"Alright, fantastic! I might not have the power to end you, but I sure as heck can make you too exhausted to ever leave bed again!"


    Karen wanted to retort, but her words were stolen by a kiss that left her speechless.


    Had she known it woulde to this, she would''ve never let Jeffrey through the door!


    The man waspletely unreasonable.


    Downstairs, Dorothy leaned against Everett''s shoulder in the car, asionally ncing towards the apartment window, curious if there was any sign of activity.


    Everett softly stroked her hair, a smirk ying on his lips.


    "Stop waiting, those two won''t being out anytime soon."


    "Why?" Dorothy blinked, concerncing her tone. "Jeffrey... he wouldn''t hit Karen, would he?"


    She still remembered the incident where Jeffrey had gotten into a fight with Karen''s ex-boyfriend.


    He wouldn''ty a hand on a woman, would he?


    With that worrying thought, Dorothy immediately reached for the car door.


    Everett quickly grabbed her, "Where do you think you''re going?"


    "It''s been too long without any word. Something feels off! I better go up and check."


    "If you go now, I doubt anyone will be in the mood to open the door for you."


    Hearing this only unsettled Dorothy more.


    "Do you think they might actually be fighting?" Dorothy rummaged through her purse and pulled out a set of keys. "Good thing I brought these. Come with me, I might not be able to pull Jeffrey away on my own."


    After all, he was a man, and Dorothy feared she might not be strong enough to protect Karen.


    "Neither of us is going up," Everett remained calm, showing no intention of moving.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Since Jeffrey had gone up, and they hadn''t heard anything for half an hour, he had a pretty good guess what was happening upstairs.


    It was only because Dorothy wouldn''t want to leave that he hadn''t driven off to deal with work.


    "Why not?"


    "If you go up, and bust through the door, only to find them making up passionately on the couch, what then?"


    Dorothy''s frown deepened, "Of course, we''d have to break it up! Get Jeffrey off her!"


    ""


    "That''s why I need you toe with me. I''m afraid I might not be strong enough."


    Everett gently tapped her forehead, finding her earnest expression more amusing by the second.


    "How can you be so naive? You''re a mother of two, yet you don''t understand this?"


    "Understand what?"


    What was she supposed to understand?


    "Don''t panic. I estimate in about an hour, Jeffrey will probably get in touch."


    "An hour? Karen could be hurt by then!"


    Everett clicked his tongue, pulling her closer and nting a kiss on her cheek.


    "Hurt, maybe not, but too sore to get out of bed, possibly."


    "


    Once Everett spelled it out for her, Dorothy finally caught on to what he was implying.


    But...


    But still...


    "If Karen isn''t willing, wouldn''t that be coercion?!"


    "Between spouses, a little argument here and there, leading to making up


    - you''re not seriously conking up


    calling the cops, are you?"


    Dorothy wouldn''t put it past herself to do something like that, especially considering Karen''s demeanore


    earlier seemed genuinely fed up, not just bluffing or being petnt. en.swhovels


    "Jeffrey really messed up this time, promising not to hit the bars


    then doing it anyway! Can''t and


    Karen for being mad." Co


    "Yeah, I''ll give him a talking to about that."


    Dorothy nestled back against Everett''s shoulder, her voice softening, "You wouldn''t ever break your promises, would you?"