Shelagh didn't miss the way in which Patrick slammed the door as he returned from work, thankful that Granny Parker had decided to steal the children for the weekend. Their peaceful weekend had been ruined when the phone had rung just 10 minutes after the children leaving, informing them their locum had fallen ill, meaning their plans for a picnic in the park had been cancelled.
"Bad day dear?" Shelagh questioned. Patrick simply grunted in response and made his way to the sofa, barely taking a moment to greet his wife. "I'll take that as a yes then," she muttered under her breath as she walked away. Patrick caught her hand as she did so and pulled her onto his lap.
"Sorry darling," he sighed as he pressed a gentle kiss to her temple. "All I wanted was a day with my wife and instead I've spent the day on my own in my office just in case someone decided that today was the day to give birth. Which they didn't by the way," Patrick couldn't hide the irritation in his voice, he loved his job but sometimes he wished he could work normal hours.
"The night is still young Patrick," Shelagh caught Patrick's lips in a gentle kiss as she spoke but when she pulled away she could still see the forlorn look in his eyes. "Let's play a game," she said suddenly, startling Patrick a little. He raised an eyebrow in questioning. "I'm going to ask you a question and each time you get it wrong there's a forfeit. If you get it right I take the forfeit. Ready?"
"What kind of forfeit?" was all Patrick could stutter, slightly concerned by the way in which Shelagh had now moved herself so she was straddling him and her face was merely centimetres away from his.
"Who said you were allowed to ask the questions?" He didn't miss the way in which her tone had shifted an octave lower. "Ready?" She questioned again. Patrick could only nod in response. "Why is it easy to weigh a fish? "
"Shelagh, what? I don't know" This certainly wasn't going where Patrick expected it to.
"Wrong. Because it has its own scales " A ghost of a smile passed Patrick's lips, he didn't know what game Shelagh was playing but he was impatient to find out. When her hands moved to his tie and she began to undo it a lump rose in this throat. "Shelagh?"
"The forfeit dear," was all she replied. "Ready for question two?" Again, all Patrick could do was nod. "What's brown and sticky?"
"A stick, oldest joke in the book," Patrick smirked.
"Correct," Shelagh responded as she removed her cardigan. Patrick wasn't sure if it was his forfeit or hers. "Question 3, What's the difference between an oral thermometer and a rectal thermometer?"
"Where you put it?" Patrick said as straight faced as possible, his wife would not crack him.
"Close dear," Shelagh's fingers began to make light work of his shirt buttons. "The correct answer is the taste." Patrick couldn't help but laugh out loud at that, every ounce of his bad mood had finally dissipated. "Question 4. Why aren't koalas actual bears?" Shelagh had to suppress a giggle as she spoke, it was a ridiculous joke but her favourite.
"They don't meet the koalafications," Patrick responded, unable to stop himself chuckling at his wife's ridiculousness. Shelagh couldn't stop herself completely collapsing with laughter. Soon their laughter echoed around the flat as they were unable to compose themselves. Patrick pulled Shelagh closer and stopped her giggles with a kiss. "I think that means you lose dear, and I know exactly which item of clothing i'd like to be removed," Patrick whispered in her ear as his hand climbed further up her thigh. Shelagh could only respond by kissing him again. The weekend wasn't wasted after all.