When We Love

Chapter 6 | Necessary Expenses

After making the calls and a vague explanation to Clara, my cousin, the first part of my plan is complete.

I wash the dishes, glancing around our home nonchalantly.

Where would be the best places to hide a camera? I plan to go out to the store and buy a couple of small cameras to hide around our home. That way, if he invites anyone over, I have footage of them together.

The hard part will be going out to buy them discreetly with Alice tagging along, and then setting them up without both of them wondering what I'm up to. I settle on worrying about the hiding places once I've bought the cameras. Alice walks by, humming her favorite tune.

"Mommy, what toys should I take to Nana's?" My toddler shows me a few of her toys and we decide on her taking two.

I finish up cleaning and head with her to her room to help her pack her things. She's only staying one night but she seems to have already picked up my habit of packing way too many things for the time she'll be staying there. After we get her little backpack in order, I tell her we need to go to the store.

Once we're ready, I walk over to the living room to let my husband know we are heading out to shop a bit. I know he doesn't know what I'm up to but I can't help but sweat a little in thinking he'll get suspicious. However, he he just tells us to be careful and we are on our way. I was kind of hoping he'd offer to watch Alice but should've known better. Well, hopefully she doesn't ask too many questions about what I'm buying.

Arriving to Best Buy, Alice immediately gets curious.

"What are we buying here, Mommy?" I sigh.

I had been trying to think of excuses where she wouldn't mention it to her dad but couldn't think of anything. Suddenly, an obvious excuse dawns on me.

"We are here to buy your dad a present, baby. His birthday is next month remember? So we can't tell him we came here, okay?"

Alice squeals and nods her head, excited to be a part of this "surprise". My heart is torn for her. Will we still be together as a family by then? Or will we have already gone our separate ways? I try not to think about it as we walk in. I chuckle at Alice's expression, she is starry eyed, looking at the huge TVs in the corner.

"Mommy, that TV's so big!" I laugh and nod, I think this is her first time at this store.

"We can walk by there in a second, baby. Just stay with me, we need to go to a different section first." I guide her to look for the camera area.

After asking an employee for directions, we find what I'm looking for. I'm a little disappointed, the selection isn't nearly as large as I'd hoped.

"Daddy wants a camera?"

"Mm, I think so. I've seen him looking at them lately."

It's a blatant lie, but my 4 year old doesn't know any better. Finally, I see what I came for. It's a pack of secret cameras that can be attached to multiple objects. It even gives examples on the back about the best places to camouflage them in. And it's a package of 3, I think that should be plenty. I look at the price and my heart drops a little.

$99.99??

Should I buy them? My plan feels like it's starting to crumble. Is this really all worth it? To be taking money from my savings hurts a little, and I'm finding it hard to justify the extra expense. But then I think about how I felt when I saw him cheating, and how if I don't leave him now, it'll only get worse. Trying not to think of the price, I take the product with me and tell Alice we're heading out.

I end up buying her a small stuffed animal they had on a display near the registers. That way, she's not focusing on what I am purchasing. I smile at her talking to the little dog while we walk to the car. It's actually a pretty cute Golden-doodle with huge sparkly eyes. I think about how once this is all over, maybe I can get us a real dog. She'd love that.

We also stop by the grocery store to get a few items we need and to also use as a cover for the Best Buy purchases. Once we arrive home, I stuff the Best Buy bag between my Krogers bag filled with feminine products. The good thing is the package is small, so it almost goes unnoticed.

"We're home!" I announce, just to let him know we're back.

Alice runs off to her room to play with her new toy and I set down the groceries on the counter. Jared is still on the couch, playing his games now and I roll my eyes. Taking the bag with the cameras with me, I head straight for our bedroom.

"Can you please help me put up the groceries? I'm going to use the restroom."

I hear a grunt in reply and continue on my way.Reaching the restroom, I quickly unpack the little cameras. My heart is thumping in my chest and after reading the instructions, I'm faced with another problem. I need to charge them before I use them.

Ugh!

I feel like every setback I get, I just don't feel like going through with this plan anymore. But I know I can't back out now, and I try to think hard about where I can charge these cameras without Jared seeing them.