And May My Wife Refuse My Bed…
Lee stumbled down a narrow, poorly lit hallway, hesitantly approaching a thick cedar door. He lifted his cane and, after a moment of reluctance, tapped it against the door three times. He heard rustling on the other side. He suddenly felt cold sweat break out on the back of his neck.
Finally, an answer came. "Who is it?"
Lee recognized her sweet voice immediately, though it was quivering more than usual. No doubt she had been weeping. "Anne! Open the door!" Lee called out. At first he could tell by the silence that she had not moved. But to his relief, she did eventually arrive in the doorway.
"Richard!" she cried out, stunned. "What are you doing-" Before she could finish, Lee had swept her into an embrace, burying his face in her hair.
"Anne, what has happened?" he mumbled, trying desperately to hold back his tears. "When I think of what could have happened to you and the children… It makes me positively ill!" He expected (or rather hoped) that Anne would attempt to console him. But while he spoke, he felt her slender fingers move up and push him away. A pang of dread arose in his stomach. "Anne… I though you might be happy to see me here."
"Yes… well…" This answer (or rather, lack there of) was somewhat less than convincing. "Richard, why are you here?"
"I'm here because…" Suddenly, Lee thought it might be best not to confess, at this point in time, the real reason for his trip south. "I… wanted to see you. I love so, Anne." Lee smiled warmly, trying to prove his sincerity. But to his surprise, she grimaced.
"Oh, spare me your idiotic proclamations of affection! You look pathetic!" She stormed to the other side of the room.
"But, Anne-"
"Silence! I hate your constant blabbering! I wish you had been born without a voice!" If Lee had come to Stratford in order to receive comfort from his doting wife, this was definitely bad timing. "I do not know why you insist on visiting me so much! Why can't you just let me be?"
"Anne, I have not seen you in six months!"
"And a very pleasant six months it's been!" She irritably climbed into bed and covered her head with a quilt. "Just go."
If he had not been the optimistic, ever-sunny young Virginian that practically everyone grew to hate or love, Lee most likely would have become quite dismayed by this unhappy situation. But after a moment of thought, he smiled brightly and quietly sneaked towards her.
"Anne…" he called out melodically. "Anne…" He poked her through the blanket several times playfully.
"You are poking my eye, you ignorant buffoon!" Lee immediately ceased the poking. He rubbed his chin pensively and, as bad luck would have it, developed a new idea. With one thrust of energy, he leaped onto the bed and began to jump up and down like a child.
"Anne!" he cried out shrilly, huffing and puffing to catch his breath. "Look at me! Look at me!"
"If you were one of the children I would give you a good beating!" Suddenly, Lee stopped jumping and situated himself next to her, grinning obnoxiously. She slowly lifted her head from under the covers. As soon as she saw his idiotic expression, it became painfully obvious what he was after. She turned away from him, suppressing vomit. "Richard… I HAVE A HEADACHE!"
"Oh…" Lee murmured, astonished. "Uh… Well, what do you want me to do about it?"
"LEAVE ME ALONE!"
"But darling," he whined, beginning to slobber all over the back of her neck. "Didn't you miss me?" Suddenly, Anne jumped up, grabbed a shoe that had been lying near the bed and began to bash him over the head with enough force to give even the strongest man a potentially gruesome injury.
"Go away!" she yelled, clobbering him. "Go back to Philadelphia!" Attempting to dodge her, Lee was unable to inquire as to the reason for her sudden hostility. And before he could speak a word, she had thrown him out of the room onto his rear, locking the door behind her.