The Recruit
Chapter 5
"Wow." Christine said. Mike just gave an exhausted sigh as he rolled back over on his back.
"Glad I still have that affect on you." Mike remarked.
"This was never our issue." Christine said.
"No. So, I've been thinking; this house is a month-to-month release, right?" Mike asked.
"Yes." Christine answered.
"I was thinking; let's find a better house? Bigger. Where we can have a bit more privacy." Mike said.
"This house is all I can afford." Christine told him.
"You have my income now." Mike reminded her. "Mike, I don't want to make any rash decisions. We are doing good now, but before we really struggled. Sex was never our issue. Communication was." Christine said.
"And my job." Mike said.
"Yes, but I really don't want to argue with you about it at one am." Christine answered.
"That was part of our problem before too. You would pick a fight and then pull back." Mike remarked. Christine sit up and put her nightgown back on, then laid down with her back to Mike.
"Perhaps so but I really don't want to discuss it right now. I have work." Christine said. Mike sighed heavily and turned on his side, away from her.
Christine didn't sleep well that night and her alarm went off way too early. Mike was still sleeping when she was ready to leave for work, so she leaned down and kissed his forehead before leaving the bedroom.
Mike wanted to move them into a new house. He didn't want her to work herself to the bone. He was talking about retiring. That was the first time those words had crossed his lips since he joined. She had just been alone so long that it was hard to rely on Mike. But if she wanted her marriage to succeed, she was going to have to.
On her way home from work, she ran to the store and picked up groceries for Mike's favorite meal. As she walked out of the store, she grabbed a pamphlet from a local realtor. Mike and the girls were playing a board game when she walked into the house. She handed Mike the pamphlet before giving him a long kiss.
"Yuck." Hannah said.
"Shush." Mike replied.
"I thought you might enjoy baked chicken and mashed potatoes." Christine said.
"Wonderful. Thank you." Mike answered.
"Did you get stuff for red velvet cake too?" Katie asked, pointing at the bag.
"I did. Its your dad's favorite and since I don't have to worry about the grocery bill as much, I thought it would be a nice treat." Christine said. She winked at Mike before heading into the kitchen to start dinner and dessert. She didn't mind doing the work alone because she could hear the laughter and it made her happy, so much so that she began humming.
"You haven't hummed in a long time." Katie pointed out when she walked into the kitchen to get a drink refill.
"I suppose not." Christine said.
"You're happy?" Katie asked.
"Yes, I think so." Christine answered.
"I'm glad. You and Dad should go on a date or something. I know you couldn't before because you needed babysitters. Now, we're older. You and Dad can enjoy yourselves a bit." Katie suggested.
"You know, a date seems like fun." Christine agreed.
"I'll mention it to Dad." Katie said. She filled her glass with sweet tea and headed back into the dining room.
While Christine worked on dinner, she thought about a date with Mike. It had been years since she'd been on a date and she was already planning out what she would wear and how she'd do her hair; if Mike agreed to a date. After their fight the night before; he might not.
Dinner that night was nice. Christine could tell that Mike was savoring the taste of his favorite foods. He had always had a sweet tooth, so the cake was particularly enjoyed. Katie wanted to study and Hannah had a movie she wanted to watch, so Mike and Christine settled on the back porch. Mike was looking at the pamphlet.
"I want a pool." Mike remarked.
"Expensive." Christine replied.
"We'll be okay. Katie is grown and Hannah is nearly grown. I want a house they want to come home to. One they bring their boyfriends to. Where they have their engagement parties and get ready for their weddings. Have a baby shower or two, and where they bring those babies back to visit. Where we have a big dinner for Thanksgiving and Christmas." Mike explained.
"You've given this a lot of thought." Christine remarked.
"I've spent the past several years living out of hotel rooms, bachelor officer quarters, at-sea cabins and out of a suitcase." Mike said.
"Mike…a lot of my hesitation came from…the last time we bought a house…our first house we purchased, everything was going good. Then you refused that job offer which led to problems with our marriage. You left for the Arctic and the Red Flu hit. We were having money issues then and it all just culminated." Christine explained.
"And you're afraid that it'll happen again?" Mike asked.
"Yes, and I know that its stupid." Christine said.
"No. So, I have been investigating the possibility of my retirement. Now that I have you and the girls back, I can't face another deployment. I am going to call the President Monday. The only drawback maybe Katie." Mike said.
"Maybe, but Katie needs her dad at that house you were talking about. She needs you to harass her boyfriend. Cry at her wedding. Hold and spoil her babies. She needs her dad, not Admiral Slattery. Same goes for Hannah." Christine replied.
"I am afraid I will hinder her career if I stay in. She will always have to live in my shadow and it will be hard to make her own way but if I stay in, even when she comes home for Christmas, I will always be her CO. She will call me 'Sir' instead of 'Daddy.'" Mike remarked.
"Just make sure you want to do this for you. I don't want you to resent the girls or I." Christine told him.
"Yeah, I'm still thinking about it. That beating Katie took bothered me." Mike said.
"Once Tom gets back, he can look out for Katie. Just make sure its right for you. I, personally, will be thrilled to have you here." Christine said before giving him a long kiss.
"Speaking of, Katie told me I needed to take you on a date. Maybe tomorrow?" Mike suggested.
"I'd like that." Christine answered.
"Good. I will call for reservations tomorrow morning. Anything in particular sound good?" Mike asked.
"Anywhere with you." Christine told him. He gave her a smile as he wrapped his hand over her own. It was a nice ending to a good day.