“Grow up, Nic!” he snapped. “I’m trying to be serious.”
“I’m teasing. Come on—tell me, what did she look like?”
He took a minute to answer, shaking his head as he stared at her. “She was mid-thirtyish, long brown hair. But I know she wasn’t real.”
“And what was she wearing?” she asked, trying to appear convinced.
“Why does that matter? She’s not even real.”
“Come on. Tell me what she was wearing.”
He sighed. “She had a white dress on. Like a summer dress. You know—loose-fitted. Like the ones you wear.”
Pondering for a moment, she put a hand on his leg. “You know what—come to think of it, one of my summer dresses has gone missing. I think the bitch must have pinched it.”
Fake-smiling, he removed her hand from his leg. “Very funny. Look, if you’re going to be like that, then…”
“Oh, I’m sorry, babe. I’m teasing you. Come on, I am interested. Really.”
“Look, I know it wasn’t a ghost, I don’t believe in them, but it was just weird. It gave me such a bloody fright. I even dropped my plate and glass.”
“Maybe it was a ghost.”
“Shut up, Nic. Don’t make fun.”
“Maybe we need someone to communicate with it.”
“Nic, you’re not funny.”
“I think I’ve got Whoopi Goldberg’s number somewhere.”
Richard sighed. “Don’t know why I tell you anything.”
“Don’t go in a mood,” she said, placing her hand on his leg again. “I’m only having a laugh. You saw something ’cause you’re bored out of your mind being stuck in the house all day. You’re not used to it. You’ve been working pretty much every day for the past three years, so I’m not surprised you’re having trouble adjusting. Give it a few more days and you’ll be back to your old self.”
“I haven’t been working every day.”
“Yes you have. Why do you think I got rid of the laptop?”
“That’s not just for work. We both use it.”
Nicky chuckled. “Yeah, right. If I can ever pry you away from it.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Well, surfing the Internet on your days off is one thing, but you spend most of the time checking work stuff and finishing off reports. And e-mailing Leah.”
“That’s not true.” But he knew it was. And being cut off from his computer highlighted how much.
“Look, let’s not get into an argument now,” she said. “I’m sorry I brought it up and I’m sorry I teased you.”
He paused for a moment, and then placed his hand over hers. “I’m sorry too. Let’s just—”
The room filled with the deafening sound of the TV, with the volume to its maximum. They both jumped up in fright, covering their ears to block out the piercing noise.
“Turn it down!” he called out.
Grabbing the remote, she frantically pushed the volume control button and the sound vanished.
“What the hell,” he said. “That was weird.”
“Yeah, that was weird.”
“You must have sat on the remote or something.”
“Yeah. Or the button wasn’t pushed in.”
Richard turned to Nicky and smirked. “You shit yourself then. I bet you thought it was a ghost. Didn’t you? Admit it.”
“Don’t be stupid. It just made me jump a little.”
“Don’t lie,” he mocked, squeezing her leg. “You thought it was that ghost in the TV from Poltergeist, didn’t you?”
She shook her head. “Grow up, Rich—you’re the one afraid of ghosts.”
“Don’t like it when the shoe’s on the other foot, do you?”
“You’re being childish now.”
Richard got up from the couch. “You can dish it out, babe, but you can’t receive it, can you?”
Clearly irritated, she turned the TV volume up to a normal level.
Richard gave one last gloating smile and said, “Right, I’m off to bed—unless you need me to protect you?”
She grimaced. It seemed her patience was wearing thin. “Why? It’s still early. Don’t you want to watch that film?”