Bossy Bridegroom Read Online Free

do you work all morning to get the noon meal ready, or do you have a break?”
    The nerve of the man almost choked her. “Are you serious about trying to breathe life back into our marriage?”
    “Yes, absolutely.” Michael came up to face her.
    She turned and nestled each spongy dough ball in the greased loaf pans. “Then you’re doing it just exactly wrong by forcing your way into my life and dictating that we’ll go to marriage counseling. How am I supposed to think anything but that you’re the same tyrant you always were?”
    “So, if I’m doing it the wrong way, then there must be a right way. So you’re saying we can fix this marriage.”
    “I’m saying get out. I’ve said that any number of times, but as usual you’re calling the shots.” Relentless jerk. That’s how he’d convinced her to marry him right out of high school. He’d been a senior when he’d asked her out at the end of her freshman year. All through college he’d pressured her—in every way.
    He’d pursued her, loved her, flattered her. She’d been thrilled and honored, and when he criticized, she’d twisted herself into a pretzel to make him proud.
    “I’m not interested in healing this relationship. I’m finally learning to respect myself.” Well, she intended to learn … someday. No luck yet.
    “You told me you don’t want a divorce.” Michael-the-Deaf-Man settled on a chair at the rectangular kitchen table and scooted another chair out a bit. For her. She considered using it on his head.
    She set the loaves in a sunny window, covering them with a dish towel to rise. It chafed that Michael was exactly right about one thing. She had nothing to do for about two hours.
    She perhaps should speak a little louder. “Get out, Michael. We’ve got nothing to discuss. Unless you want to start divorce proceedings. I’m not going to do it, but I will go along with it if you wish. I made my vows before God, and I intend to keep them.”
    “I agree. We took vows, and they’re eternal. Our marriage is for life. Sit down.”
    More orders. He was trying to be nice, and he still couldn’t stop.
    “That’s wonderful.” Hands clapped together in glee.
    Jeanie jumped. The hardy voice turned her around.
    “If you’ve got a good grasp of God’s plan for marriage, you can make this work.” Pastor Lewis was here. And he’d gotten just exactly the wrong message.
    Michael stood and extended a hand to Jeanie’s pastor. The two greeted each other like old friends. They back-slapped and smiled, and Jeanie felt it happening. Already she was being pushed aside, the submissive wife, the troublemaker who didn’t want to fix her marriage. She washed her hands, trying to figure a way out of this trap.
    “Pastor, we talked about this last night, but I want to repeat it in front of Jeanie, with you as a witness. I abandoned her and our daughter. I take full responsibility for the mess we’re in. The reason I want you here is because I’m a tyrant, unkind, unloving. I’ve found Jesus since we broke up, and I’m here to try to make up for all I’ve done.”
    Jeanie felt like she was hearing words that she’d only imagined in her wildest dreams. Hanging up a hand towel, she shook her head a bit, trying to make sense of what he’d said.
    “I thought I could come here and make things right.” Michael shoved his fingers into his hair just as he had last night. Acting agitated, unsure—it was a completely foreign gesture. “But the first words out of my mouth were said in anger. Then later I started bullying her and, worse yet, enjoying it. I don’t think we can handle it without professional help.”
    Michael turned to her. “I’m sorry about last night. When I was born again, I felt the anger lift off of my heart and I thought I was healed. But yesterday I found out it’s still there, dormant for a while but still close at hand. I’ve got a long way to go, and even if you promised to be strong and keep me accountable, I’m afraid