Free The Lights of Tenth Street by Shaunti Feldhahn Page A

working late every night—”
    “Please, Sherry, don’t start.”
    “Well, I can’t help it. What am I supposed to think? I feel like you enjoy work more than me and the kids.”
    Doug bit his tongue at the common refrain. He slotted the shirts into his bag, zipped it up, and headed toward the garage. He threw the bag into the backseat of the SUV, picked up his laptop case and stuck it behind the front seat, then climbed into the driver’s seat.
    Sherry appeared in the doorway, her purse over her shoulder, looking confused. “I can drive.”
    “Please hurry, Sherry.”
    “Fine.” Sherry climbed into the passenger seat and shut the door, a little too hard. She buckled her seat belt and sat stony faced as Doug raced out of their neighborhood and onto the highway.
    The silence crackled between them.
    Why did she always start nagging him about his work hours when he was the most stressed? Did she think he
liked
working this many hours? Why didn’t she trust him, that he tried everything he could to get home to her? He was working his tail off to support this family!
    Sherry had her head turned firmly toward the window, and he could hear her sniffle. Hadn’t he shown that he cared by trying this ridiculous plan of coming home to pack and having her drive him to the airport so they could spend some time together?
    He sighed to himself. Some time together.
    Sorry, Lord. I guess I’m being a jerk. Forgive me
.
    He took a deep breath. “Sherry.”
    A pause. “What.”
    “I’m sorry.”
    Another pause, then she reached over to take his hand. “I love you, Doug. I just want to be with you more. That’s all.”
    “I know. I’m sorry. I just—I just wish you were able to recognize that I
do
want to be with you, and Brandon and Genna. It makes me feel terrible that you somehow don’t think that I do.”
    Her voice was very small. “Well, what am I supposed to think? I wouldn’t mind the long hours so much if you’d really
be home
when you’re home. But you’ve just been so stressed that …” She sighed. “I don’t know.”
    “You know it’s not going to be forever. We went into this with our eyes open.”
    “Look, I know that! Anyone with a technology-related company works long hours these days—and I want you all to succeed as much as you do! But can’t you leave work at work? Instead, you come home grumpy and snap at the kids.”
    He took a deep breath. “I know. I’m sorry. I’ll try to be better about that. I really will.”
    “And we hardly ever … you know … do it any more.”
    “Yeah, I know. I just—” he felt awkward, searching for the right words. “I guess I’m just preoccupied.”
    “That’s true—you have been.”
    “Well, it’s not just me, you know! You’re tired a lot, too.”
    Sherry looked down and didn’t respond. In the uncomfortable silence, Doug sighed to himself, feeling deflated. It
wasn’t
only his fault. And with the pressure of his job, it would be nice to regularly have that means to de-stress. Every now and then he couldn’t take the pressure, and that bothered him. But he didn’t tell her that. It would hurt her feelings.
    He looked at the clock on the dashboard and sped up a little. If he missed this plane, the new deal would go south and she’d see even
less
of him.
    Twenty minutes later they pulled up in front of the airport. He dragged his bags out of the SUV and set them on the sidewalk. Sherry slowly climbed down from the passenger side and gave him a tremulous smile.
    “Sorry I made you late.”
    “That’s okay, honey.” He gave her a quick kiss. “As long as the security checkpoints aren’t too bad I should be okay.”
    “Call me as soon as you get there.”
    “I will. Pray for my flight.”
    “I will.”
    He walked toward the nearest entrance, then looked back over his shoulder and mouthed
I love you
.
    She didn’t see him. A policeman was urging her to move along. She climbed into the driver’s seat and slowly pulled