Clutching his head, Andrew collapsed onto the sofa, exhausted.
"Mom, why are you spending your own money? Lisa and I wanted to get you a birthday present ourselves."
Sitting down beside him, Sarah whispered, "I appreciate that you didn't forget. But I'm used to handling my own business. Besides, what is there to worry about, son? I just need a new refrigerator. I even picked up a flyer at the mall to check the prices; everything is fine."
Snatching the flyer from her hands, Andrew grumbled, "Good grief, there's nothing special about it, yet it costs a fortune. You could find something cheaper. It's not like there's a shortage of appliances these days."
Glancing at him reproachfully, Sarah replied, "Of course, who would argue with that? Why don't we just buy one from a thrift store then? You see, Andrew, you say you love your mother and even offer money for a fridge, but then you immediately try to skimp on it."
Getting up from the sofa, Sarah paced the room before adding, "No, if I've made up my mind, I'll do it myself. Just drive me to the mall—not today, though, in a couple of days. I want to think about it a bit more. I don't want to regret making a rushed, wrong choice later."
Andrew waved his hand in resignation. "Fine, I won't try to talk you out of it; you never change your mind anyway. At least let me transfer some money to your card. It feels wrong not giving you a gift."
This suggestion seemed to suit Sarah. "Now you're thinking. That's my boy. You know that eventually, whatever I have will go to you anyway. Well, it's too early to think about that, but you get the hint."
Andrew nodded in agreement. "Mom, weren't you planning to head to the lake house? Why don't I drive you so you don't have to rattle around on the bus?"
Giving her approval, Sarah quickly packed her things, and ten minutes later, they were in the car. Taking the quickest route, her son drove her to the countryside cottage in half an hour. Pulling up to the gate, he started to help her carry her bag inside, but their neighbor, Martha, came out to meet them.
"Hi, Sarah! I thought you weren't coming at all. And hello to you, Andrew! Just leave the bag; I was heading over to see your mom anyway. Come on, Sarah, let's have some tea and do some catching up."
The women walked onto the property as if Andrew weren't even there. However, Sarah turned back and said, "Thanks, honey. Martha and I can take it from here. You go on, and I'll call you when I need a ride back."
***
Inside the house, Sarah sat heavily on a chair and whispered, "He worries about me like I'm some fragile antique. Today he offered me money for the fridge, as a gift. But I refused, saying I wanted to make the purchase myself."
Martha looked at her in surprise. "Sarah, did you really turn down your son's money? He meant it from the bottom of his heart, and you just shut him down."
Shaking her head, Sarah replied, "He'll be fine; he knows me. As for the money, Andrew suggested transferring it to my card. Let it sit there, and when I need it, I'll withdraw it."
Exhaling with relief, the neighbor said, "Well, that's different. I thought you were just being stubborn for the sake of it. Getting older is a funny thing; sometimes we grumble, but we're entitled to it."
Putting the kettle on the stove, Sarah pointed to the flowerbed outside the window. "I feel like I just planted those, and look how beautiful they've grown! It warms my heart. I think I'll make a bouquet for my granddaughter."
The kettle soon began to whistle. Martha, as if suddenly remembering something, lightly slapped her knee. "My memory is shot! When I need something, I have to dig for it. Listen, Sarah, I saw an ad on TV recently about a big appliance warehouse sale. Why don't we go together and pick out your fridge?"
At that moment, Sarah pulled the flyer from her purse and showed it to her neighbor. "I was actually planning to head here; the prices are decent. I already told Andrew to take me to the shopping center."
Pushing the flyer aside, Martha added, "Perfect. We'll need Andrew and his car, and it won't matter to him where he's driving. Be ready tomorrow after lunch; I'll come by for you. And call your son so he isn't late."
Plans had shifted slightly, but for the sake of the refrigerator, Sarah decided to sacrifice her rest at the cottage. After tea, she saw her neighbor out and spent a little more time tending to her garden beds. Only then did she call her son.
"Andrew, I'm sorry to bother you again, but I need you to drive me and Martha somewhere tomorrow. There's a big sale on appliances with low prices."
After a short silence, her son replied, "Sure, Mom, I'll be there. I actually know the place you mean. It's a warehouse outlet on the edge of town. They have a massive indoor pavilion with everything on display."
It was settled, yet Sarah felt a nagging intuition that something wasn't quite right with this warehouse. Her heart told her the purchase might not be straightforward—it might even come with a surprise. She found it hard to believe anyone would sell top-tier fridges at that price. Perhaps they were "scratch and dent" items or had some defect she'd only discover later. But given the attractive offer and Martha's recommendation, Sarah figured she had nothing to lose.
***
The alarm clock had barely struck eight in the morning when there was a knock at the gate. Peering out the window, Sarah saw Martha's radiant face. She had to get up.
"What are you doing, Martha? We agreed on lunch! I haven't even had breakfast or washed my face."
Martha opened the gate herself without waiting for an invitation. "I know, I just can't sleep in. I woke up early and made some biscuits. Come on over; you can wash up and have a bite at my place. Besides, I heated up the hot tub last night, so the water is still nice and warm."
The mention of the hot tub was all it took to sway Sarah. "Alright, you could talk anyone into anything. Let me just get dressed."
As for the biscuits, Sarah wasn't usually one for heavy carbs in the morning, especially since she was a pretty good cook herself. But out of respect for her neighbor, she agreed to try one. Taking a bite, Sarah's eyes widened. "My goodness, this is delicious! I didn't think you could cook like this. Didn't someone tell me their baking never turns out right? Just kidding, Martha!"
Martha gave her a stern look but didn't rise to the sarcasm. "I get it, you're the master chef. But let's not debate our skills; let's get ready for the road. I've decided there's no point in waiting until lunch. Call Andrew now."
Sarah pulled her phone from her pocket and dialed her son's number. "Good morning, honey! Oh, I'm glad you're already up. Come pick us up; we've decided to go now since we're ready."
She could hear Andrew let out a heavy sigh. "Alright, Mom. I'll be there in an hour."
Soon, Andrew's car appeared at the cottage. He stepped out and announced, "The carriage is waiting. I hope the plans haven't changed and we're still going where we discussed yesterday."
Sarah and Martha nodded. "Yes, that's right. Just don't rush; we're still waking up."
This time, Andrew chose the shortest yet smoothest and safest route. Half an hour later, they arrived. Looking at the massive warehouse, Sarah remarked, "Look at the size of this place! You could sell airplanes in here, let alone refrigerators."
Martha smiled. "Don't exaggerate; it's not a military base. Let's go see what they brought in today."
Andrew stayed in the car; he had no desire to wander around a warehouse. Inside, the women began browsing, looking for quality at a low price. Sarah headed straight for the tall rows of refrigerators. Martha lagged behind, distracted by the plasma TVs, but soon joined her. Out of nowhere, a sales associate appeared with a beaming smile.
"Can I help you ladies with anything today?"
Sarah took offense at the "ladies" part, feeling he made them sound like ancient grandmothers. "Listen, young man, we are women in our prime. Go find your manager; let him give us the tour."
The associate turned pale, realized he'd used the wrong tone, and hurried off. He soon returned with a distinguished-looking man. The manager looked at them, flashed a professional smile, and said, "Dear guests, I'll show you everything myself. Please excuse our associate; he's very new here."
Sarah and Martha accepted the apology. "Fine then. Lead us to the refrigerators; that's why we're here."
For nearly an hour, the man, who introduced himself as the senior manager, led them through the sleek rows of appliances. Finally, Sarah pointed. "I want this one. Get it ready for me."
The man cleared his throat. "Excellent choice. These just arrived a few days ago. Let's get the paperwork done, and we can have it delivered to you today."
Delighted that she wouldn't have to wait, Sarah stated she would be paying in full—no financing, no installments. The manager beamed even brighter and ordered that she be served immediately.
***
As promised, the refrigerator was delivered to Sarah's apartment that same day and even unpacked. Looking at her purchase, she said, "There you go; that's for the good work. My son will come by tomorrow to hook it up, but for now, just leave it there."
The delivery men shrugged, said their goodbyes, and left the apartment. Sarah was overjoyed at how cheaply she'd bought it. Compared to the prices in that first flyer, it was like night and day. She wanted to use it right away, but Andrew had asked her to wait for him and not touch the tech. She had no choice, but then again, there was no rush to put groceries in it yet. Soon, Martha arrived.
"Congratulations, friend! I bought a little something; let's celebrate!"
Shaking her head, Sarah replied, "Alright, but just a little. It's not like we're at a wedding."
After a small toast, the women began discussing life's problems when suddenly the doorbell rang. Martha looked at Sarah. "Are you expecting someone? I thought your son was coming tomorrow."
Tiptoeing into the hallway, Sarah peered through the peephole but saw no one. "Strange. The bell rang, but I feel like I must have imagined it."
After waiting a few minutes, Sarah opened the door, but the landing was empty. Martha came up behind her. "What does that mean? Who's playing games?"
Silence was the only answer. The women returned to the kitchen, completely puzzled by who would pull such a prank. Waving it off, Sarah said, "Oh, never mind. Probably someone lost who rang the wrong bell."
No one else disturbed them that evening, and soon Martha got ready to head home. "I'm off; it's getting late. By the time I get back, it'll be bedtime."
After seeing her out, Sarah wanted to inspect the fridge again, but something stopped her.
***
The next morning, while making breakfast, she noticed a strange man through the window. He was pacing near the entrance of the building and periodically looking up toward her apartment. This was truly frightening, especially after the doorbell incident. Sarah instinctively dialed Andrew's number.
"Andrew, get over here right now. I think there's a dangerous person hanging around my building."
He told her he'd be there soon and warned her not to go outside. Looking at the refrigerator again, Sarah decided to finally open it and look inside. The numerous shelves and compartments delighted her, but before using them, she decided to wipe them down with a damp cloth. While struggling to open a compartment in the upper part of the door, Sarah froze in horror. A strange secret compartment, a metal box, was built into it. Her fingers reached out to see what was hidden inside, but remembering that any wrong move could be dangerous, she fearfully dialed a number she knew by heart.
After a few seconds, a familiar voice answered. "Yes, I'm listening. It's been a while since we spoke."
With trembling hands and a shaky voice, Sarah began to speak. "I bought a refrigerator, and it was delivered yesterday. I opened it today and found a strange hidden compartment. On top of that, someone rang my bell yesterday but ran off, and now there's a suspicious man outside my window."
As it turned out, Sarah had connections in the District Attorney's office, and she was speaking to one of the investigators. He promised to notify the right people and said officers would arrive shortly to sort it out. Andrew arrived first, but the man Sarah had seen was gone. Calming her down, Andrew reached into the fridge to open the find.
"No, son, let's wait. I called my friend at the DA's office. He asked me to leave everything as it is, so let's not take risks."
She added that she initially thought it might be a listening device. "Who knows? Maybe they track people this way."
Andrew chuckled. "Mom, please. You're not in the CIA. It's probably just some extra component they forgot to tell you about."
But Andrew's words were proven wrong when the authorities arrived and inspected the secret stash.
***
It contained contraband worth a significant amount of money. But how did it get there? That question was put directly to Sarah.
"My neighbor recommended that warehouse; she bragged about the low prices. I fell for it like a naive girl, and now I don't know what to do."
To clear things up and find the source of the stash, the warehouse and Sarah's building were put under surveillance. No one else appeared near her apartment that day, so Sarah was taken back to the lake house for safety. They wanted to make the apartment look empty. Andrew went with her and stayed the night, though he was also anxious to find out how the stash ended up in the fridge.
The next morning, they received a call. The suspected owners of the contraband had been caught. They had attempted to break into Sarah's apartment and were apprehended. Andrew drove his mother back.
"So, what happened? Was I the victim of some scammers?"
Taking her aside, federal agents explained that these refrigerators were being used to secretly transport gemstones. Furthermore, there were specific buyers waiting for them. Interestingly, the sales were being run directly out of that warehouse; it was a front for the smuggling operation. It turned out the delivery crew had accidentally brought Sarah the wrong unit—or rather, they hadn't noticed it had a specific marking. Now, the arrested smugglers were giving full confessions. As for Sarah and Martha, they received a formal commendation. After all, their accidental purchase had helped take down an entire ring. They would have liked a reward, of course, but the women were cleverer than that.
"Just show us on the news," they said. "Let all the neighbors and friends burst with envy."
A while later, as they sat in the kitchen looking at the refrigerator, Andrew said, "Mom, I offered to buy you one at the very start, but no, you didn't want that. So, how do you like your birthday present?"
Laughing heartily, Sarah replied, "It's exactly what I needed. Life is too boring without a little adventure. Don't you worry, son—you'll have plenty of your own 'exciting' days soon enough."
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