The Find Under the Bathtub
A week spent in bed with a fever and cough was now behind her. Emma stretched in bed and smiled, feeling genuinely well for the first time in ages. Morning light streamed through the curtains as she brimmed with energy and determination.
“Time for some coffee and a good clean-up!” she cheerfully told herself, getting out of bed.
In the kitchen, Tom, her husband, awaited her, sipping coffee and scrolling through the news on his old laptop.
“Morning,” he muttered, not lifting his eyes from the screen.
“Morning!” Emma replied with enthusiasm. “I feel like a million dollars today! I’m going to do a thorough spring clean. I bought a new cleaning product before I got ill, and I can’t wait to try it in the bathroom.”
Tom merely nodded, clearly not sharing her enthusiasm.
“Maybe another day? Why on my day off? You’re going to rope me in, aren’t you? I just wanted to relax…”
“Don’t worry, darling, I’ve got enough energy for the both of us!” Emma reassured him, finishing her coffee and a slice of avocado toast.
She hummed to herself as she pulled on rubber gloves. It was such a relief that the kids were grown, and deep cleaning wasn’t necessary so often! Their daughter got married a year ago, and their son went to university in September and lived on campus… She should call them! Emma grabbed a jar of the new cleaning paste, promising a shine and freshness in mere minutes. Her sensitive nose, still recuperating, detected no harsh chemicals, only a gentle fragrance reminiscent of lavender.
She started with the sink, moved to the toilet, and then reached the bathtub. The paste worked wonders, filling the air with the scent of meadow flowers and violets.
“Wow!” she said, admiring the gleaming surface. “You look brand new!”
But her motivation hadn’t run dry. Emma decided she would finish the job properly. She knelt down and peeked under the bathtub.
“My goodness, look at all this dust!” she exclaimed, grabbing a cloth.
And then she saw something glinting. Emma reached out and pulled out an old coffee jar. Neatly folded banknotes lay inside.
“What on earth is this?” she wondered, opening the jar.
Emma exited the bathroom, jar in hand. Tom was still glued to his laptop, but her expression made him pause.
“Tom, what’s this?” she asked, showing him the jar.
He froze for a moment. A fleeting look of panic crossed his face, but he quickly composed himself and shrugged:
“No idea. How would I know? Could be your secret stash?” he said, swallowing hard and eyeing the jar as if it contained the last piece of bread on earth.
His gaze was filled with poorly hidden distress, but Emma didn’t notice. She had already opened the jar and was amazed by the cash inside.
“My secret stash?” Emma laughed. “I wouldn’t hide money under the bathtub. This is your doing.”
Tom raised his hands in surrender, swallowing the growing lump in his throat.
“I swear, I’ve no clue where this came from. Maybe the previous owners forgot it?”
Emma squinted her eyes.
“We’ve lived here for five years. I doubt they’d leave money like this.”
Tom tried to act nonchalant, closely watching Emma’s every move. But she decided that since she found the money, it was hers now. She gleefully counted out the notes, her eyes lighting up with gleeful greed.
“Well, if nobody’s owning up to it, lucky me,” she declared.
Tom tried to intervene. He sang in a smooth tone, barely controlling his emotions:
“Perhaps we could buy something useful? Like a new laptop? This one’s on its last legs. I’ve seen one with a powerful processor…”
“A laptop?” snorted Emma. “What do I need with your laptop? I’ve got a better idea.”
The next day, Emma returned home with a fancy little box. Inside was a set of jewelry: earrings, a ring, and a delicate pendant. She proudly showed them to Tom.
“What do you think?” she asked, trying on the ring and glowing with excitement.
Her expression clearly told Tom: “Just try and say no!”
“Beautiful,” he replied readily, trying to mask his disappointment. “You’re the best, my dear. Just hope no one whisks you away now.”
Emma paraded around in her new jewelry all evening, telling everyone about her discovery and lucky buy: friends, her mother, and her mother-in-law. Before bed, at ten o’clock, she carefully placed her treasures on the bedside table to wear to work the next day.
Tom lay awake for a long while, unlike Emma, who was out cold in fifteen minutes. Knowing his wife slept soundly, Tom quietly crept to the balcony door and slipped outside. There, in an old blender box, he found a hidden pack of cigarettes, with a packet of mint gum standing by.
First, he lit a cigarette. He’d quit ages ago… Emma insisted due to frequent bronchitis and pneumonia. By the way, no seasonal illnesses for the past year! Feeling a little calmer from the nicotine, Tom picked up his phone and dialed a friend’s number.
“Hey, mate,” he said, “I won’t be joining the game anytime soon, you’ll have to hold the fort without me… Yeah, the missus found my stash. Been saving for six months, just had the right amount. And she went and bought herself jewelry.”
“That’s harsh,” sympathized his friend. “You’ll get it together again.”
Tom sighed and glanced at the bedroom. Emma slept peacefully, her new jewelry sparkled on the nightstand, shiny and useless to him but bringing her so much joy.
“Yeah… At least she’s perked up. Even said she might drop a few pounds to look more striking with the new jewelry. Well, I’m glad she made herself happy.”
The next morning, Emma was in a great mood again. She put on the new earrings and pendant, admiring her reflection in the mirror.
“So, do I look good?” she asked Tom.
“Stunning,” he replied, doing his best to smile genuinely, admiring her bright eyes.
Indeed, it’s important to treat a woman now and then! But deep down, Tom was already plotting where to hide his next stash. Certainly not under the bathtub this time…
