He thanked me for surprising everyone with lunch.
“They loved it.”
“I’m glad.”
After dinner, I waited until we were alone in our bedroom.
I placed his phone gently on the comforter.
Then I whispered,
“Mike called.”
His eyes lifted.
“He wants his $420 sweater back.”
Every ounce of color drained from Andrew’s face.
He didn’t deny it.
He didn’t ask what I meant.
He simply sat down on the edge of the bed.
“You saw the message.”
“Yes.”
Silence filled the room.
Finally, he whispered,
“I’m sorry.”
“So…”
“There isn’t a Mike.”
“No.”
“The contact name is fake.”
I nodded.
“I figured that much.”
He covered his face with both hands.
Then he said something I never expected.
“The affair isn’t the biggest secret.”
My heart began pounding.
“What could possibly be bigger than that?”
He looked directly at me.
“I resigned from my job six months ago.”
I stared at him.
“What?”
“I haven’t worked there since September.”
Nothing made sense.
“I was at your office today.”
“I know.”
“You said everyone thanked me for lunch.”
“They did.”
“How?”
He swallowed hard.
“I’ve been renting a desk in a shared office building across town.”
“I’ve been pretending to go to work every morning.”
My head spun.
“Why?”
His company had eliminated his position during a major restructuring.
He received a severance package.
Instead of telling me, he panicked.
“I kept thinking I’d find another job before you ever knew.”
Weeks became months.
Savings slowly disappeared.
To make the household finances appear normal, he quietly borrowed against his retirement account.
Then used credit cards.
Then a personal line of credit.
He kept believing the next interview would solve everything.
It never did.
“And Mike?”
I asked quietly.
