Interrupted

I quickly pulled my soaking wet shirt off over my head, noticing how Julie seemed to be watching me rather intently, a small smile of approval on her face as she looked me over.

Just as I was reaching down to unhook my pants, a clatter came from the other room followed almost instantly by two screaming kids running into the living room both denying responsibility for whatever had created the din. Julie turned to face the on rushing children, a look of long suffering patience on her face.

"Okay, what happened?" She asked as the two kids came to a sudden halt before her, their screaming and hollering silenced instantly by the stern look of their mother.

"Jimmy did it.." The larger one of the two said only to be interrupted by the younger one, who I assumed was Jimmy, fervently denying any responsibility. After a few more minutes of trying to determine just what had happened and who was responsible for it, Julie glanced back at me.

"If you'll excuse me, John," Julie said, a strangely **** expression on her face as she glanced at me as I stood there half dressed. "I'd better go see just what has happened." She explained as she herded her two arguing kids out of the room.

As she left I quickly slipped off my ice chilled pants and soggy boxers, tossing them into a sodden pile along with my shirt and shoes. Picking up the robe I gratefully slipped into it's soft warm depths, before I glanced around the dimly lit room trying to pick out the most comfortable spot to sit. Finally I decided on a large overstuffed easy chair, it was closest to the fireplace and I still felt chilled to the bone from my hike through the snow. I sat down gratefully, my eyes closing as the warmth of the fire lulled me into a sort of half sleep.

About fifteen minutes later I began to wonder what had happened to Julie. She hadn't returned after following her children from the room. I sat there for a few minutes, sleepily wondering where she had gone. Finally my curiousity got the better of me and I reluctantly dragged myself from the comfortable warmth of the fire and wandered through the darkened house looking for my hostess.

The first floor was completely empty so I headed upstairs, my feet making almost no noise on the thick carpet. As I walked down the hallway I heard muffled sobs coming from behind one of the closed doors, which I assumed belonged to whichever child Julie had finally decided was responsible and had punished for whatever mischief had happened earlier. As I stood there listening carefully I thought I heard a mumbled conversation coming from behind the door at the end of the hallway. Curious I approached slowly, as I neared the door I could distinctly hear Julie's voice talking to someone, although I didn't hear any responding voice. As I peered intently at the darkened door, listening carefully, I noticed that the door was slightly ajar, a faint line of candle light leaking out into the hall. As Julie continued to talk I tried to peer into the room, wondering who she was talking to and why they weren't responding.