Tracking Secrets
Staring vacantly out the window, the angry mother stewed in her car. It had already been twenty minutes since she had parked in the quiet Starbucks parking lot. Someone piqued her attention.
Her eyes were fixated on the girl as she smiled at each passing car. Forcing a buried breath, she whispered as quietly as possible, barely making any sound at all, “A fake smile, a fake person.”. Her heart was palpitating rapidly, and her blood was boiling over.
Time Is Of The Essence
Over the course of the last several years, Cheri Markhams had single-handedly led a fulfilling life as a devoted mother of two residing in Miami, Florida. She worked part-time as an administrator from her home office while Jason worked as a contractor.
The family had always managed to make ends meet, despite times toughening by the day. It was extremely challenging for Cheri to imagine the manner in which her entire life would soon be flipped upside-down.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
In Jason’s back pocket, Cheri found a crumpled receipt one harrowing day while in the midst of doing the family’s laundry. On his way to work at a local construction site, he often stopped by Starbucks for coffee in preparation for his tiresome and laborious days on site.
Despite this, she was never sure about something that had to do with the added service charge. It would be of utmost importance for her to compare it to the credit card start, later on.
Morning Cup Of Joe
Her interest was grabbed this particular time, so she decided to go ahead and double-check. Her credit card history indicated an additional charge from Starbucks in conjunction with the receipt she found earlier that same day. The dates didn’t correspond with one another.
In an instant, Cheri’s beloved husband seemed to be consistently tipping exorbitant amounts of their hard-earned money; she racked her brain to devise a reasonable explanation. She was totally aware of the mounting uncertainty and apprehension slowly polluting her once, crystal-clear mind. Could he have been involved in an affair?
Eyewitness Account
Despite her concerted efforts, she was totally unable to rid herself of the crippling anxiety caused by her unsettling discovery, so Cheri decided to pay Jason’s favorite Starbucks branch a much-needed visit to find out the truth once and for all.
Upon approaching the drive-thru window, she immediately took notice of Jenna, a beautiful and friendly waitress in the prime of her life. As Cheri’s mind immediately gravitated to the worst possible scenario – her husband had been consistently flirting with the attractive employee – worry consumed all aspects of her life.
A Gift
The waitress, Jenna, appeared to have been tipped a whole lot extra by Jason. Seeing her husband’s uncharacteristic display of generosity, Cheri was entirely perplexed.
The receipt and the tips both weighed on Cheri, so she, in a fit of disbelief, confronted Jason. Who was this Jenna? What could possibly be a valid reason for giving notable amounts of their hard-earned money away to a total stranger?
Truth Be Told
When Jason eventually returned home that fateful evening, Cheri immediately confronted him about the receipt. Jason was shocked beyond belief and completely denied even having the slightest of clues as to what she was referring to. He insisted that he had left neither Jenna nor anyone else, for that matter, any inflated tips. She was unsure of what to think, feeling a mixture of relief and confusion.
His surprise at her accusation led him to deny knowing anything about what she was going on about. Cheri could not and would not believe that her beloved husband would ever dare to lie to her, but her ocean of doubts continued to plague her every waking moment.
Keeping Up With Jenna
After returning to the Starbucks, Cheri approached Jenna’s drive-thru window to investigate the situation further. After watching her closely, she turned to the other. “So fake!” she cried out and slammed down on the brakes.
How could a total stranger cause her so much grief? In order to confront the youthful waitress about the charges to her credit account, she gathered all her bravado to make her move.
Nature Of The Game
The Starbucks branch anxiously waited for Cheri as she sat in her car, hands gripping the steering wheel firmly, causing all the veins in her hands to bulge in obvious rage. Her heart thudded like a war drum, and with anger and anxiety flooding her entire body, she had no idea what to expect.
As she stared in defeat at Jason’s receipt, she couldn’t stop thinking about how many secrets he may or may not be keeping from her. Any semblance of trust in Jason was being flushed out of her mind rapidly.
Getting Answers
Cheryl took a deep breath before opening the car door. She was going to confront Jenna and get the answeres she needed.
Her mind was flooded with all kinds of scenarios and possibilities as she walked to the drive-thru window. What would she do if Jason was seeing this girl behind her back? What if he was spending their money on her?
Can I Help You?
The sound of her footsteps echoed in her ears as she approached the counter, and her heart pounded louder with each passing second. Jenna turned around, a polite smile plastered on her face, not recognizing the woman who had been watching her from afar.
“Can I help you, ma’am?” Jenna asked, her voice filled with warmth and professionalism.
We Need To Talk
Cheri struggled to maintain her composure, her voice trembling as she spoke. “I need to talk to you about something,” she managed to say, her eyes locked with Jenna’s.
Jenna’s smile wavered slightly, sensing the urgency in Cheri’s voice. “Of course. What can I do for you?” There was no turning back now. She had Jenna just where she wanted her.
Hushed Tone
Cheri leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a hushed tone. “I noticed that my husband has been tipping you excessively. Can you explain why?”
Jenna’s eyes widened in surprise, clearly caught off guard by the accusation. “I… I’m sorry, I don’t understand. Your husband?” Now Cheri was becoming slightly irritated. It seemed like Jenna was playing a game of ignorance.
Just An Employee
Cheri’s frustration grew. “Yes, my husband, Jason. He’s been coming here every morning and leaving you generous tips. Why?”
Jenna’s expression shifted from surprise to a mix of confusion and concern. “Ma’am, I get tips from lots of people, but I have no idea why your husband would be doing that. I’m just an employee here, doing my job.”
Was She Jumping The Gun?
Cheri’s mind raced, searching for answers. Could Jenna be telling the truth? Was there another explanation for the mysterious tips? She studied Jenna’s face, looking for any sign of deception or guilt, but all she saw was a look of embarrassment and anger.
Realizing she had jumped to conclusions without concrete evidence, Cheri’s anger began to dissipate, replaced by a sinking feeling of doubt and regret.
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