I just… I don’t know, Lauren. It was stupid.”
“Yes, it was,” I agreed, but softened at his genuinely remorseful expression. “But pretty clever too, I have to admit.”
“Not as clever as your Bank Fraud Department trick,” he said, pulling out a gallon of milk.
“That was diabolical. How did you even think of that?”
“I couldn’t bear having the cashiers giving me those sympathetic looks anymore, like you were some leech who’d tricked me into footing your bills.”
Jason winced. “You mean the whole store knows?”
“We’ve been shopping at the same store for how many years now?
And you’ve been pulling this stunt for months… of course, they noticed, Jason.” I set the bananas down on the kitchen counter. “It’s not like you were subtle about it.”
“Well, fine. You got me.
No more fake calls.” He held up his hands in surrender. “But I gotta say, you changing your contact name to ‘Bank Fraud Department’ was pretty genius.”
“Thank you,” I said, bowing dramatically. “I learned from the best con artist.”
We laughed as we finished putting away the groceries together.
For a moment, it felt like we were a team again.
“I’m sorry,” he said suddenly, more seriously. “It really was a jerk move. I don’t even know why I kept doing it.”
I shrugged.
“We all have our weird quirks. Just, maybe next time, pick one that doesn’t leave your wife holding the bag. Literally.”
And you know what?
Since that day, Jason’s magical disappearing act has vanished completely.
In fact, he’s been insisting on paying every time we go shopping. Sometimes he even takes his phone out and puts it on the counter while we check out, like he’s proving a point.
I keep my smartwatch charged, though. Just in case.
Source: amomama
