I tucked a small paper receipt from the boutique under my thigh and smoothed my skirt over it as he entered the room.
“Is there an electricity bill?” he asked, adjusting his collar.
“Yes,” I said, pulling out the white sheet of paper but holding the envelope flat on my lap. “It’s about the same as last month.”
He took the piece of paper, squinting at the numbers, then folded it and put it in his shirt pocket.
“We need to be careful with our spending this month,” he said, his gaze settling on my lap. “I saw a charge from some boutique on my bank app yesterday.”
I held my breath, waiting to see if he would ask me for the name on the receipt.
“Those were just gifts for the kids,” I said, looking at my hands.
“Okay,” he said, turning toward the kitchen. “Just make sure we don’t buy things we can’t afford.”
