Lee stood on the ladder and stretched as far as he could, and still couldn't reach the corner. He climbed up another step and elongated his body once again. His paintbrush barley touched the far wall. Just a little further and he'd reach it. He extended further, the ladder wiggling under him. Something popped, and he felt a twinge in his lower back.
He dabbed the last bit of wall with the sunny-yellow paint Amanda'd chosen for the nursery and climbed down from his precarious perch. With a hand at the small of his back, he groaned and arched his back. Twisting side to side, hoping to unravel the knots in his spine.
He'd been trying for months to convince Amanda to hire professionals to decorate the baby's room. He even offered to take her to the Crystal Springs Inn. She wouldn't have it. No matter what he said, she wouldn't budge. She had her heart set on decorating the nursery themselves.
Sealing the paint can, he carried it and his supplies down to the garage, and cleaned the equipment before moving on to the next chore--the crib.
He tore open the cardboard and laid out all the pieces on the living room floor, checking them off the parts list on the instructions. He stared at the pile in disbelief. How could one little crib have this many pieces? And twenty-seven pages of directions!
Well, he could do this. After all, he was a highly skilled agent. Trained to defuse missiles with a booster pin and disarm nuclear bombs with a flick of a pocketknife. How complicated could this be? Picking up the directions, he rummaged in Amanda's toolbox for a screwdriver.
Three hours, one broken lamp, and two bloody fingers later, he managed to get one side attached to both the head and footboards. Things would go more smoothly if he had an extra pair of hands or two. But his helpers deserted him for a camping trip with Joe.
He laid the frame on its side and attempted to attach the opposite side. Slowly, he turned the screws, first on one, and then the other until the panel was firmly in place. Then he turned the bed right side up. Something wasn't right. The frame wobbled and one side was crooked.
Frustrated, he ploughed both hands through his hair. He'd just laid the crib back on its side when the front door opened and his wife and mother-in-law entered overloaded with bags.
He kissed his wife, unburdened his women, and carried their purchases into the kitchen.
Amanda poured three tall-glasses of iced tea and he collapsed onto the counter stool and downed the entire contents in one long swallow.
He adjourned back into the living room and his latest do-it-yourself project. He pulled out the screws from the crooked side and the end boards collapsed against each other with a loud clap of thunder.
Dotty ran into the room with Amanda waddling behind her. "Oh my gosh," they said in stereo.
"Lee, let me give you a hand with that." Dotty lifted one of the end boards.
"I've got it, Dotty. Thanks anyway."
"Oh Lee, you can't do it alone," Amanda plopped down onto the couch. "That's why I wanted you to do it last week, when the boys were home."
"Well, they're not here and I promised you the nursery would be done by this weekend." He picked up his tools and attacked the small wooden adversary with renewed gusto. "NEXT TIME WE DO IT MY WAY."
He really did need an extra pair of hands. He swallowed his masculine pride and asked his mother-in-law for some help. They were and effective team, Amanda read the instructions, while he and Dotty took turns holding boards in place and fastening them together.
In less than a hour, the crib proudly sat in the corner of the living room. He had to wait for the boys to come home to help him carry it up stairs.
"Well, ladies, I'd say we did a damn good job and deserve a reward. Let me go shower and change and then I'm taking you both to dinner at Spenser's."
End
Author's Chapter Notes:
Disclaimer: The standard disclaimer applies. The story is mine boo-boos and all.