“Heyyyy, I’m home,” he slurred, grinning as he leaned against the doorframe for support.
I sighed, half-amused, half-exasperated. “You said you’d be back early.”
“Yeah, well, I lost track of time,” he mumbled.
“Come on, let’s get you to bed,” I said, walking over to him and looping my arm under his to guide him to our room.
Helping him undress was no small feat. He swayed, laughing at nothing, as I struggled to pull his shoes off. Finally, I managed to get him out of his shirt, but as I folded it, I noticed something strange.
There, on his chest, right above where I had written my playful message, was a reply: smudged and faded but unmistakable. “Keep the change.”