in awe of her as he was when he met her 12 years ago. She had the ability to get him hard with one look or one stroke of her hand. She was perfect to him with a great sense of humour and being a wonderful mother too.
His little girl was also a highlight of his life. Watching her grow from a tiny baby to a little toddler was an amazing experience. Her was so proud of his family that sometimes his heart burst.
Tonight though, he was mentally and physically drained. What he needed was a quiet night in to recover his energy. He had held off long enough. He exited his Mercedes, straightened his shirt that after a 4 hour drive had crumpled at the waist, grabbed his bag and turned the handle to his front door.
Silence.
Not just silence but darkness apart from candlelight coming from the living room. His exhausted brain was confused as he dropped his bag by the front door.
"Hello, anyone there?"
No answer. Not even the standard welcome from the dog, jumping and licking his face. It was all very odd.
Jim walked towards the candlelight. Immediately he stopped in his tracks. The living room was immaculate. No toys or craft materials scattered about the place. He turned in a circle to double check he was in the right house. It was his, but a version from years ago. Before the pregnancy and responsibilities life throws at you remove your ability to retain a semblance of order in your home life. On the pleasantly clean coffee table sat an ice-cold beer in a bottle, the condensation slowly dripping down the bottle neck. He reached over, picked it up and took a long draw from the bottle. Perfect amber nectar trickled down his throat, clearing his head and bringing a smile to his lips.
"Amanda, what's going on?" he called.
"Take a seat and relax, Ill be down in a minute" She called down from upstairs.
Well, this is a nice change of pace for a Friday he thought. He was again confused, this time because she had called down. Usually at this time of night it was either a crying baby or whispered words, not one of them wanting to be responsible for waking and having to resettle her. "You break it, your bought it", was the phrase they used.
He decided to go with it. He sat on the sofa, taking sips from his beer and switched on the television. He sighed and contented sigh. This is what he needed. A quiet night to recuperate from his hectic week. He felt for his wife when he had weeks like this. She worked so hard to give their child an educational and entertaining environment and keep the house in order. Most days, when he was not travelling for business, they split duties at night, leaving little time for themselves to be a couple. When he was away, this was all down to her, and she would be just as tired as him.
This night was different however. Her voice sounded upbeat, not the downtrodden woman he had spoken to yesterday. Sipping his beer, he called up to her.
"Where's Milly?"
