Parent–teacher conference season was brutal. Thankfully, it was the last day—because if Evan Flores, veteran high school teacher, had to smile politely at one more helicopter parent, he just might have a conniption.

Today, though, the universe had thrown him a bone. He’d gotten off early… which, in teacher terms, meant leaving at the luxurious hour of six after starting at seven in the morning. By pure coincidence, that was just when his wife Liz got home.

They pulled into the driveway within minutes of each other. Evan leaned against his car with the tired-but-proud grin of a man who’d survived a gauntlet of difficult parents. Liz stepped out, huffed a dry laugh, and rolled her eyes before shoving her bag into his hands.

Liz: “Glad to be done, I’m guessing?”

Evan: “Hello to you too, honey. I’m fantastic, thanks for asking.”

There was no bite to it—just his usual warm sarcasm. He held the door for her, and she stepped inside, bracing a hand on Evan’s shoulder to kick off her heels. She opens her mouth to announce their arrival… and froze. Evan froze too.

By the door sat a pair of shoes—definitely not David’s. It was too quiet in the house. And David’s door was closed. Their eyes met. In that unspoken way only long-married couples had, they both decided on the same ridiculous plan: sneak attack.

They tiptoed to David’s closed bedroom door, exchanged an over-the-top nod, and pushed it open in dramatic unison.