My husband started working late every Friday. Always had some excuse. Always sounded harmless.
But one night, his phone buzzed—and the name that lit up the screen made my blood freeze.
That’s when I grabbed the mop.
Daniel and I used to have our nights. You know, the kind where the house is finally quiet, the kids are asleep, and we’d curl up on the couch like teenagers in love. Pajamas on, a big bowl of buttery popcorn between us, and a movie we’d seen five times but still pretended it was brand new.
It wasn’t about the movie. It was us.
Now?
Now, I was sitting in bed alone, rubbing hand cream into skin that used to be held, kissed, adored.
Jason had fallen asleep half an hour earlier. And Daniel? Gone.
Then—BZZZ!
A phone buzzed downstairs.
I froze. What was that? If Daniel was home, why hadn’t he come up? I slid out of bed, barefoot, careful not to make the floor creak. Quiet like a whisper, I crept down the stairs.
The guest bathroom light was on. Water running. But it wasn’t the water that stopped me.
It was the phone. Buzzing.
I saw the screen light up.
“Jessie calling…”
There she was. A woman with perfect teeth, a bright smile like she knew her toothpaste commercial was running on every channel, and a neat ponytail. Wearing a school-logo shirt.
Wait a minute.
That’s Jason’s teacher. His new one. Miss Jessie.
I almost fell back onto the stairs. My legs turned into jelly.
Are you serious right now? Are you sleeping with our son’s teacher?
And to make it worse—you saved her photo? Her grinning, glossy face was her contact picture?
I stared at the bathroom door, heartbeat thundering in my chest.
My hand itched toward the phone. I could grab it. Snoop. Read. Expose. But that wasn’t me.
I’m not the type who breaks down doors or screams like a banshee. That’s not how I roll.
No.
If there’s a truth out there, I’ll find it.
My way.
The next day, I sat across from Lana, my best friend since college, in our usual Friday café. My cappuccino sat untouched in front of me, foam slowly melting into a sad puddle.
“I just… I don’t even recognize myself anymore,” I whispered, blinking back tears.
Lana rolled her eyes and leaned in.
“Oh, come on…”
“Especially on Fridays,” I muttered. “Remember how it used to be our night?”
She nodded.
“Let me guess. Now he’s always ‘working late’?”
I exhaled into the steam of my cup.
“Every. Single. Friday. Says it’s school duty. Some afterschool thing.”
She raised an eyebrow. “But…?”
I looked around, then leaned in, lowering my voice like I was confessing to a crime.
“Last night, his phone buzzed while he was in the bathroom. And I saw the name.”
Lana stopped stirring her drink. “Go on.”
“It said Jessie calling. And her picture… smiling like a toothpaste ad. Ponytail. Shirt with the school’s logo.”
Lana gasped. “Nooo.”
“Yes.”
She slapped the table lightly, almost spilling her coffee. “Oh no no no. That’s not school duty. That’s extra credit. You need to do something.”
“Me?” I coughed on my foam. “Lana, I blush when I tell Jason Santa’s real. I cry when I lie to the cat. I am not cut out for spying.”
“Exactly!” she grinned. “That’s why it’ll work. No one suspects a sweet little cleaning lady.”
“Wait—what?”
“One of our cleaning girls called in sick. The school asked my husband’s company for a replacement.”
“I’m listening…”
“I’ll say we’re sending someone new. You.”
I stared at her like she’d grown three heads.
“You want me to be a janitor?”
“Just for a week! I’ll give you a disguise. My party wig—the red curly one. And a name badge. No one will know.”
I let out a nervous laugh.
“I’ve been scrubbing floors at home for fifteen years. Maybe it’s time I go professional.”
Lana winked. “You’ve got the skills, babe. You’re just switching schools.”
My mind swirled with panic.
What if someone recognizes me? What if Daniel sees me?
Or worse…
What if I see something I can’t unsee?
I groaned into my hands.
“I haven’t pretended to be someone else since I wore bunny ears at Jason’s Easter play.”
“Those ears were iconic,” Lana said. “This? This is legendary.”
And that’s how Operation: Clean Up the Truth was born.
The next morning, I made breakfast like always, kissed Jason goodbye, and left a note for Daniel saying I was running errands. I hoped he’d take Jason to school without asking questions.
Then I raced across town to Lana’s house.
Her home smelled like expensive perfume, fresh laundry, and courage.
I, on the other hand, smelled like nerves.
I stood in front of her mirror and tugged at the red wig.
“I look like a lunch lady who threatens to take your pudding if you don’t line up.”
“Exactly!” Lana grinned, clipping a badge onto my shirt. “No one suspects the janitor.”
It read: Kacey.
I stared at myself. Big navy uniform. Orthopedic shoes. Gloves sticking out of my pocket. I looked like I was about to break into a lab, not clean a hallway.
“You sure no one will recognize me?”
Lana stuffed a walkie-talkie into my hand.
“Honey, you look like a school ruler. Everyone’s seen one—no one remembers what it looks like.”
Thirty minutes later, we rolled up behind the school. It was misty, quiet. The only smell was boiled sausages from the cafeteria.
“You’ve got this,” Lana said, clicking open my seatbelt like she was dropping me behind enemy lines.
“You’re Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. But instead of red boots, you’ve got bleach and a backup mop.”
“Oh, fabulous. Pretty Woman with toilet cleaner.”
“If anything goes wrong, run.”
She shoved the door open and pushed me out.
“Good luck, Agent Kacey. Kacey doesn’t panic. Kacey mops.”
The school guard barely glanced at me.
“New one?”
“Mhm.”
“Don’t use the staff microwave. Smells like fish.”
Cool.
I stepped into the hallway. Every creak of my shoe echoed like I was walking into a haunted mansion.
Two girls passed me.
One whispered, “Who’s that?”
The other replied, “She’s a liar…”
My soul left my body. They know. THEY KNOW!
But then—
“…and my mom puts raisins in potato salad. I told her that’s a culinary crime.”
Oh.
Not me. Raisins.
Paranoia: 1. Reality: 0.
I sighed and started “cleaning.”
No Daniel. All day.
Then—the final bell.
Kids exploded into the hallways like popcorn in a hot pan. Backpacks flying. Laughter echoing.
I spotted Jason munching an apple. He looked happy.
And then—I saw him.
Daniel. Striding toward Jessie’s classroom.
I sucked in my stomach, turned my back, and pretended the floor outside her room was filthy.
The door creaked open. Jessie’s voice drifted out.
“Yeah, yeah… tonight, same as always?”
Same as always?
Sweat pricked my forehead.
And then…
“Dad?”
Jason’s voice. My baby.
He stepped into the classroom. “I forgot my pencil case…”
And then he looked straight at me.
No. No no no.
My mop slipped.
THWACK!
The mop handle hit my head—my wig flew across the floor like a small animal.
Jason blinked.
“Mom?!”
Dead. I’m dead.
Daniel turned.
“Sweetheart??”
Checkmate, Kacey.
There I stood. On a squeaky clean floor. Wigless. Red in the face. Heart pounding like a marching band.
I wanted to die. Instead, I smiled.
“Hi, honey! Just came to get Jason.”
“You look… weird,” Jason said.
Daniel stepped forward. “I’ll come with you—”
“Oh no, no,” I said sweetly. My voice sharp. “You’ll stay where you planned to spend your evening.”
I grabbed Jason’s hand and walked out.
Only when the door shut behind us… did the tears finally fall.
At home, I was shaking with rage. But Jason couldn’t see that.
“Jason, no school tomorrow, okay? Go watch cartoons. Skip homework.”
“Mom! Yay!”
“Someone in this house deserves to be happy. Wash your hands and pour yourself some pancakes!”
“Okay!”
I stormed up to the bedroom and yanked open Daniel’s wardrobe.
“Vacation jeans? Pack them. Go take a vacation now.”
I tossed socks. Shirts. Even his “Best Husband Ever” T-shirt.
“Not today, irony. Not today.”
Suitcase packed, I was dragging it to the porch when I froze.
A little girl was standing at the gate. Braids. Backpack. Big light eyes.
“Good afternoon!” she chirped.
“Hi…?”
“I came with my dad.”
EXCUSE ME?!
I almost dropped the suitcase. Then Daniel stepped out of the car.
“Hi… I, uh… Can we come in?”
“Who is she?”
The girl smiled at me, fearless.
“My name’s Sofia.”
Daniel said softly, “She’s my daughter.”
Everything stopped.
Jason peeked from behind the door. “What’s going on?”
“You have a guest,” I told him gently. “Be polite. Your dad and I need to talk.”
I turned to Sofia.
“Sweetheart, go join Jason. Cartoons are serious business.”
Once they were gone, I looked Daniel in the eye.
“You should’ve told me.”
“I know,” he said. “Jessie and I… it was before you. She left. Took Sofia. I didn’t know. Not until recently.”
“And now?”
“She’s married. She doesn’t want anything from me. Just… Sofia to know her father.”
I was still angry. But I understood.
“I want Jason to know his sister. I just wish I’d found out another way. Not in a wig. Not with a mop.”
Daniel chuckled softly. “We were looking for a new school for her. Clara was afraid it would be… awkward.”
“It will be. But it will be right.”
I took a deep breath.
“I’m going to the kitchen. The kids need milk.”
“And the suitcase?” he asked.
“You’ll carry it. For once in your life, do something on your own.”
