the produce department George had finished filling
the lettuce bins. They heard his name announced over the store's intercom system. George was needed at checkout
stand number three.
"Bagging groceries is George's favorite job. He always
insists on helping the ladies to their cars with their groceries," Casey said.
Tony was studying a bag of corn chips and not really listening to Casey. "What about these?" he said, turning to
Casey. "It says they're low in fat and salt."
"And taste," Casey told him. "Get the brand-name on the
top shelf."
Finally, their cart was loaded with groceries and Tony
pushed it to the checkout lanes. As he was unloading their
purchases to be checked out, Casey saw Carmen enter the
store and called out to her.
Carmen came rushing over. "Where have you been?"
she asked breathlessly. "I've been calling you for days at
home and on your cell. You didn't answer either."
"I know. I haven't had a chance to return my calls yet.
I've been in Las Vegas with Tony." Casey paused dramatically. "We got married."
Carmen let out a big squeal and hugged Casey. Tony
turned around to see what was going on. "Oh, hi, Carmen.
How are you?"
"I'm great and I'm so happy for you two. I can't believe
you did it. How exciting is that?"
Tony smiled and nodded at her patiently, and then turned
back to the cashier, who was still ringing up all the groceries they had purchased.
Carmen and Casey chatted for another few minutes and
then Carmen said she had to work this morning and just
stopped by to pick up doughnuts for the office staff.
"It's Saturday," Casey said.
"I know but the bigwigs are coming here from Chicago on
Monday and the boss wants the office in primo condition.
Call me later," Carmen said giving Casey another quick hug.
"That will be $210.53," the checkout lady said to Tony
as Casey turned back to see the groceries had all been
bagged and stacked back into the cart.
Tony looked at his wife. "Honey, I forgot my wallet.
You'll have to pay the bill."
Casey tried not to show her alarm, she had no cash and
her checking account had less than $50 in it. She knew that
Tony didn't use credit cards and the one she had in her
purse was close to being maxed out. She had used it in Las
Vegas to buy the dress she had been married in.
"I'll have to write a check," Casey finally said. The bank
would be closed today and Casey would have to go there
first thing Monday morning to cover it. She took out her
checkbook and started writing the check, hoping that Sunflower Market didn't have one of those electronic terminals
that accessed the bank account to make sure there were sufficient funds to cover customers' personal checks.
Casey held her breath as the cashier processed the check
and let it out when the woman smiled and handed her the
receipt and wished them a good day.
Casey relaxed some as she and Tony unloaded the groceries into the back of his Cadillac Escalade. Tony's vehicle was top of the line with all the bells and whistles. She
didn't have to worry about money any longer; she had married a wealthy man. Under false pretenses, her conscience
chided.
Casey was silent on the short drive back to the apartment, worrying about the conversation she needed to have with
her new husband.
"What's wrong, Casey?" Tony finally asked when they
were back in his kitchen putting the groceries away. "You've
been awfully quiet since we left the store"
"Nothing," Casey replied. "I'm just stunned that we spent
so much at the store, and we still have empty shelves in your
pantry."
"Since when do you have to worry about things like that?"
he asked.
"I haven't always had money," Casey said. "I inherited
what I have and." She stopped. "Oh, never mind. I don't
want to talk about it now."
Tony looked at her with a frown. "Are you mad because
I forgot my wallet and you had to pay for the groceries?" he
asked sharply.
"No, of course not," she said quickly.
"Good, because a lot of my
the lettuce bins. They heard his name announced over the store's intercom system. George was needed at checkout
stand number three.
"Bagging groceries is George's favorite job. He always
insists on helping the ladies to their cars with their groceries," Casey said.
Tony was studying a bag of corn chips and not really listening to Casey. "What about these?" he said, turning to
Casey. "It says they're low in fat and salt."
"And taste," Casey told him. "Get the brand-name on the
top shelf."
Finally, their cart was loaded with groceries and Tony
pushed it to the checkout lanes. As he was unloading their
purchases to be checked out, Casey saw Carmen enter the
store and called out to her.
Carmen came rushing over. "Where have you been?"
she asked breathlessly. "I've been calling you for days at
home and on your cell. You didn't answer either."
"I know. I haven't had a chance to return my calls yet.
I've been in Las Vegas with Tony." Casey paused dramatically. "We got married."
Carmen let out a big squeal and hugged Casey. Tony
turned around to see what was going on. "Oh, hi, Carmen.
How are you?"
"I'm great and I'm so happy for you two. I can't believe
you did it. How exciting is that?"
Tony smiled and nodded at her patiently, and then turned
back to the cashier, who was still ringing up all the groceries they had purchased.
Carmen and Casey chatted for another few minutes and
then Carmen said she had to work this morning and just
stopped by to pick up doughnuts for the office staff.
"It's Saturday," Casey said.
"I know but the bigwigs are coming here from Chicago on
Monday and the boss wants the office in primo condition.
Call me later," Carmen said giving Casey another quick hug.
"That will be $210.53," the checkout lady said to Tony
as Casey turned back to see the groceries had all been
bagged and stacked back into the cart.
Tony looked at his wife. "Honey, I forgot my wallet.
You'll have to pay the bill."
Casey tried not to show her alarm, she had no cash and
her checking account had less than $50 in it. She knew that
Tony didn't use credit cards and the one she had in her
purse was close to being maxed out. She had used it in Las
Vegas to buy the dress she had been married in.
"I'll have to write a check," Casey finally said. The bank
would be closed today and Casey would have to go there
first thing Monday morning to cover it. She took out her
checkbook and started writing the check, hoping that Sunflower Market didn't have one of those electronic terminals
that accessed the bank account to make sure there were sufficient funds to cover customers' personal checks.
Casey held her breath as the cashier processed the check
and let it out when the woman smiled and handed her the
receipt and wished them a good day.
Casey relaxed some as she and Tony unloaded the groceries into the back of his Cadillac Escalade. Tony's vehicle was top of the line with all the bells and whistles. She
didn't have to worry about money any longer; she had married a wealthy man. Under false pretenses, her conscience
chided.
Casey was silent on the short drive back to the apartment, worrying about the conversation she needed to have with
her new husband.
"What's wrong, Casey?" Tony finally asked when they
were back in his kitchen putting the groceries away. "You've
been awfully quiet since we left the store"
"Nothing," Casey replied. "I'm just stunned that we spent
so much at the store, and we still have empty shelves in your
pantry."
"Since when do you have to worry about things like that?"
he asked.
"I haven't always had money," Casey said. "I inherited
what I have and." She stopped. "Oh, never mind. I don't
want to talk about it now."
Tony looked at her with a frown. "Are you mad because
I forgot my wallet and you had to pay for the groceries?" he
asked sharply.
"No, of course not," she said quickly.
"Good, because a lot of my
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