I sat on the couch in the living room watching the television. Well actually, the television was on but my attention was elsewhere. My husband, Kevin, was in the study going over the monthly accounts and every so often I could hear him swear or his fist thump the desk. "Why do I do this?" I wondered to myself for the umpteenth time, "Why can't I stop using the credit cards?"
Finally I heard his footsteps on the timber flooring of the hall. I kept my eyes on the screen as Kevin stopped at the living room door.
"Darling," He said in a soft voice, "Come with me please."
I looked over to see him smiling and holding out a hand to me, perhaps it wasn't as bad as I had thought? I rose to my feet, walked over and took Kevin's hand for him to lead me to the bedroom.
My spirits soared for a short time when Kevin led me to the bed, gave me a kiss and sat me down on the quilt. He smiled at me again then my stomach sank as he walked across to the chest of drawers containing my underwear.
"Honey, Victoria's Secret, there are three separate entries on the Visa account for last month. What do they sell?"
Kevin's question sounded so innocent, he knew as well as I did the answer to his question.
"Ummmm they sell lingerie darling, why?" I replied, the tremor in my voice giving away my anxiety.
Kevin's answer was to pull out the drawer containing my panties. He reached in and pulled out a pair of panties in an unopened package.
"One!" He exclaimed and threw it at me. "Two, three, four, five!"
Five packets of new knickers landed on the bed and the floor close to me. I knew I was in big trouble.
"Marie!"
I jumped when Kevin called my name; mostly he used minke or darling or sweetie when talking to me.
"Marie, count these as I pull them from the drawer."
This wasn't just a request, it was an order. I had never heard my husband talk like this before.
Panties that I had worn once or a few times were flying through the air and I had trouble keeping count. Finally the drawer was empty and Kevin stood looking at me, his face red with anger.
"How many?"
"Ahhhh, I counted twenty seven pairs." I said quietly, my eyes downcast to the floor.
"Twenty nine actually, plus the new ones makes thirty four! You could wear a different pair every day of the month and never have to wash them! What have you got to say for yourself Marie?"
I sat there biting my bottom lip and looking contrite. Kevin knew as well as I did that I really had no excuse so I just kept quiet, praying that he would look no further. Alas he pulled open the next drawer containing my bras.
"Oh my god, Marie, this drawer is crammed full! Count them again!"
Once again he threw the unopened packs at me. My real weakness is for lacy bras of all colors and shapes. I shielded myself as seven new packets hit me or landed on the bed.
"Count these Marie!"
Kevin was angrier than I had ever heard him before so I looked up as he flicked each of the forty-five bras from the depths of the drawer.
"How many Marie?" There was venom in his voice.
"I made it forty-five," I whispered.
"Well at least you got the total right this time, now let me see what is in the wardrobe!"
"No, please don't!" I couldn't stop myself from saying those few words, and I felt sick in the stomach as Kevin slid open the wardrobe doors.
"Please don't?" Kevin mocked my words. "Please don't Marie? What could be in here you don't want me to see?"
Kevin pulled a chair close to him and then started to go through the wardrobe, separately examining each hanging item of clothing. Skirts, tops, shirts, jeans, slacks and even a new snowsuit were all laid out over the chair, each and every one of them with the incriminating price tag still attached.
"Fifteen pieces Marie, fifteen that have never been worn. You would never wear anything with a price tag," Kevin moved over and slumped onto the bed beside me. "What am I going to do with you Marie, we cannot afford to waste money on clothes like this."
"I, I'm sorry darling," I managed to whisper, before Kevin cut me off.
"Sorry! It's no fucking use being sorry Marie, no wonder the bank rang me when there wasn't enough money in the account for the payment on our housing loan. Just shut up and let me think."
Kevin had never sworn at me in anger before in all the years of our marriage and deep down I really couldn't blame him. We sat side by side on our bed, the bed we had shared since our wedding. The bed where we had enjoyed the wonderful sex that helped make our relationship so loving and successful. The minutes ticked by with my mind in a spin. What was the man I loved so much thinking? I looked around the messy room at all the new items I had never worn and wondered again at my inability to stop shopping.
Fifteen minutes passed in silence and I jumped when Kevin spoke.
"Right Marie, this is what is going to happen. Every one of the new items that can be is to be returned for credit. I take it you still have the invoices and dockets from the suppliers?"