Anderson took a step away from the couch and held up his hands, “I’m not carrying around a couch while you two fight about it.”
“Anderson’s on my side,” Mia stated smugly.
“I’m not on anyone’s side, and I’m not carrying that thing any further.” Anderson said.
Mia walked over to it and pushed it so that it was facing the fireplace, then sat down. When she had envisioned the room the first time she walked into the house, the couch was facing the fireplace. So, while she was there, this is how it was going to be.
“I can move it with you on it.” Rafferty flicked her ear from behind her.
“No, you can’t. I’m too fat.” She covered her ears, so he couldn’t do it again.
“Okay, love. Time for us to go,” Anderson said to his wife.
“No, we’re not done yet,” Mia said from the couch, not getting up.
“We decided this morning that when you two started fighting, we’d leave,” Ruth stated as she walked toward the door.
“Anderson thought we would be done by noon. It’s almost five, so you two lasted way longer than we thought you would.”
“Ruth owes me money. I said you would last longer than noon, but seriously. I’m surprised you too lasted this long.” Anderson took his wife’s hand and headed to the door.
“You can’t abandon me! You still have stuff in your pickup,” Rafferty argued as he follow them out the door.
Once they were gone, she laid down on the couch. It had been a long day of lifting and carrying. Tomorrow, her body was going to be sore. And since Rafferty was trying to keep his help here, she was going to rest. Maybe when he came in, he would get her something to drink.
A few minutes later, he came stomping in, carrying a box. Mia didn’t open her eyes when he dropped it on the floor in a huff. Nor did she for the next five loads. She heard them, but that was all.
“Are you going to help anymore?” he asked on the sixth load.
“Sorry, holding down the couch,” she answered, not opening her eyes but hearing him leave again.
“What if I promise not to move the couch today?” he asked on the seventh load.
“Still a no-go, but you need to shut the door between loads. It’s getting chilly in here.”
He was again gone.
“Are you awake?” he asked, but this time, he wasn’t by the door. He was very near her.
Opening her eyes, she saw he was standing behind the couch, looking down at her. His blue eyes ran up and down her body. “No, I’m not sleeping.”
“Yes, you were.”
“No, just relaxing. I’ve been worked to the bone today.” She muffled a yawn.
“Thank you for helping me.”
“Just remember, you owe me now. Any day, any time,” Mia stated with a smile.
“Who can forget?”
“You can. Can you get me something to drink?” She waved her hand at the kitchen, not telling him where she had put the glasses. He needed to figure that out himself.
“What do you want?”
“A beer. The expensive stuff; not what you served at lunch. You should be ashamed, Rafferty. We all know that you have good beer,” Mia complained.
Smirking, he said, “I always keep the good stuff for myself.”