It was your fault for watching a marathon of horror movies and thrillers while he was gone. Gaz promised he would be home late from deployment, leaving you home alone. You settled into bed and started the horror and thriller movie marathon just after dinner.

You had just gotten through 3 when you heard a nose coming from the front, loud enough that it startled you. You paused the movie and set the remote on the bedside table, slowly moving from the bed. You move cautiously as you leave the bedroom and walk down the hall and then downstairs. You reach the front closet and reach for the umbrella you have hanging on the inside, fingers wrapped tightly around the handle.

The door opens and you react instantly, not hesitating to swing the umbrella and crack the intruder in the nose. In your state of panic and hyper reactivity, you don’t even recognize it’s Gaz until you hear his voice.

“Damn it all, love! You’ve got one hell of a swing on you!”