Congratulations !
You have been awarded points.
Thank you for !
- Story Listed as: Fiction For Adults
- Theme: Family & Friends
- Subject: Comedy / Humor
- Published: 07/04/2022
Thanks, Jonathan.
Born 1980, F, from Eagan, MN, United StatesIt started in October. Betsy felt very tired, and she went to bed without washing the two coffee mugs that were in the sink. She and Jonathan usually enjoyed decaf coffee or herbal tea after dinner. Betsy wasn’t in the habit of leaving dishes overnight, but that night she’d gone to bed exhausted.
In the morning, she remembered the mugs and went to the kitchen with the intention of cleaning them while the first pot of coffee was brewing. The cups weren’t there. The sink was clean. “How sweet of Jonathan to do that!” She thought.
When he got up a while later, she said, “Hey, thanks for cleaning up.”
He was looking at his phone, but he replied, “Yeah, sure.”
The next morning, Betsy saw that the kitchen trash had been emptied. “Hmm…” she thought. “This is the second day that he’s helped out without being asked.”
She wrote “Thank you!” on a sticky note and put it on his car, where he’d be sure to see it as he left that day. Then she left for work.
For several days, she kept noticing these little helpful cleanups around the house. He’d never helped out like this before. She was enjoying the pleasant start to her days. She started leaving little notes that just said, “Thank you!” on his dresser or his car. If he was going to keep doing things to help, she could certainly show that she appreciated him. A few nights she surprised him with candles in their bedroom. The reader can conclude how those evenings went.
It was on a Thursday that he left for the annual men’s retreat that he attended. That evening she sat down to enjoy a movie by herself. She fell asleep on the couch.
The following morning, she saw that the bathroom mirror and counter were freshly cleaned. What should have been wonderful was only creepy. She felt scared for a moment and then decided that there had to be a logical, sound reason.
She sat at the table with her coffee. She thought. It was absurd to believe that anyone would break into the house to clean. Yet, the bathroom had been cleaned. How? Was it possible that she’d done it and forgotten? Was it possible that she’d done it in her sleep? Unlikely, but it did make her take out her laptop. What she found was enlightening. Yes, it was possible that she’d done it in her sleep. Strange, though, that Jonathan had never noticed that she had gotten up on the other nights. Then again, he was a deep sleeper.
A trip to Best Buy gave her the nanny cam that she needed. She felt nervous that night as she went to sleep. She finally got up again and read a book until she was too tired to keep her eyes open.
In the morning, she was eager to look at what the camera may have caught. She sat down and watched. There she was! It was unnerving to watch herself, but it certainly was her, moving about. She’d intentionally left a few magazines askew on the coffee table the night before, and sure enough, she’d tidied things in her sleep. It went from unsettling to almost comical. And then she felt herself get a little angry.
All this time, she’d been thanking her husband! He had just let her thank him for doing nothing! Well, she’d have an interesting conversation with that man when he got home. She’d show him what the nanny cam had caught, and she’d ask him why he had never even questioned the notes of thanks. Really! Had he thought that he just deserved those? What had he thought she’d thanked him for?
Betsy decided that the best thing to do right then was to go meet with a friend. They could take a walk in the park or have lunch out or maybe even both…anything to get her mind off of what she’d just learned.
…………………………………
“So, Jon, how are things going for you?” asked Jonathan’s buddy, Alex. They were on a boat, fishing.
“Good, really good. I don’t know why, but Betsy's been leaving little notes for me just about every day. Thank you notes. I guess she’s just been thinking about how hard I work or maybe about how great I treat her. I don’t know, but it’s nice. I’m really looking forward to going back home after this weekend. I have never felt so appreciated!" said Jonathan.
"Dude, that's cool," said Alex. "What have been doing?"
Jonathan shrugged. "I told you. I don't know."
Alex raised an eyebrow. "Don't you think that's a bit off? I think something's up. I'd be afraid if I were you."
"Afraid!" Jonathan scoffed. "Why?"
"Jon, I'm not an expert. But wives don't thank their husbands for doing nothing. This sounds like some sort of woman trap."
"Alex, my wife doesn't set traps. My wife just appreciates me."
Alex looked at Jonathan skeptically and said, "Okay. How about this? Ten bucks says I'm right and you're wrong."
Jonathan smiled confidently. "I'm not a betting man, but I'll tell you what. If you're right, I'll call you."
Alex laughed. "You do that."
....................
The day after Jonathan returned home, he called Alex. "So, Alex, remember what we talked about a few days ago?" Jonathan sounded very discouraged.
"Sure do." Alex answered.
Jonathan could hear Alex's smile through the phone.
"So, I'm betting that if you were a betting man, you'd owe me ten bucks right now." said Alex.
Thanks, Jonathan.(Marla)
It started in October. Betsy felt very tired, and she went to bed without washing the two coffee mugs that were in the sink. She and Jonathan usually enjoyed decaf coffee or herbal tea after dinner. Betsy wasn’t in the habit of leaving dishes overnight, but that night she’d gone to bed exhausted.
In the morning, she remembered the mugs and went to the kitchen with the intention of cleaning them while the first pot of coffee was brewing. The cups weren’t there. The sink was clean. “How sweet of Jonathan to do that!” She thought.
When he got up a while later, she said, “Hey, thanks for cleaning up.”
He was looking at his phone, but he replied, “Yeah, sure.”
The next morning, Betsy saw that the kitchen trash had been emptied. “Hmm…” she thought. “This is the second day that he’s helped out without being asked.”
She wrote “Thank you!” on a sticky note and put it on his car, where he’d be sure to see it as he left that day. Then she left for work.
For several days, she kept noticing these little helpful cleanups around the house. He’d never helped out like this before. She was enjoying the pleasant start to her days. She started leaving little notes that just said, “Thank you!” on his dresser or his car. If he was going to keep doing things to help, she could certainly show that she appreciated him. A few nights she surprised him with candles in their bedroom. The reader can conclude how those evenings went.
It was on a Thursday that he left for the annual men’s retreat that he attended. That evening she sat down to enjoy a movie by herself. She fell asleep on the couch.
The following morning, she saw that the bathroom mirror and counter were freshly cleaned. What should have been wonderful was only creepy. She felt scared for a moment and then decided that there had to be a logical, sound reason.
She sat at the table with her coffee. She thought. It was absurd to believe that anyone would break into the house to clean. Yet, the bathroom had been cleaned. How? Was it possible that she’d done it and forgotten? Was it possible that she’d done it in her sleep? Unlikely, but it did make her take out her laptop. What she found was enlightening. Yes, it was possible that she’d done it in her sleep. Strange, though, that Jonathan had never noticed that she had gotten up on the other nights. Then again, he was a deep sleeper.
A trip to Best Buy gave her the nanny cam that she needed. She felt nervous that night as she went to sleep. She finally got up again and read a book until she was too tired to keep her eyes open.
In the morning, she was eager to look at what the camera may have caught. She sat down and watched. There she was! It was unnerving to watch herself, but it certainly was her, moving about. She’d intentionally left a few magazines askew on the coffee table the night before, and sure enough, she’d tidied things in her sleep. It went from unsettling to almost comical. And then she felt herself get a little angry.
All this time, she’d been thanking her husband! He had just let her thank him for doing nothing! Well, she’d have an interesting conversation with that man when he got home. She’d show him what the nanny cam had caught, and she’d ask him why he had never even questioned the notes of thanks. Really! Had he thought that he just deserved those? What had he thought she’d thanked him for?
Betsy decided that the best thing to do right then was to go meet with a friend. They could take a walk in the park or have lunch out or maybe even both…anything to get her mind off of what she’d just learned.
…………………………………
“So, Jon, how are things going for you?” asked Jonathan’s buddy, Alex. They were on a boat, fishing.
“Good, really good. I don’t know why, but Betsy's been leaving little notes for me just about every day. Thank you notes. I guess she’s just been thinking about how hard I work or maybe about how great I treat her. I don’t know, but it’s nice. I’m really looking forward to going back home after this weekend. I have never felt so appreciated!" said Jonathan.
"Dude, that's cool," said Alex. "What have been doing?"
Jonathan shrugged. "I told you. I don't know."
Alex raised an eyebrow. "Don't you think that's a bit off? I think something's up. I'd be afraid if I were you."
"Afraid!" Jonathan scoffed. "Why?"
"Jon, I'm not an expert. But wives don't thank their husbands for doing nothing. This sounds like some sort of woman trap."
"Alex, my wife doesn't set traps. My wife just appreciates me."
Alex looked at Jonathan skeptically and said, "Okay. How about this? Ten bucks says I'm right and you're wrong."
Jonathan smiled confidently. "I'm not a betting man, but I'll tell you what. If you're right, I'll call you."
Alex laughed. "You do that."
....................
The day after Jonathan returned home, he called Alex. "So, Alex, remember what we talked about a few days ago?" Jonathan sounded very discouraged.
"Sure do." Alex answered.
Jonathan could hear Alex's smile through the phone.
"So, I'm betting that if you were a betting man, you'd owe me ten bucks right now." said Alex.
- Share this story on
- 6
Shirley Smothers
09/28/2022Cute story. Made me smile. Congratulations! Cleaning in her sleep. Funny.
ReplyHelp Us Understand What's Happening
Marla
12/20/2022Thank you! :)
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Marla
12/20/2022Thank you!
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Lillian Kazmierczak
09/27/2022This was a cute story. I laughed when the husband was so excited but hadno idea why! Congratulations on short story star of the day!
ReplyHelp Us Understand What's Happening
Marla
12/20/2022Thank you, Lillian!
COMMENTS (3)