Once Bitten, Twice Shy

She swung around and faced him. "You took care of it? What is this, a contest between you guys? How much testosterone does it take to manage a farm? I'm sick and tired of you guys butting into my financial affairs. If Bill wants . . ."

"That's enough, Carmen." His voice was controlled. "Bill is right. If it had been Katie who was sick, would you have been able to get her into the truck and to the hospital?"

She stared up at him. Why hadn't she thought of that before? Probably because she wasn't in a financial situation to do anything about it anyway. She turned away from him so that he couldn't see she was ready to cry again. What was it with the tears lately, anyway?

"I suppose you're right," she muttered as she headed for the door.

"Carmen." He reached for her arm, but she evaded his grasp and continued toward the door. Not now, she couldn't let him see her cry - couldn't let him feel pity for her. But he called after her.

"It isn't violating any moral issue for you, is it?" She stopped, and glanced over her shoulder. "Moral issue? A telephone?"

He took a step toward her. "I know you don't have a TV. I thought . . ."

"I don't have anything against a telephone." She kept her back to him. The diversion was helping her get her emotions under control. "Only the two gran it will take to put the lines down this way, and cell phone reception is unreliable. I can't imagine what would make you think such a thing."

A pause, then, "You have such old fashioned ideas sometimes."

She nodded. "So I've been told. A product of being an only child of aging parents, no doubt." She wiped the tears from her cheek. "I don't ask people to adhere to my values, but I do ask that they respect my right to exercise my own. If you thought it might offend me, why didn't you ask me first?"

He was silent and she glanced around to gage his response. His neck was red and for the first time since she had met him, he didn't have a quick answer. Finally he shrugged. "I'm not used to asking permission. I guess I was out of line, but . . ." He shrugged again. "I'm sorry."

She gazed up at him with newfound admiration. "I respect a man who is decisive and follows through - as long as he confines it to his own household."