I never thought eggs would be the reason I’d start questioning my husband’s priorities, but here we are.
Egg prices are ridiculous right now. If you’ve been to a grocery store lately, you know they cost more than some luxury items. But in our house, eggs aren’t just another grocery item. We have two growing boys who love their eggs, and they need proper nutrition.
So when my husband, Jordan, told me we needed to cut back on groceries and stop buying eggs, I was beyond frustrated.
But I let it slide.
Until I found out where the eggs were actually going.
And let’s just say, after I was done, Jordan would never be confused about his priorities again.
The Call That Started It All
Last Monday, I called Jordan while he was driving home from work.
“Hey, honey,” I said. “Can you grab a few dozen eggs? The kids are almost out, and you know they have their set breakfast routine. And get some bananas too.”
There was a pause. I heard Jordan turn off the radio. Then, the audacity.
“Julia, have you seen the price of eggs lately? We don’t need them that bad. The boys will be fine without. Elijah doesn’t even like eggs that much, he’s just used to the routine. And Levi eats anything. We should start cutting back.”
Cut back? On food? For our children?
My grip tightened on the phone.
“We’re not cutting back on nutrition for our kids, Jordan. Maybe you should cancel your gym subscription if you want to save money. You barely use it.”
Jordan sighed like I was the unreasonable one. “It’s just eggs, Julia. They’ll be fine. Give them more fruit or something.”
I pressed my lips together to stop myself from yelling. You want to play the “we need to save money” game, Jordan? Fine. Let’s play.
The Discovery
That weekend, we visited Jordan’s mom, Carolyn. I generally didn’t mind her; she didn’t meddle too much in our lives. When she invited us over, I packed lunch boxes for the kids because I knew she wouldn’t have anything for them.
When we arrived, I went to put the boys’ sandwiches in her fridge. And that’s when I saw it.
A fridge full of eggs.
I’m talking cartons stacked on top of each other. More eggs than I had seen in a single place outside of a grocery store. My stomach twisted.
“Wow, Carolyn!” I said, keeping my voice light. “Where did you find so many eggs? I swear I can’t even get a dozen at a decent price these days!”
Carolyn beamed. “Oh, Jules! It’s been so hard finding eggs lately. But Jordan, my sweet boy, got these for me! He brought them over yesterday so I wouldn’t have to go searching.”
My stomach dropped.
I turned to Jordan. He was raiding his mother’s snack cupboard, avoiding my gaze.
He knew.
He knew what he did, and he had the nerve to look guilty.
I exhaled slowly. Not here, Julia. Not now.
If I called him out in front of his mom, he’d go straight into defensive mode. Carolyn would rush to his side, and suddenly, I’d be the bad guy.
So instead, I smiled.
“Wow, Jordan, that was really thoughtful of you!”
His shoulders relaxed. He thought he had dodged a bullet.
Oh, you poor, naive fool.
Operation Priorities
Monday morning, Jordan sat at the table, expecting his usual breakfast: eggs, toast, and sausages. Instead, I placed a single slice of dry toast and a cup of black coffee in front of him. No sugar. No milk.
“Uh… where’s breakfast?” he asked, blinking at his sad plate.
I smiled sweetly. “Oh, honey. We had to cut back on groceries. Eggs are too expensive, remember? And honestly, so is milk. And sugar. Don’t even get me started on sausages. How are we supposed to live?”
His face twitched. “Julia, come on. That was about the kids, not me!”
I tilted my head. “Well, if our own children don’t need eggs, Jordan, I don’t think you do either.”
The next morning? Same breakfast.
The next?
Still no eggs.
By the fifth morning of sad, eggless meals, Jordan finally snapped.
“Okay, okay! I get it!” he groaned.
I looked up, feigning innocence. “Get what, Jordan?”
“I shouldn’t have bought eggs for my mom while telling you to cut back. It was selfish. But when my mom called, I just… I couldn’t say no. Can I please have eggs now?”
I leaned back, arms crossed. “I was actually thinking of sending the ones I just bought to your mom. Since, you know, she’s the priority here.”
He groaned, rubbing his face. “Alright, Julia. I messed up. I should’ve put the kids first.”
I let the silence linger. Then I got up, walked to the fridge, and grabbed a single egg.
I placed it on his plate.
“There. That’s all you get today. Maybe tomorrow… if I feel like it, you’ll get two.”
He stared at the single, lonely egg. “Julia! What am I supposed to do with a raw egg?”
“Oh, hush. Figure it out. And be grateful I didn’t send it to Carolyn.”
Jordan groaned but cracked a small smile. “You’re ruthless.”
“Damn right, I am.”
The Real Reason
Then, Jordan sighed. “Listen, Jules. It’s not just about the eggs. Work’s been rough. They’re making cuts at the office, and I keep thinking… what if I’m next? I’ve been trying to save wherever I can, just in case.”
I blinked. “You never told me that, Jordan.”
“Because I didn’t want to stress you out too. You do so much already. I thought I could handle it.”
“By not buying eggs for our kids?”
He exhaled. “I panicked, okay? My mom called and said she was struggling to find eggs, and I just… I didn’t think.”
“You didn’t think about your own family, Jordan?”
He looked ashamed. “You’re right. I should’ve put you and the kids first.”
I reached for his hand. “Next time? Talk to me. We’re a team. No more cutting back on food.”
He nodded. “Together.”
A Change
I didn’t think much about it after that. Things went back to normal. The kids got their eggs, and Jordan got real breakfasts again.
Then, last Friday, something unexpected happened.
I opened the fridge and nearly dropped the carton in shock. Instead of two or three cartons, there were six.
I turned to Jordan, who was making coffee.
“Jordan? Did you rob a farm?”
He smirked. “Figured I’d stock up. Just to be safe.”
I narrowed my eyes. “And you’re okay with that?”
“Some things are non-negotiable. Like food. For our kids. And honestly? I like eggs too.”
I grinned. “Look at you, Jordan. Learning and growing.”
He laughed, and just like that, we were okay again.
