Shawn yanked his cap backwards over his frizzed and knotted bangs, wiped the sweat from his brow with the sleeve of his sweater.
"Told you not to wear that"
Shawn cast azure eyes to his left, illuminated by the dimming sun stood his voluptuous wife.
"What would you suggest I wear for DIY?" he enquired gruffly. He cleared his throat slightly in an effort to dislodge the dryness. He'd been inside his former office for the entire afternoon.
"Most people would wear something like shorts and t-shirt" suggested Rebecca, a small smile playing on her lips as she carefully picked her way across the cluttered room.
"No they wouldn't!" refuted Shawn repositioning his cap so that his eyes were shaded.
"They would in Texas" said Rebecca simply, "In case you haven't noticed in your, ooh…twenty four years of living here…San Antonio gets pretty hot"
"Gee Becks really?!" replied Shawn his tone as equally as sarcastic. He flung the cap to the dusty floor and rived the sweater over his head, his hair crackling and seething with static as he exposed his bare chest. He stooped down carefully and pulled the cap from the ground, brushed it off and replaced it back on his head.
He stepped back framing the wall through his hands, tongue poking from the side of his mouth – his sun kissed face taut with concentration as he contemplated the pencil specked wall before him.
"Shawn don't you even think about using that drill"
"Why not?"
"Because you don't have a clue what you're doing!"
"I do too!" retorted Shawn defensively
Rebecca cast him a look of pure disbelief
"I do. I've measured it out and everything. I'm only putting up some shelves for crying out loud any nimrod could do that!"
"Oh really? Similar in the way that any nimrod could change the lock on a door?"
"Hey I told you that was not my fault, I can not be held responsible when stupid hardware store clerks give people the wrong sized locks and then blissfully ignorant customers have to tamper with them slightly to make them fit"
"Tamper with them slightly? Shawn, we still can't use any of the good china!"
"Ok, Ok so maybe I shouldn't have forced it-"
"Yeah maybe if you'd listened to me, your mom, your dad, Kev, Hunter and Scott the cupboard door would still open"
"How come all my friends end up on your side?" demanded Shawn jokingly.
"Because they see that I actually make sense and have better ideas than you"
"Oh yeah real great idea to have my office turned topsy turvey –"
" You don't even use this office" laughed Rebecca
"Not anymore I don't, now I can't since the whole house is being demolished!"
"Has anyone ever told you, you have issues with exaggeration? One room Shawn. One that you don't even use and it'll be worth it in the end. Where would you rather the baby sleep? On the roof?!"
"Hey he'd have an awesome view of the stars"
"Shawn" snapped Rebecca warningly.
Shawn shot her a lopsided grin, his sapphire eyes twinkling.
"I'm only kidding babe, you know I'm happy to give up this dust collector for our baby"
Rebecca returned a soft edged smile; laid a hand across her blossoming bump. Her smile turned to a grimace as she let out a small gasp.
Shawn was at her side in an instant, his arms shrouding her delicate frame protectively.
"Are you ok? I mean are you hurt? Is it the baby, is it time? Do we-"
"Calm down sweetie, the baby just kicked"
"Oh" said Shawn nibbling on his lip, his tanned skin smeared rouge.
"But nice to see you stay calm in a crisis" giggled Rebecca. Shawn raised his eyebrow at her in mock irritation.
She grabbed her husband's hand and placed his warm palm over her stomach gently, "See, you feel that?"
"Yeah" whispered Shawn excitedly, "Our baby already mastered Sweet Chin Music"
Rebecca rolled her eyes good naturedly at her lover.
"Get back to preparing your protégée's bedroom" she said grinning. Shawn returned the gesture before picking up the drill ready to finish putting up the bookshelf a delighted beam creasing his features.