When Rick told me he was spending evenings helping his brother Stuart repair his roof, I didn’t question it. Stuart even backed up the story, showing up at our house to pick Rick up in his truck. For two weeks, I packed them water bottles and snacks, believing they were racing to finish before the rain. That belief shattered during a grocery store run when I bumped into Stuart’s wife, Heather — who thought her husband was helping us with roof repairs.
The realization hit us both at once: our husbands were lying to us in sync. The next evening, Heather and I followed them and discovered the truth. They weren’t climbing ladders or fixing shingles — they were at a luxury spa, lounging in robes with drinks in hand. Even worse, the membership was a work reward meant for Rick and a guest… and he’d chosen his brother instead of me.
I didn’t yell or confront him right away. Instead, I made quiet changes: moved my paycheck to a personal account, switched all bills into Rick’s name, and booked a beach trip for myself and Heather. We left a note telling them to take care of the house and kids, then spent our days sipping cocktails by the ocean. Heather sent Stuart a selfie with the caption, “Your roof looks great from here!”
While we relaxed, Rick was left juggling chores, kids, and his own guilt. He left messages saying he didn’t know how to apologize. Maybe next time he’ll think twice before trading quality time with his wife for a month of spa days with his brother.