The Recruit
Chapter 11
Mike made a point to be more careful of Hannah and spent more time with her. Christine was right, he was not used to sensitive teenage girls and Katie had always had a maturity about her. Hannah was not the same, but it didn't make her less valuable to Mike.
The next Saturday; he took Hannah to go mini golfing and to drive go-carts. They ate junk food and Mike gave her a driving lesson in his truck, which tested his patience, but it was necessary and could have gone worse. She could have wrecked the truck.
That night when they got home, Christine frowned at the abundance of junk food that Mike and Hannah brought in with them but smiled at all of Hannah's stories. After both girls went to bed, Christine sat down to Mike on the couch and stole some of the popcorn he was munching on.
"Exhausted?" Christine asked.
"Yes. I used to think them being toddlers was exhausting. Now, I think its now." Mike remarked.
"Or you've just gotten older." Christine replied with a laugh.
"That too." Mike said.
"Well, she had a good time." Christine answered. She leaned over and gave him a long kiss.
"Remember how when they were toddlers and we would make out on the couch because it was the only time we had to ourselves after they went to bed?" Mike asked.
"Yeah. We're too old for that now." Christine scolded him. Mike gave her a crestfallen look. "Too old to make out on the couch when we have a perfectly good bed upstairs." Christine said. She stood up and grabbed his hand, pulling him off the couch.
"Is the door locked?" Mike asked.
"Yep. C'mon, old man." Christine said. They shut lights off as they went and told the girls good night before going into their own bedroom and locking the door.
"I can't wait 'til we have more privacy." Mike admitted.
"Me too but I also like being able to look in on them at night." Christine answered as she unbuttoned Mike's shirt.
"I'm just excited that we'll have a bathroom of our own at the new house." Mike remarked.
"Oh? I thought that I would make you share with the girls." Christine teased between kisses.
"No thank you." Mike answered before lifting her and placing her on the bed gently. They continued kissing and clothes continued hitting the floor.
Several hours later, Mike smiled down at Christine. She gave him a content sigh and pulled the blankets over them.
"There's times I feel like we're newlyweds." Christine remarked.
"Except we've been married twenty-three years. Hardly newlyweds." Mike answered.
"Much more experienced." Christine teased as she kissed his chest.
"You are like fine wine." Mike said seriously.
"Well, that's better than saying that I've aged like cheese." Christine teased, reminding him of a comment he had made on their tenth wedding anniversary. Needless to say, he had been in the doghouse for weeks. Christine liked reminding him of it occasionally.
"No, ma'am. Maybe I have." Mike remarked and then groaned due to what Christine was doing.
"Not too bad. You've always been a diamond in the rough." Christine continued teasing.
"And you don't mind in the least." Mike remarked with a laugh. Christine gave him a long kiss and laid back down next to him.
"I love you." Christine said simply.
"I love you more." Mike replied. He kissed the top of her head and wrapped his arms around her, thankful that they had found each again. They just to find their way into the new house, get Katie through the Academy and keep sane while raising Hannah.
