The morning had already gone off the rails before I even left the house.
Between juggling two jobs, keeping up with bills, and barely getting enough sleep, I was hanging by a thread. I had been up before the sun, shaping dough in the bakery, when a sinking realization hit me.
I forgot to leaveย lunch money for my son, Caleb.
Just as I reached for my phone, a text popped up:
Mom, no lunch money?
Guilt hit me like a punch to the stomach. Caleb was only twelveโhe shouldnโt have to worry about things like this.
I immediately called him.
โHey, Mom,โ he answered, his voice soft. โI texted youโฆ thereโs no money for lunch today.โ
I sighed, already feeling the weight of failure pressing down.
โIโm so sorry, sweetheart,โ I said. โI just got caught up with laundry before I left. Iโll figure something out.โ
But before I could suggest anything, Caleb said something that made my blood run cold.
โItโs okay! Iโll just grab some from the cereal box where Dad keeps money.โ
I froze.
โWhat?โ
โYou know, the Cheerios box. Dad puts money in there sometimes. Sometimes inside, sometimes underneath.โ
I barely managed to keep my voice steady.
โOhโฆ right. Thatโs a good idea, honey. Iโll see you later. Love you!โ
After he hung up, I stood there, mind racing.
A secret stash? In the cereal box?
Why?
A Shocking Discovery
I spent the rest of my shift in a fog, my hands moving on autopilot as I pulled loaves from the oven. My husband, Marcus, and I had been scraping by, every dollar carefully counted.
We wereย behind on bills.ย Theย car needed repairs.ย I had to buyย Calebโs sneakers from a discount storeย because Marcus said money was tight.
And yetโฆ he had cash hidden away?
By the time I got home that evening, I didnโt even bother taking off my shoes. Iย marched straight to the pantry.
And there it was.
An envelope,ย tucked beneath the Cheerios box.
With trembling hands, I pulled it out and peeked inside.
It wasnโt just a few bucks for Calebโs lunch.
There wereย hundreds of dollarsโenough to cover the car repairs, rent, and even some overdue bills.
I felt myย stomach twist.
Marcus had been sitting on this money while I workedย 12-hour shifts, exhausted, thinking we were drowning.
I could have stormed into the other room and confronted him immediately. But as I heard himย laughing on a phone call, sounding completely at ease, something in me snapped.
Revenge, Served in Style
The next morning, after my bakery shift, I did something I had never done before.
I booked aย luxury spa day.
Hair. Nails. A massage. The works.
It was reckless. It was impulsive.ย It was the first time in years I did something for myself.
And I didnโt feel guilty.
When I walked through the door that evening,ย Marcus nearly dropped his phone.
Myย hair was freshly styledย in soft waves,ย my nails painted deep red, and my entire body feltย lighterย than it had in months.
Marcus stared at me.ย โWhatโฆ what did you do?โ
Iย smiled sweetly.
โI found the money in the cereal box,โย I said.ย โSo, I treated myself.โ
Theย color drained from his face.
โYouโฆ spent it?โ His voice cracked.
โOf course. I deserved a day off, donโt you think?โ
The Truth Comes Out
โYou shouldnโt have spent that,โ Marcus stammered. โIt wasnโt meant forโฆ for this.โ
โThen what was it for?โย I demanded, my voice sharp.ย โBecause Iโve been working myself into the ground thinking weโre barely making it, while youโve been hoarding cash?โ
Marcus rubbed his face.ย โItโs not like that, Jess. I wasnโt hiding it. I justโฆ I didnโt want you to worry.โ
โWorry about what?!โย My voice cracked. โThat isย all I do!ย I worryย all the time!โ
He sighed, looking down at the floor. โMy boss mentioned layoffs. I wanted to set something aside, just in case.โ
Iย stared at him.
โYou let me believe we were drowningโ**let me work two jobs until I could barely standโ**so you could secretly stash money for a โmaybeโ?โ
Marcus winced. โI didnโt think about it like that.โ
โNo, you didnโt.โ
We stood there inย tense silence.
Finally, I took a deep breath.
โWeโre supposed to be a team, Marcus. But you didnโt trust me enough to tell me the truth.โ
His expression softened. โYouโre right. Iโm sorry.โ
I shook my head.ย โSorry doesnโt undo the fact that I felt like I was drowning alone.โ
What Happens Next?
The next morning,ย I made him a promiseโI wouldnโt touch any more secret stashes.
Andย he made me a promiseโthere wouldnโt be any more.
I wanted to believe him.
I really did.
But as I stood in the kitchen later that day, staring at the empty spot where the envelope had been, I couldnโt shake one lingering thought:
If he did it onceโฆ whatโs stopping him from doing it again?