Take My Breath Away

Erica thought Matthew hadn't heard her, so she hurried over and stood in front of him. Donning a sweet smile, she began, "Matthew, I have a question for you."

The man was still silent.

But this time Erica was sure that he had heard her—he just didn't want to talk. All the same, she went on. "Matthew, do you care about three thousand dollars?"

Hearing this, Matthew tossed the rag into the sink and said, "I care."

She pulled a long face. "What? You care about three thousand dollars? Isn't it said that a CEO can make a hundred million dollars in a minute?"

Matthew was as curt as ever. "Yes."

"Then why do you still care about three thousand?" she pouted.

Matthew didn't mind talking nonsense with her for a while. "Because I still have to keep track of my money and take care of it. Do you mean that I should just take three thousand dollars and give it to some random stranger on the street, and think nothing of it?"

"No, no, of course not. I mean... You can't randomly give money to strangers, but you can give it to me!" Finally it was out in the open.

'So, she beat around the bush before asking for three thousand dollars?' Matthew thought. 'Is my wife so poor?' Pretending to be confused, he asked, "Why should I give three thousand dollars to you? Have you used up all your money already?"

Embarrassed, Erica lowered her head, but her lips held a trace of a smile. "Here is the thing... I went shopping with your mom today and bought some lipsticks. They cost three thousand dollars! And that's so expensive! Three thousand! It's just the cost of a breakfast for you, but for a poor student like me, that's my living expenses for a month! So, can you reimburse your dear wife for this, um, little mistake?"

With some effort, Matthew kept from snorting out loud. 'Is she the kind of poor student who lives on three thousand dollars a month? Does she really expect me to believe this?'

It took this for him to see that his wife really was a miser!

"What, have you used up all the money I gave you before?" he asked.

"No, I don't want to use that up at all." Erica was being entirely honest here.

She had bought the lipsticks with the money that Gifford had given her before. After this expenditure, there was only a little left over.

With a smile in his eyes, Matthew asked, "Ah, so you're saving up for your five sons in the future?" He hadn't forgotten her great wish to have five sons

his wife was so unpredictable that she was driving him crazy. 'Didn't she like them very much just a minute ago? And isn't she always frugal? She never likes me wasting things.' He asked, "Are you sure?"

"Yes." Erica was emphatic. "If you're going to give me something just because another woman didn't want it, then I don't want it either!"

So this was the problem. Matthew explained, "Well, I originally planned to give them to you."

"Then why you say your goddess didn't want them?" Erica asked. After all, he hadn't said this before; he'd just asked her to have a look at them.

"So, do you want them or not?" sighed Matthew.

"Well, if they are not for another woman, of course I will take them. I'm not a fool." Erica spoke slowly, holding the box tightly as if it was her own.

Matthew shook his head slightly, then held out a hand and said, "Give the box to me!"

"Why are you going back on your words already?"

For a second he actually looked hurt, wondering if that was really the sort of person his wife thought he was. "No, I mean, I'll help you put them on," he said.

"Oh, okay!" Erica replied, flushing just a bit.

She opened the box.

With a gentleness that seemed unlike him, Matthew put the ear studs on her. Taking in the close-up view of his face, Erica snickered in her heart, 'Wow, my husband is so handsome!'

"All right, have a look in the mirror," he said.

First, though, Erica asked, "Do you think they look good on me?"

He gave her a tender look. "Not bad!"

As he saw it, Erica was a delicate and lovely girl, and this style of earrings matched her very well.