My wife’s boss was ruining our lives with his 6 a.m. calls, so I suggested she give him a taste of his own medicine. Our late-night revenge call set off a chain of events that would either save our sanity or destroy her career — and our peaceful mornings hung in the balance.I woke up early, determined to surprise Mira with breakfast. The smell of coffee filled our small apartment as I mixed pancake batter, humming softly to myself. As I flipped the first golden disk onto a plate, I heard Mira padding into the kitchen. She wrapped her arms around me from behind, and I turned to plant a kiss on her forehead.

“Morning, sleepyhead,” I said, smiling. “Breakfast is almost ready.” We sat down on the floor, sunlight streaming through the windows. I poured us both coffee as Mira drizzled syrup over her stack of pancakes. “So, what’s on the agenda today?” she asked, taking a bite. “I’ve got that big presentation at 2. You?” “Just a regular shift at the store. Should be home by 6 if all goes well.” We chatted about our plans for the weekend as we finished eating. It was a perfect morning, the kind that made me feel lucky to have Mira in my life.Little did I know, it would be our last peaceful breakfast for a while. The next morning, Mira’s phone rang at 6 a.m. sharp. I pretended to sleep as she fumbled for it, squinting at the screen. “Hello?” she mumbled, trying to sound awake. I could hear Gabriel’s voice on the other end. “Mira, Sarah’s called in sick. Can you come in early to cover her shift?”