Chapter 23
“A little breakfast won’t break the bank. Liberty, I promise I won’t go overboard.”
Serenity had enough income to support her sister, but she was determined not to spend her entire paycheck on it since she had her sights set on becoming a homeowner.
“Has Sonny had anything to eat?”
Serenity inquired as she felt Sonny’s forehead, relieved to find his temperature normal.
“He had some milk. I’ve got chicken soup simmering on the stove. I’ll feed him that later when it’s done,” Liberty replied, demonstrating her excellent care for her son.
“Zachary will be back in two days. His parents are visiting this Saturday. Can you come to Brynfield with my brother-in-law for family dinner on that day? Can you let him know?”
Liberty’s eyes lit up as she asked, “Is your husband returning from his business trip?”
“He mentioned he’ll be back Friday night,” Serenity confirmed.
“Great! I’ll keep my husband updated,” Liberty responded enthusiastically.
Liberty understood the reasons behind her sister’s decision to marry. While she supported Serenity’s choice, she couldn’t shake her concerns about Serenity’s partner, having never met him in person.
Chapter 3
Liberty would approach the meeting with her in-laws with the seriousness it deserved.
After spending some time at Serenity’s home, Serenity headed off to work.
Once Serenity left, Liberty prepared some chicken soup for Sonny and decided to take him for a stroll and do some shopping. She wanted to pick up new clothes for the upcoming meeting with the in-laws.
Liberty typically dressed down as a stay-at-home mom, often sporting clothes she had found at bargain warehouse sales.
In her single days, Liberty had been selective about her lifestyle choices. Although she didn’t wear high-end labels, her clothes were well-tailored. However, since dedicating her life to her family and stepping away from her job, she lost that source of income. Her journey had transformed her priorities.
Liberty’s savings had been completely consumed by the renovations of their home. Now, she found herself counting her pennies, prioritizing family expenses over her own needs. In an effort to impress her sister’s in-laws, Liberty decided to purchase two upscale dresses, along with a suit and tie for her husband.
As she was leaving the clothing store, her husband called her.
“Hello, honey,” she said, balancing her son in one arm while pushing the stroller with the other.
“What did you spend that money on again? It’s over a thousand bucks! That’s more than half of our allowance gone. Just so you know, we’re splitting the living expenses now. That thousand bucks is on you. You’re on your own if you can’t make it last the month,” Hank replied, sounding frustrated.
Similar to Zachary, Liberty’s husband, Hank Brown had given her a supplementary card for household expenses. Each month, he would transfer money into the account designated for their family’s needs. However, the account was linked to his mobile phone number, meaning he received notifications every time Liberty used the card.
For a family of three, their grocery expenses were generally kept under a hundred dollars, since Hank deposited three thousand dollars into the account each month. If Liberty managed her spending wisely, she could have a couple of hundred left over. However, unexpected events, like a child getting sick, could make it challenging to stretch that three thousand dollars.
On this occasion, Liberty had forgotten to bring her personal bank card, forcing her to use the household expenses card. It never occurred to her that her husband would be monitoring her spending as soon as she stepped out of the store.
