economically.”
“Okay.”
When Katie didn’t respond to his first question, he once again asked, “Anything else you’re thinking about buying?”
“No.”
“Oh, come on Katie, let’s not do this.”
“Do what?”
“This game with the short answers and roadblocks. This isn’t the way you and I communicate. Talk to me. I want to know what
you’re thinking about the inheritance.”
She let out a long, low breath. “I’m not ready to discuss all this, Rick.”
“Why not?” The irritation in his voice escalated.
“I’m just not. I need to think things through some more.”
“I know you need to think it through. That’s exactly what I’m saying. You have a lot of big decisions to make.” Rick’s tone
softened. “All I’m saying is that I want to be the one who helps you think through everything, that’s all. Is it wrong for
me to want that in our relationship?”
“I don’t know. Probably not.”
He waited until the traffic light changed before asking his next question. “Can you see any particular reason this is difficult
for you to talk about with me? I mean, do you see me as not being on your side or as being out of line in any way?”
“No.”
“Then what is it? What’s bothering you? Why can’t we talk about this?”
Katie gave him the first answer that came to mind. “I think you’re not going to like my choices.”
Rick let out an odd sort of snorting laugh that wasn’t typical of him. “Why wouldn’t I like your choices?”
“You just wouldn’t.” Katie knew that if Rick found out she had already spent more than half the money on things like tuition
scholarships and the clean water for Africa campaign that she and Eli had worked on, he would flip out. Also, a large amount
went out earlier that year when she paid her taxes.
With all her heart, she wished she hadn’t told him the amount of the inheritance. “The way I see it, Rick, if you and I are
going to truly relax and enjoy being together tonight and tomorrow, then I’m telling you, you have to drop the inheritance
topic. Just drop it. I promise I’ll talk with you about everything when my mind is clear. Right now, it’s not a good idea
for me to talk about it.”
From the way his profile changed as his jaw set forward in frustration, Katie knew Rick didn’t like her declaration. His face
flinched slightly, and then he said in a flat voice, “If that’s the way you want it to be.”
Katie leaned back and stared out the front windshield. She told her shoulders to relax.
Neither of them spoke the rest of the short drive to Bob and Marti’s. When they got out of the car, Christy and Todd were
laughing about something and looking as if they had all shared a lighthearted trip.
“We have cheesecake,” Bob said to them as Rick and Katie entered the house with everyone else. “Either of you ready for some
dessert?”
“Sure,” Rick said. “Do you need any help in the kitchen?”
“Not necessarily. Although you’re pretty comfortable in the kitchen, if I remember correctly.”
“He’s a great cook,” Katie said. “As a matter of fact, you should have Rick make omelets for everyone in the morning. That
is, if you don’t mind turning your stove over to a genius.”
Rick gave Katie a confused look, as if he couldn’t tell if she were praising him or mocking him. She realized she was overdoing
it. The fast-flung compliment was overcompensation for the thin line of tension that still lay between them like a tightrope.
All evening neither of them had managed to walk all the way across that communication tightrope without slipping off and falling
into the safety net below. That safety net was the longevity of their relationship. They had bounced back from arguments and
tense conversations plenty of times. Katie believed they could do so yet again.
Unfortunately, that never happened. For the next two hours, everything Rick or Katie said was misinterpreted not only
“Okay.”
When Katie didn’t respond to his first question, he once again asked, “Anything else you’re thinking about buying?”
“No.”
“Oh, come on Katie, let’s not do this.”
“Do what?”
“This game with the short answers and roadblocks. This isn’t the way you and I communicate. Talk to me. I want to know what
you’re thinking about the inheritance.”
She let out a long, low breath. “I’m not ready to discuss all this, Rick.”
“Why not?” The irritation in his voice escalated.
“I’m just not. I need to think things through some more.”
“I know you need to think it through. That’s exactly what I’m saying. You have a lot of big decisions to make.” Rick’s tone
softened. “All I’m saying is that I want to be the one who helps you think through everything, that’s all. Is it wrong for
me to want that in our relationship?”
“I don’t know. Probably not.”
He waited until the traffic light changed before asking his next question. “Can you see any particular reason this is difficult
for you to talk about with me? I mean, do you see me as not being on your side or as being out of line in any way?”
“No.”
“Then what is it? What’s bothering you? Why can’t we talk about this?”
Katie gave him the first answer that came to mind. “I think you’re not going to like my choices.”
Rick let out an odd sort of snorting laugh that wasn’t typical of him. “Why wouldn’t I like your choices?”
“You just wouldn’t.” Katie knew that if Rick found out she had already spent more than half the money on things like tuition
scholarships and the clean water for Africa campaign that she and Eli had worked on, he would flip out. Also, a large amount
went out earlier that year when she paid her taxes.
With all her heart, she wished she hadn’t told him the amount of the inheritance. “The way I see it, Rick, if you and I are
going to truly relax and enjoy being together tonight and tomorrow, then I’m telling you, you have to drop the inheritance
topic. Just drop it. I promise I’ll talk with you about everything when my mind is clear. Right now, it’s not a good idea
for me to talk about it.”
From the way his profile changed as his jaw set forward in frustration, Katie knew Rick didn’t like her declaration. His face
flinched slightly, and then he said in a flat voice, “If that’s the way you want it to be.”
Katie leaned back and stared out the front windshield. She told her shoulders to relax.
Neither of them spoke the rest of the short drive to Bob and Marti’s. When they got out of the car, Christy and Todd were
laughing about something and looking as if they had all shared a lighthearted trip.
“We have cheesecake,” Bob said to them as Rick and Katie entered the house with everyone else. “Either of you ready for some
dessert?”
“Sure,” Rick said. “Do you need any help in the kitchen?”
“Not necessarily. Although you’re pretty comfortable in the kitchen, if I remember correctly.”
“He’s a great cook,” Katie said. “As a matter of fact, you should have Rick make omelets for everyone in the morning. That
is, if you don’t mind turning your stove over to a genius.”
Rick gave Katie a confused look, as if he couldn’t tell if she were praising him or mocking him. She realized she was overdoing
it. The fast-flung compliment was overcompensation for the thin line of tension that still lay between them like a tightrope.
All evening neither of them had managed to walk all the way across that communication tightrope without slipping off and falling
into the safety net below. That safety net was the longevity of their relationship. They had bounced back from arguments and
tense conversations plenty of times. Katie believed they could do so yet again.
Unfortunately, that never happened. For the next two hours, everything Rick or Katie said was misinterpreted not only
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