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“It’s a very sophisticated man cave.”
Wilda stood on the porch as two burly men wrestled with the top of the pool table. It was completely wrapped in protective wrap, and they slid it to the end of the truck, then down the ramp.
One of the men looked at Wilda. “Are we coming through that door, ma’am?”
“Yes.”
“How far once we’re inside?”
“Across the living room…not too far. Do you want to come look?”
“Any weird angles?”
“No, it’s a straight shot.”
He nodded to the other guy, and they each lifted an end, then carried the table to the porch. The steps created a slight hurdle, but once they got it onto the porch and through the front door, it didn’t take long to carry it to the parlor.
The man whistled. “Wow. This is quite the place.”
The other man didn’t seem as impressed. “Where’s it going? Once we get it set up, you’re not going to want to move it.”
“In front of the fireplace, but not too close. About ten feet, I guess.”
They leaned the table against the wall, then went to get the legs. Once they returned, it took them about thirty minutes to assemble it. They centered it in the room ten feet from the fireplace, then spent some more time making sure it was level.
“How’s that?”
“Perfect, thank you.”
They removed the remaining packaging, then stepped back to look at the table. “It’s a beauty.”
“Thank you for setting it up. It looks great.”
She walked them to the door, then went back to admire the table. Milo would be so pleased. The couch and chairs were expected to arrive today as well, and she hoped they’d come before Milo got home from work.
She opened the box of new billiard balls he’d ordered and set them carefully in the rack, then centered them at one end of the table. That was about the extent of her pool knowledge.
The sound of another delivery truck arriving brought her back to the porch, and she waved at the driver as he parked.
“Good afternoon, ma’am.”
“You’re here just in time.”
Moving the couch and chairs was much easier and quicker than the table, and thirty minutes later, the truck was driving away. She and Milo hadn’t really discussed where the furniture should go, so she’d asked the men to leave them in the middle of the room. Now that they were gone, she took a moment to think about where to put the three pieces of furniture.
She decided to put the two chairs by the window, even with the pool table. She took an end table from her room and set it between the chairs, then decided it needed a lamp, and brought that into the room too. The couch was a little harder to place, but she put it at the end of the room. It would probably be moved once Milo got his poker table and bar set up. But for now, it looked okay. She sat on it and admired the beautiful pool table.
Milo knew the table was being delivered today, so he was coming right home after school and bringing Caleb, saving her a trip to town. He’d worried all night that it wouldn’t come in time and his planned get-together with his brothers would be a bust.
She decided to text him to let him know everything had arrived.
It’s here!
Twenty minutes later, he responded.
Yay! I’m coming straight home.
Remembering he had a child in the car, Milo drove home more slowly than he wanted to. The twenty-minute trip took forever, but they finally turned onto his private drive and parked next to Wilda’s car. She was on the porch and went to the car when he opened his door.
