Free Borrow Trouble by Mary Monroe

in just the bottom part of the silk pajamas I’d bought him. “I’m never going to let him go,” I vowed, giving my new husband a playful kick with my damp foot. “Mama, can I call you when we get home Monday? I am still on my honeymoon.”
    â€œAnd that’s another thing. When you was a little girl, all you talked about was going to Niagara Falls for your honeymoon. It’s a crying shame you ended up on a honeymoon in Cleveland of all places. Right in your own backyard!” Mama paused and clicked her teeth. “And with all that money Leon makes working for the IRS, the least he could have done was take you off somewhere romantic.” After saying such a mouthful, Mama had to stop to catch her breath. And it didn’t take her long to do that. She had other things to say that I didn’t want to hear, which she whispered. “I heard Leon was stingy. I bet he’ll be shoving chicken gizzards down your throat for dinner three times a week. You better hope you don’t lose your job at that schoolhouse.”
    â€œMama, I have to go now.” I hung up before Mama could get another word in. Mama was the only person I knew who could turn a dream into a nightmare. I tossed a pillow at Leon’s head. “You could have waited until I got out of the shower. I wanted to be the one to tell her.”
    â€œWell, I didn’t. Now get dressed so we can go out and get something to eat,” he ordered, rising.
    â€œBaby, wouldn’t it be nicer if we stayed in and ordered room service? Don’t you just want to lie here and…uh…you know.” I winked.
    â€œCome on. We’re going out to get something to eat,” Leon replied.
    â€œWhat if I don’t want to go with you?” I said, folding my arms defiantly, my bottom lip poked out like a five-year-old’s. I couldn’t believe we were already having our first disagreement as a married couple.
    â€œYou’re going. Now get your lazy butt up and get dressed. Put on that lime green dress I like so much. Sisters with your bronze tone complexion look so damned good in green.”
    I removed a pair of jeans and a beige silk blouse from the small suitcase that I had packed. Before I could get dressed, Leon snatched the clothes out of my hand and tossed them to the top of the dresser. With a mischievous grin on his face, he flipped open my suitcase and fished out the lime green dress he liked so much and tossed it on top of my head. I slid into the dress without saying a word. I was in too much of a romantic mood to argue any further.
    I didn’t like the fact that Leon was already making decisions without any input from me. Robbie Dunbar would never have done that. As strange as it seemed, I really missed Robbie. I knew that I was going to spend the rest of my days wondering what my life would have been like if I had married him. Poor Robbie. I prayed that he would find a suitable mate.
    By the time Leon and I got to the Full Moon restaurant three blocks from the hotel, I had calmed down. Right after our stiff-lipped waiter dropped menus on our table, I excused myself to go to the ladies’ room. By the time I got back to the table, Leon had ordered for me.
    â€œI didn’t want an omelet,” I protested, pinching his arm. “I wanted pancakes.”
    â€œWell, the next time we go out to eat, I advise you to order before you run off to the ladies’ room to primp,” he said, looking at his watch. “And hurry up. There’s a game coming on in a couple of hours.”
    I took a sip of water and forced myself to smile. It dawned on me that Leon was showing me another side of himself, and it was already making me uncomfortable. He liked to be in control, and that was one of the things that had drawn me to him. However, that quality had been a lot more subtle before I’d become his wife.
    A cramp shot through my stomach like a comet. All of a sudden, I was