On Saturday morning, Daniel woke to the sound of the washing machine thumping against the laundry-room wall. He found his wife, Marisol, kneeling beside it, sorting a pile of towels.

“You put the bath mat in with everything else, didn’t you?” she asked.

Daniel glanced at the machine. “Maybe.”

Together they paused the cycle and redistributed the load. The machine resumed with a quieter hum. While Marisol folded the dry clothes, Daniel stripped the bed and carried the sheets downstairs. They discussed the day’s errands: groceries, the pharmacy, and a stop at the hardware store for furnace filters.

By ten, they were driving across town in their dusty sedan. Marisol read the grocery list from her phone while Daniel added items he had forgotten to mention—coffee, sandwich bags, and something for Sunday dinner. At the supermarket, they split up. Daniel went to produce and compared prices on apples, while Marisol found chicken thighs and checked the expiration dates on yogurt.

They met near the cereal aisle. Daniel had brought the wrong kind of rice, so Marisol exchanged it while he searched for the store-brand coffee. At checkout, they used two coupons and packed the bags themselves, putting frozen food together so it would stay cold.

Next, Marisol picked up a prescription while Daniel walked to the hardware store in the same shopping center. He returned carrying filters and a small box of lightbulbs.

Back home, they unloaded the car in two trips. Marisol put away the groceries, and Daniel replaced the furnace filter, writing the date on its cardboard edge. Then they made sandwiches and ate at the kitchen counter.

The washing machine beeped again. Daniel moved the sheets to the dryer while Marisol started a pot of soup for dinner. By midafternoon, the errands were finished. They sat on the couch with coffee, tired but satisfied, listening to the dryer turn steadily in the next room.


On Saturday morning, Elena found Marcus in the hallway, crouched beside the vacuum cleaner with its cord tangled around one wheel.

“It’s making that noise again,” he said.

“The burning smell noise?”

“The expensive noise.”

They had lived in their Ohio townhouse for three years, long enough to know which appliances were unreliable and which errands could not be postponed. Elena added vacuum belts to the list on her phone while Marcus carried a basket of laundry downstairs.

By ten, they had changed the sheets, started two loads of laundry, and gathered a bag of old clothes for the donation bin. Elena wiped down the kitchen counters while Marcus took out the recycling and replaced the porch lightbulb. Then they drove to the hardware store, where they spent twelve minutes comparing vacuum belts before realizing their model number was printed on a photo Elena had taken.

Their next stop was the supermarket. Marcus pushed the cart while Elena checked the list. They chose chicken thighs for dinner, spinach, onions, yogurt, coffee, and a loaf of bread. Marcus inspected avocados with exaggerated seriousness.

“That one won’t be ready until Tuesday,” Elena said.

“I’m planning ahead.”

In the cereal aisle, they debated whether the larger box was actually cheaper. Elena used the calculator on her phone; Marcus conceded and put back the smaller one. At checkout, he bagged the groceries while she watched the total climb higher than either expected.

Back home, they worked without discussing who should do what. Marcus put away the frozen food and started the chicken in a marinade. Elena moved the laundry to the dryer, then labeled leftovers in the refrigerator before making room for the new groceries.

By midafternoon, the vacuum was running normally. Marcus cleaned the living room while Elena folded towels on the couch. When he finished, they sat beside the warm stack of laundry and shared an apple.

“We forgot dish soap,” Elena said.

Marcus sighed and reached for his shoes. “Convenience store?”

She stood too. “I’ll drive.”


By nine on Saturday morning, Elena had started the laundry, and her husband, Marcus, was kneeling beneath the kitchen sink with a flashlight between his teeth. A slow leak had left the cabinet floor damp.

“Can you hand me the wrench?” he asked.

Elena passed it to him, then added detergent to the shopping list on her phone. “And we need paper towels. You used the last roll cleaning this up.”

Marcus tightened the loose connection and wiped the pipe with an old dishcloth. They waited a minute. No new drops appeared.

After moving the clothes to the dryer, they drove to the supermarket. The parking lot was crowded, and Marcus circled twice before finding a space beside the cart return. Inside, Elena chose vegetables while Marcus compared prices on chicken. They discussed dinners for the week and settled on tacos, pasta, and soup. Elena picked up coffee, milk, and cereal; Marcus found detergent, paper towels, and a box of lightbulbs.

At the checkout, Elena noticed they had forgotten onions. Marcus jogged back to produce while she unloaded the cart. He returned just before the cashier finished scanning their groceries.

On the way home, they stopped at the post office kiosk so Elena could mail a birthday card to her sister. Marcus stayed in the car and ordered replacement filters for the furnace on his phone.

Back at the house, they carried the bags in together. Marcus put away the pantry items while Elena arranged produce in the refrigerator. Then they folded the warm laundry at the dining table, matching socks and making separate piles.

By early afternoon, the errands were done. Elena replaced the burned-out bulb in the hallway while Marcus checked the sink once more. It was dry.

They heated leftover soup for lunch and sat by the window. Outside, a neighbor pushed a mower across his lawn.

“Anything else on the list?” Marcus asked.

Elena checked her phone, then set it facedown. “Not today.”

For the first time all morning, neither of them got up.


On Saturday morning, Elena and Marcus made a list at the kitchen table. They were nearly out of coffee, dish soap, and anything that could become dinner without considerable imagination. Marcus checked the refrigerator while Elena searched the pantry.

“We have three cans of beans,” he said.

“And no rice,” Elena replied, adding it to the list.

Before leaving, they carried laundry to the basement of their duplex. Elena started the washer while Marcus replaced the burned-out bulb above the utility sink. Then they gathered the library books from the living room and loaded everything into their car.

Their first stop was the public library. Marcus returned a mystery novel, and Elena picked up a cookbook she had reserved. Next, they drove to a hardware store for furnace filters and batteries. Marcus compared filter sizes on his phone while Elena found a small tube of caulk for the bathroom window.

At the supermarket, they divided the list. Elena chose produce and bread while Marcus went for milk, eggs, and canned tomatoes. They met near the meat counter, where they debated whether to buy chicken thighs or ground turkey. Chicken was on sale, so they chose that and planned to roast it with potatoes.

At the checkout, Elena noticed they had forgotten coffee. Marcus jogged back to get it while she unloaded the cart. Their total was higher than expected, and in the parking lot they reviewed the receipt. The olive oil had cost more than either remembered, but everything was correct.

Back home, Marcus carried in the heavier bags while Elena moved the laundry to the dryer. Together they put away the groceries, wiped out a sticky refrigerator drawer, and threw away an old container of leftovers.

By midafternoon, the errands were finished. Marcus changed the furnace filter, and Elena sealed the drafty window. Then they made sandwiches, sat at the kitchen table, and discussed whether they had enough energy to vacuum. They decided they did not.


On Saturday morning, Elena woke to the sound of the washing machine thumping unevenly in the basement. She found her husband, Marcus, standing beside it with a basket of towels.

“I think it’s trying to escape,” he said.

Elena lifted the lid and rearranged the load. The machine settled into a steady hum. While Marcus transferred the previous load to the dryer, she carried a bag of recycling out to their car. They had been meaning to drop it off all week.

After breakfast, they made a list at the kitchen table. Elena checked the refrigerator while Marcus searched the pantry.

“We’re out of rice,” he called.

“And nearly out of coffee,” she said, adding both to the list. They also needed milk, spinach, chicken, dish soap, and something for Sunday breakfast.

Their first stop was the recycling center behind the public works building. Marcus sorted cardboard while Elena emptied glass jars into the appropriate bin. From there, they drove to a hardware store to buy furnace filters. Marcus compared sizes on his phone, and Elena found a package that matched the model number.

At the grocery store, they split up to save time. Elena chose produce and checked the price of strawberries before deciding on apples instead. Marcus picked up chicken thighs, rice, and coffee, then returned to the dairy aisle when he realized he had forgotten milk. They met near the registers with two extra items: tortilla chips from Marcus and a small basil plant from Elena.

Back home, Marcus put away the groceries while Elena wiped down the refrigerator shelves. They debated where to place the basil and settled on the sunny kitchen windowsill. Then they folded the towels together in the living room, matching corners and stacking them on the coffee table.

By midafternoon, the errands were finished. Marcus made coffee, Elena opened the chips, and they sat on the back steps, pleased that the rest of Saturday was still theirs.


By nine on Saturday morning, Elena had started a load of towels, and her husband, Marcus, was kneeling beside the kitchen sink with a flashlight. The faucet had been dripping all week.

“It’s the cartridge,” he said, leaning back on his heels.

Elena added “faucet cartridge” to the list on her phone. “Then the hardware store comes before groceries.”

They lived in a two-bedroom townhouse outside Columbus, Ohio, close enough to several shopping centers that errands could be combined into one loop. Before leaving, Marcus moved the towels to the dryer while Elena gathered reusable bags from the coat closet. He drove, and she checked their list at red lights.

At the hardware store, they spent ten minutes comparing nearly identical plumbing parts. Marcus found the model number on the manufacturer’s website, and Elena matched it to a package on the shelf. They also bought lightbulbs for the hallway and felt pads for the dining chairs.

Next they stopped at the grocery store. Elena chose vegetables and checked the berries for mold while Marcus picked up chicken, rice, and coffee. In the cereal aisle, they debated whether the larger box was actually cheaper. Marcus calculated the unit price, and Elena put it in the cart.

They divided the rest of the list. Marcus went for milk and eggs while Elena found detergent and cat litter. They met near the registers, where Marcus remembered they were out of aluminum foil.

Back home, Elena put away the cold food as Marcus carried in the heavier bags. She set aside chicken for dinner and washed the lettuce. Marcus replaced the faucet cartridge, then called her into the kitchen while he tested it.

No drip.

Elena turned off the dryer and began folding towels at the table. Marcus joined her after sweeping up the bits of packaging from under the sink. By early afternoon, the groceries were stored, the faucet was quiet, and the hallway had a working bulb again.

They ate sandwiches for lunch, comparing what still needed to be done with what could reasonably wait until Sunday.


On Saturday morning, Elena opened the refrigerator and found half a carton of eggs, an aging lemon, and three different jars of mustard. She called to her husband, Marcus, who was sorting laundry in the bedroom.

“We need groceries,” she said.

“We also need detergent,” he called back. “And lightbulbs. The hallway one finally died.”

They made a list at the kitchen table. Elena checked the pantry while Marcus looked under the bathroom sink. He added toothpaste and trash bags; she added rice, chicken, spinach, coffee, and cereal. Before leaving, they started a load of towels. Marcus measured the detergent while Elena gathered the reusable bags from the coat closet.

Their first stop was the post office, where Elena mailed a birthday package to her sister in Arizona. Marcus waited beside her, comparing prices for replacement air filters on his phone. Afterward, they drove to a hardware store and found the right lightbulbs, though it took both of them several minutes to agree on “soft white” instead of “daylight.”

At the supermarket, Marcus pushed the cart while Elena checked the list. He chose tomatoes and avocados, and she picked out apples. In the meat aisle, they compared prices and decided to buy chicken thighs instead of breasts. Marcus remembered they were almost out of hot sauce; Elena remembered that his parents were coming for dinner on Sunday and added another bag of rice.

The checkout line was long, so they discussed what to cook that evening. They settled on tacos because they already had tortillas at home.

Back at the house, Marcus carried in the heavier bags while Elena cleared space on the counter. They put everything away together, occasionally asking where something belonged even though they had lived there for four years.

The washing machine beeped. Elena moved the towels to the dryer while Marcus replaced the hallway bulb. When the light came on, they stood beneath it for a moment.

“Too bright?” he asked.

Elena considered the hallway. “No. It’s fine.”

Then they started chopping onions for dinner.


By nine on Saturday morning, Elena had started the laundry, and her husband, Marcus, was crouched beneath the kitchen sink with a flashlight. A slow leak had dampened the cabinet floor overnight.

“The pipe looks fine,” he said. “I think it’s the seal.”

Elena added plumber’s tape to the shopping list on her phone, then carried a basket of towels upstairs. While the washer ran, Marcus wiped out the cabinet and set a bowl beneath the drain, just in case.

They left their townhouse outside Columbus a little after ten. Their first stop was the post office, where Elena mailed a birthday package to her sister in Arizona. Marcus waited beside her, sorting through the envelopes they had brought from home and tossing two grocery flyers into the recycling bin near the door.

At the hardware store, they found the tape and a replacement washer for the pipe. Elena also picked up batteries for the smoke detector in the hallway. Marcus remembered they were nearly out of furnace filters, so they added a three-pack to the cart.

The grocery store was crowded. Elena steered the cart while Marcus read from their shared list: eggs, rice, yogurt, onions, chicken, coffee. They compared prices on olive oil and chose the store brand. In the produce section, Marcus selected apples while Elena checked a bag of spinach for wilted leaves. They disagreed briefly over dinner—tacos or soup—then settled on tacos Saturday and soup Sunday, buying ingredients for both.

Back home, Marcus replaced the seal under the sink. Elena put away the groceries, portioned the chicken for the freezer, and moved the towels to the dryer. When Marcus turned on the faucet, they both watched the pipe.

No drip appeared.

“Good enough for a Saturday,” Elena said.

Marcus made sandwiches while she changed the smoke-detector batteries. By one o’clock, the errands were finished, the kitchen was dry, and they sat together at the table, eating lunch with the grocery receipt between them.


By nine on Saturday morning, Elena had started a load of towels, and her husband, Marcus, was standing under the kitchen sink with a flashlight between his teeth. A slow drip had dampened the cabinet floor overnight.

“Hand me the adjustable wrench,” he said.

Elena passed it to him, then checked the shopping list on her phone. “We need detergent, coffee, onions, and something for dinner.”

“Add plumber’s tape.”

Twenty minutes later, the leak had slowed but not stopped. Marcus placed a mixing bowl beneath the pipe and took a photo so he could show someone at the hardware store. Elena moved the towels to the dryer, wiped crumbs from the counter, and gathered the reusable grocery bags from the coat closet.

They drove first to the hardware store, where an employee helped Marcus find the correct washer for the pipe. Elena picked up two furnace filters after checking the size in a photo she had taken months earlier. Back in the parking lot, they debated whether to go home first, then decided the bowl could handle the drip.

At the supermarket, Marcus pushed the cart while Elena compared prices. He chose chicken thighs for dinner; she added rice, broccoli, yogurt, and a bag of oranges. They split up briefly—Marcus went for coffee and detergent while Elena found canned tomatoes and onions. At the checkout, they realized they had forgotten eggs, so Marcus jogged back while Elena unloaded the cart.

At home, they carried the bags in together. Elena put away the refrigerated food while Marcus returned to the sink. The new washer fixed the leak, and he dried the cabinet with an old towel.

By early afternoon, the groceries were stored, the furnace filter was replaced, and the laundry was folded on the couch. Elena started chopping onions for dinner while Marcus made sandwiches for lunch. They ate at the kitchen table, tired but satisfied, discussing whether they had enough energy to vacuum—or whether it could wait until Sunday.


On Saturday morning, Elena and Marcus stood in their kitchen, looking at a nearly empty refrigerator. A carton of eggs, half a jar of salsa, and two soft apples occupied most of the shelves.

“We should make a list before we go,” Elena said, opening a drawer for a notepad.

Marcus checked the pantry while she wrote. He called out what they needed—rice, coffee, pasta, cereal—and she added vegetables and ingredients for tacos. They compared the list with the grocery store’s weekly ad, then decided which coupons were worth using.

Before leaving, they carried a basket of laundry downstairs to the shared laundry room in their apartment building. Marcus started the washing machine while Elena sorted a stack of mail on the lobby table. She found an electricity bill, a credit card offer, and a notice about next month’s fire alarm inspection. Upstairs, they took out the recycling and replaced a burned-out bulb in the hallway fixture.

At the grocery store, Elena pushed the cart while Marcus gathered produce. He inspected the avocados, rejecting two before finding three that were firm but not hard. Elena compared prices on chicken and chose the family-size package, planning to freeze half. They split up briefly: Marcus went for milk and yogurt while Elena found tortillas and canned beans.

At checkout, one coupon failed to scan. Marcus politely pointed out that the cereal matched the offer, and the cashier entered the discount manually. Elena packed the groceries into reusable bags, keeping the eggs and tomatoes on top.

Back home, they moved the laundry to a dryer and put away the groceries together. Marcus divided the chicken into freezer bags while Elena washed the lettuce and chopped onions for dinner. By midafternoon, the laundry was folded, the refrigerator was full, and the recycling bin was empty.

They sat at the kitchen table with coffee, reviewing what remained on their weekend list. The bathroom still needed cleaning, but neither of them moved to start it. They agreed it could wait until Sunday.


On Saturday morning, Elena woke to the sound of the washing machine thumping in the hallway closet. Her husband, Marcus, stood beside it holding a damp towel.

“I think the sheets are all on one side,” he said.

Together they stopped the machine, redistributed the load, and started it again. While Marcus made coffee, Elena opened the refrigerator and checked what they needed for the week. There were two eggs, half a carton of milk, and a jar of mustard. She wrote a list while he added coffee filters, rice, and dish soap.

After breakfast, they carried recycling to the bins behind their apartment building. Marcus broke down a shipping box while Elena sorted glass bottles from cans. Then they drove to a nearby supermarket, passing a youth soccer game and a long line at the car wash.

Inside the store, they divided the list. Elena picked out vegetables and compared prices on chicken thighs. Marcus found cereal, coffee, and canned tomatoes. They met near the dairy case, where he held up two brands of yogurt.

“The cheaper one?” he asked.

Elena checked the expiration dates. “The cheaper one.”

At the checkout, they realized they had forgotten onions. Marcus hurried back while Elena unloaded the cart. The cashier had scanned nearly everything by the time he returned with a yellow mesh bag.

Back home, Marcus carried the heavier bags upstairs, and Elena made two trips for the rest. They put the groceries away together, moving an old container of leftovers to the front so they would remember to eat it.

The washing machine had finished, so Elena transferred the sheets to the dryer while Marcus wiped the kitchen counters and replaced the empty paper towel roll. Before lunch, they drove to the hardware store for a furnace filter, then stopped at the gas station.

By early afternoon, the errands were done. They heated the leftovers, sat at the small kitchen table, and compared plans for Sunday while the clean sheets turned slowly in the dryer.


On Saturday morning, Elena found Marcus at the kitchen table comparing the grocery list with the supermarket app. He had circled a coupon for coffee and crossed out milk after checking the refrigerator.

“We have enough for breakfast,” he said, lifting the carton.

“Not enough for the week,” Elena replied, adding milk back to the list.

After oatmeal and toast, they divided the chores. Marcus carried two baskets of laundry to the basement of their townhouse while Elena changed the sheets upstairs. The washing machine made a knocking sound during the spin cycle, so Marcus adjusted its feet with a wrench from the utility drawer. Elena vacuumed the bedroom, then came down to help fold the first load.

By eleven, they drove to the grocery store. Elena pushed the cart while Marcus read from the list. They compared prices on pasta, chose chicken thighs instead of breasts because they were on sale, and bought apples, spinach, yogurt, rice, and a box of cereal. Marcus went back for dish soap after remembering the bottle at home was nearly empty. At the checkout, Elena noticed they had been charged twice for the yogurt, and the cashier corrected the receipt.

On the way home, they stopped at the hardware store for furnace filters and a pack of lightbulbs. Marcus picked the wrong filter size at first, but Elena found the measurements in a photo she had taken of the old one.

Back home, they put away the groceries together. Elena washed and dried the spinach while Marcus divided the chicken into freezer bags. Then they changed the furnace filter and replaced the burned-out bulb over the front steps.

By midafternoon, the laundry was folded, the refrigerator was full, and the errands were finished. Marcus made coffee with the discounted bag they had bought, and Elena sliced an apple for them to share. They sat on the couch with their mugs, tired but satisfied, and discussed what movie to watch that evening.


On Saturday morning, Lena found Marcus in the laundry room, staring at the washing machine.

“It’s making that noise again,” he said as the drum knocked against the side.

Lena shifted the basket on her hip. “Did you check the feet?”

Marcus crouched and pressed on one corner. The machine rocked slightly. He fetched a wrench from the hall closet while Lena sorted their clothes into two piles. Together, they pulled the washer away from the wall, adjusted one of the leveling feet, and pushed it back.

The next load spun quietly.

“Fixed for free,” Marcus said.

“For now,” Lena replied, smiling.

After lunch, they made a grocery list at the kitchen counter. Marcus checked the pantry while Lena looked through the refrigerator. They needed rice, coffee, onions, yogurt, chicken, and something green for dinner. Lena added dish soap; Marcus added ice cream.

At the supermarket, the parking lot was crowded. Marcus steered the cart while Lena compared prices. They debated whether the larger bag of rice was actually cheaper per pound, then used a calculator on Marcus’s phone to confirm it was. In the produce section, Lena chose broccoli and apples while Marcus found a bunch of cilantro that wasn’t wilted.

At checkout, they realized they had forgotten coffee. Lena stayed with the cart while Marcus hurried back to the aisle. He returned just as the cashier finished scanning the chicken.

On the way home, they stopped at the hardware store for furnace filters and a new lightbulb for the porch. Back at the house, Lena put away the groceries while Marcus changed the filter. Then he carried the laundry upstairs, and she replaced the porch bulb.

By five, the errands were done. They cooked chicken and broccoli together, moving around each other in their narrow kitchen. After dinner, Marcus opened the ice cream.

“That wasn’t on the list,” Lena said.

“It was on my list.”

She handed him two bowls.


On Saturday morning, Elena stood at the kitchen counter comparing the grocery list with the nearly empty refrigerator. Her husband, Marcus, carried a basket of laundry down the hall, pausing to add detergent to the list.

“And coffee,” he said. “We’re almost out.”

Elena shook the can. “We have enough for tomorrow.”

“That counts as almost out.”

By ten, the washing machine was running, and they had divided the chores. Marcus took the recycling to the bins behind their apartment building while Elena changed the sheets and gathered the library books that were due Monday. When he returned, they loaded everything into their car and drove across town.

Their first stop was the library. Elena returned two novels, and Marcus picked up a book he had reserved about home repairs. Next, they went to the hardware store for lightbulbs and a replacement filter for the air conditioner. Marcus checked the size on his phone while Elena compared prices.

At the supermarket, they each pushed one end of the cart when the aisles grew crowded. Elena chose vegetables and fruit while Marcus found rice, canned tomatoes, and the coffee he had insisted they needed. They debated whether to buy salmon or chicken for dinner, finally choosing chicken because it was on sale.

“Do we need ice cream?” Marcus asked near the frozen section.

“No,” Elena said, then put a carton of vanilla in the cart.

Back home, Marcus carried the heavier bags upstairs. Elena put away the cold food while he moved the laundry into the dryer. They ate sandwiches at the kitchen table and reviewed what remained on their list.

Only vacuuming and cleaning the bathroom were left. Marcus offered to take the bathroom if Elena vacuumed. She agreed, but only after making another pot of coffee.

By midafternoon, the apartment smelled faintly of cleaner and fresh laundry. The groceries were put away, the errands were done, and the rest of Saturday was still theirs.


On Saturday morning, Elena opened the refrigerator and found half a carton of eggs, a soft tomato, and three different jars of mustard. She called to her husband, Marcus, who was sorting laundry in the bedroom.

“We need groceries,” she said.

Marcus appeared in the doorway holding two unmatched socks. “And detergent.”

They made a list at the kitchen table. Elena checked the pantry while Marcus looked under the bathroom sink. They added rice, coffee, toothpaste, trash bags, and cat litter. Before leaving, Marcus started a load of towels, and Elena broke down the cardboard boxes that had accumulated near the back door.

Their first stop was the post office, where Elena mailed a birthday package to her sister in Arizona. Marcus waited by the counter, comparing prices for padded envelopes. Afterward, they drove to a hardware store for a replacement air filter. Marcus found the correct size while Elena picked up a packet of picture hooks they had been meaning to buy.

The supermarket parking lot was crowded. Inside, Elena steered the cart and Marcus read from the list. They discussed whether they would actually cook spinach before it went bad and agreed to buy frozen broccoli instead. Marcus chose apples, rejecting two with bruises, while Elena compared the price per ounce on coffee. At the checkout, they realized they had forgotten cat litter. Marcus jogged back to the pet aisle while Elena unloaded the cart.

At home, they carried the bags up the front steps in two trips. Elena put away the cold items, and Marcus transferred the towels to the dryer. They ate turkey sandwiches at the counter, then changed the air filter together, with Elena holding the flashlight while Marcus worked the stubborn latch.

By midafternoon, the errands were done. The laundry hummed, the refrigerator looked full, and the cat inspected his newly stocked supplies. Marcus made coffee, and Elena opened the mail. They sat at the table for a few quiet minutes, pleased by the ordinary satisfaction of having taken care of things.


On Saturday morning, Elena woke to the sound of the washing machine thumping in the basement. She found her husband, Marcus, kneeling beside it with a basket of towels.

“I think the blue bath mat is throwing it off balance,” he said.

Elena lifted the lid, rearranged the load, and started the cycle again. The machine settled into a steady hum. While Marcus carried clean clothes upstairs, she made coffee and wrote a grocery list on the back of an envelope.

They spent the next hour dividing chores. Marcus vacuumed the living room and changed the air filter in the hallway vent. Elena cleaned the bathroom and sorted a pile of mail on the kitchen counter. When she found the electric bill, she handed it to Marcus, who paid it through the utility company’s website.

Around noon, they drove to a supermarket near their home in Columbus, Ohio. Elena pushed the cart while Marcus checked items off the list on his phone. They bought chicken, rice, spinach, yogurt, coffee, and a bag of apples. In the cereal aisle, Marcus reached for a large box of granola, but Elena pointed to the price.

“The smaller one is on sale,” she said.

“Per ounce, the big one is still cheaper,” he replied, studying the shelf label.

They took the larger box.

At checkout, Elena unloaded the cart while Marcus packed the reusable bags, keeping the eggs and bread on top. On the way home, they stopped at a hardware store for lightbulbs and a replacement washer for the dripping kitchen faucet.

Back at the house, Elena put away the groceries as Marcus repaired the faucet. It took him two attempts, and Elena held a flashlight under the sink while he tightened the fitting.

When the dripping finally stopped, they stood quietly for a moment, listening.

“Good enough,” Elena said.

Marcus smiled. They reheated leftover soup for lunch, folded the towels together, and discussed what movie they might watch that evening.


By nine on Saturday morning, Elena had stripped the sheets from the bed while her husband, Marcus, stood in the hallway sorting laundry into two baskets.

“Your red sweatshirt does not belong with the whites,” he called.

“It’s been washed a hundred times.”

Marcus held it up. “And today could be the day it betrays us.”

Elena laughed and carried the sheets to the basement laundry room. They lived in a duplex outside Columbus, Ohio, and shared the machines with the downstairs tenant. One washer was free, so she started a load while Marcus gathered the recycling and took it to the bins behind the building.

Over coffee, they made a grocery list. Elena checked the refrigerator and added eggs, spinach, and yogurt. Marcus looked through the pantry and wrote down rice, canned tomatoes, and coffee filters. They agreed to plan three dinners before shopping, hoping to avoid another week of expensive takeout.

At the supermarket, Marcus pushed the cart while Elena compared prices on chicken thighs. He went to find onions and returned with onions, apples, and a bag of tortilla chips.

“The chips weren’t on the list,” she said.

“They’re for morale.”

Elena put them in the cart and added salsa.

They split up near the end. Marcus waited at the deli counter while Elena picked up toothpaste and dish soap. At checkout, they used a store coupon and packed their groceries into reusable bags, arranging the eggs and bread on top.

Back home, Marcus carried everything upstairs in two trips. Elena wiped out a sticky refrigerator drawer before putting away the produce. Then they switched the laundry, folded the dry towels, and changed the sheets together, each taking one side of the fitted sheet.

By early afternoon, the errands were done. Marcus made grilled cheese sandwiches while Elena heated tomato soup. They ate at the kitchen table with the unopened mail between them, discussing whether to clean the bathroom next.

They decided it could wait until Sunday.


On Saturday morning, Elena found Marcus in the kitchen, staring into the refrigerator with the seriousness of a mechanic inspecting an engine.

“We have mustard, half a lemon, and something that used to be cilantro,” he said.

Elena set two laundry baskets by the basement door. “Then I guess we’re going shopping.”

They lived in a small house outside Columbus, Ohio, where Saturday errands had become a kind of shared ritual. Marcus started a load of towels while Elena stripped the bed. She carried the sheets downstairs, and he went upstairs with a screwdriver to tighten the loose handle on the bathroom cabinet.

By ten, they had made a list on the back of an envelope. Elena checked the pantry for rice and canned tomatoes. Marcus looked under the sink and added dish soap and trash bags. Before leaving, they loaded flattened cardboard boxes into the trunk to drop at the recycling center.

The grocery store was crowded. Marcus pushed the cart while Elena compared prices on chicken thighs. He chose apples, rejecting two with bruises, and went back for coffee after they had already reached the dairy aisle.

“You walked right past it,” Elena said.

“I was distracted by the cereal display.”

They bought vegetables, eggs, bread, yogurt, and a frozen pizza for a night when neither of them wanted to cook. At the checkout, Elena remembered they needed stamps, so Marcus waited with the groceries while she used the customer-service counter.

On the way home, they stopped for gas. Elena cleaned old receipts from the center console while Marcus filled the tank. Back at the house, they carried the bags in together, making three trips because Marcus refused to admit that two would have been unreasonable.

Elena put away the cold food while Marcus divided the chicken into freezer bags. Then they moved the laundry to the dryer and made sandwiches.

They ate at the kitchen table with the window open. Outside, a neighbor’s lawn mower started up. Marcus glanced at the grass.

“Tomorrow,” Elena said.

Marcus nodded. “Definitely tomorrow.”


By nine on Saturday morning, Elena had started a load of towels while her husband, Marcus, stood at the kitchen counter sorting the mail. They lived in a small townhouse outside Columbus, Ohio, where Saturday chores had become a routine they both complained about and secretly appreciated.

“The electric bill’s higher,” Marcus said.

Elena glanced at the thermostat. “Then stop turning the heat up to seventy-four.”

“That was one time.”

They made a list together: groceries, laundry detergent, lightbulbs, and a return at the hardware store. Marcus added coffee; Elena added cilantro after he had already folded the paper.

At the hardware store, Elena handled the return while Marcus compared LED bulbs, reading the labels as if choosing medical equipment. She found him ten minutes later holding two boxes.

“These last longer,” he said.

“They’re also twice the price.”

They settled on the cheaper ones.

Next they drove to the supermarket. Elena pushed the cart while Marcus checked items off the list. In produce, he chose avocados, squeezing each one carefully. She replaced two that were already too soft. They debated whether they needed cereal, bought it anyway, and passed the bakery without stopping until Marcus doubled back for a loaf of sourdough.

At checkout, Elena noticed they had forgotten detergent. Marcus jogged to the cleaning aisle while she unloaded the cart. He returned slightly out of breath just as the cashier reached the last item.

Back home, they carried the bags in together. Marcus put away the pantry items while Elena divided chicken breasts into freezer bags. Then they switched the laundry and replaced the burned-out bulb over the stairs.

By early afternoon, the errands were done. Elena made grilled cheese with the sourdough, and Marcus heated tomato soup. They ate at the kitchen table, tired but satisfied, while the dryer thumped steadily in the next room.

“Next Saturday,” Marcus said, “we do nothing.”

Elena smiled. “Sure.”


On Saturday morning, Elena woke to the sound of the washing machine thumping unevenly in the laundry closet. She found her husband, Marcus, crouched in front of it, watching the machine wobble.

“I think the towels are all on one side,” he said.

Elena opened the lid, rearranged the damp bundle, and started the cycle again. The machine settled into a steady hum. While Marcus stripped the sheets from their bed, Elena made coffee and wrote a list for the day: groceries, pharmacy, dry cleaning, and a replacement bulb for the porch light.

They left their townhouse just before ten. Marcus drove, and Elena checked the grocery store’s app for coupons. At the pharmacy, he picked up a prescription while she compared prices on allergy medicine. Next, they stopped at the hardware store, where Marcus found the correct bulb and Elena bought felt pads for the dining chairs.

The supermarket was crowded with families and employees restocking shelves. Marcus pushed the cart while Elena read from the list. They chose chicken thighs, rice, spinach, yogurt, and bread. In the produce section, Marcus inspected avocados and handed her two that were nearly ripe.

“These should be ready by Monday,” he said.

Elena added a bag of oranges and reminded him they needed dish soap. At checkout, they divided the bags by weight so neither would have to carry too much.

Back home, Marcus put away the frozen food and pantry items while Elena washed the produce. They ate sandwiches at the kitchen counter, then worked through the remaining chores. Elena remade the bed with clean sheets. Marcus replaced the porch bulb and tightened a loose screw in the railing. Together, they folded the towels that had caused the morning’s trouble.

By midafternoon, the errands were finished. Marcus turned on a basketball game, and Elena sat beside him with her feet tucked under a blanket. The house looked much the same as before, but the refrigerator was full, the laundry was done, and the porch light worked again.


On Saturday morning, Elena found Marcus in the kitchen, holding an empty coffee bag upside down over the grinder.

“That’s all?” she asked.

“Three beans,” he said. “Maybe four.”

They added coffee to the grocery list, along with milk, chicken, rice, spinach, and laundry detergent. After breakfast, Elena gathered towels from the upstairs bathroom while Marcus stripped the sheets from their bed. They carried everything to the basement, where the washing machine made a clicking sound before starting.

“We should probably keep an eye on that,” Marcus said.

Elena nodded and wrote “washer” on the whiteboard near the stairs, under a reminder to change the furnace filter.

Before leaving, they stopped at the post office to mail a birthday card to Marcus’s mother. Elena waited in the car while he went inside, then they drove to the supermarket. The parking lot was crowded, and Marcus circled twice before finding a space near the cart return.

Inside, Elena chose produce while Marcus compared prices on coffee. They met near the dairy case, where he placed two bags in the cart.

“Two?” she asked.

“I’m preventing another emergency.”

They divided the rest of the list. Elena found the detergent and rice; Marcus picked up chicken and milk. At the checkout, they realized they had forgotten eggs, so Elena ran back while Marcus unloaded the cart.

At home, they carried the bags in together. Marcus put away the pantry items while Elena washed the spinach and moved the laundry to the dryer. One fitted sheet had twisted around the towels, and they spent a minute pulling everything apart.

By early afternoon, the groceries were stored, the bed was remade, and the dishwasher was running. Marcus made coffee, and Elena opened the windows to let in the mild spring air.

They sat at the kitchen table with their mugs. The furnace filter still needed changing, and the washer still clicked, but for the moment, neither of them moved.


On Saturday morning, Elena found Marcus at the kitchen table comparing the grocery list with the supermarket’s weekly ad. Their coffee had gone lukewarm, and a load of towels thumped unevenly in the washing machine.

“Do we really need three kinds of cheese?” he asked.

“One is for sandwiches, one is for tacos, and one is on sale,” Elena said, taking the ad from him. “So yes.”

Before leaving, they divided the chores. Marcus moved the towels to the dryer and carried two bags of recycling to the bins behind their apartment building. Elena wiped down the bathroom sink and changed the sheets. When they met again by the front door, Marcus held the reusable shopping bags while Elena checked that she had the coupons.

They drove first to the hardware store because the kitchen faucet had been dripping for a week. Marcus found a replacement washer, and Elena picked up lightbulbs for the hallway fixture. In the parking lot, they watched a short repair video on Marcus’s phone and agreed the job looked manageable.

At the grocery store, Elena pushed the cart while Marcus read from the list. They compared prices on chicken, chose store-brand cereal, and debated whether they would actually eat a large bag of spinach before it spoiled. They bought the smaller one. Marcus remembered dish soap just as they reached the checkout, so Elena held their place while he hurried back.

At home, they put everything away together. Elena portioned the chicken into freezer bags, and Marcus washed strawberries and cleared old leftovers from the refrigerator. Then they tackled the faucet. Elena held a flashlight under the sink while Marcus replaced the worn washer. When he turned the water back on, the drip was gone.

By midafternoon, the towels were folded, the bed was made, and groceries filled the refrigerator. They heated leftover soup for lunch and ate at the kitchen table, tired but satisfied.

“Next Saturday,” Marcus said, “we do nothing.”

Elena smiled. “Put it on the list.”


On Saturday morning, Elena found Marcus at the kitchen table comparing the electric bill to the previous month’s statement. He had circled the total in blue pen.

“The space heater,” Elena said, pouring coffee into two travel mugs.

“And your habit of leaving every light on,” Marcus replied.

She switched off the light above the sink. “Problem solved.”

By nine, they were in their aging Honda, heading across town. Their first stop was the post office, where Marcus mailed a birthday package to his sister in Ohio while Elena bought stamps. Then they drove to the hardware store for furnace filters and a replacement hinge for the loose cabinet door under the sink.

Marcus studied two nearly identical packages. “Which size did I write down?”

Elena pulled a folded receipt from her purse. On the back, she had written the measurements. “Three inches. I knew you’d forget.”

At the supermarket, they divided the list. Elena went to produce and chose onions, spinach, apples, and a bag of potatoes. Marcus picked up milk, eggs, rice, and chicken thighs. They met near the cereal aisle, where he had added chocolate cookies to the cart.

“Those weren’t on the list,” she said.

“Neither was the fancy cheese.”

“That’s for dinner.”

“So are the cookies.”

At checkout, Elena unloaded the cart while Marcus bagged the groceries, placing the eggs and bread together on top. The total was higher than they expected, so Elena checked the receipt before they left. A digital coupon had not been applied, and Marcus waited at customer service to get the difference refunded.

Back home, they carried the bags in together. Elena put away the groceries and started a load of towels while Marcus replaced the furnace filter and tightened the cabinet hinge. Afterward, they made sandwiches and sat on the back steps.

“We still need gas,” Marcus said.

Elena leaned against his shoulder. “That can be Sunday’s problem.”


On Saturday morning, Elena woke to the sound of the washing machine thumping unevenly in the laundry closet. She found her husband, Marcus, crouched in front of it, holding a damp towel.

“I think the sheets swallowed this,” he said.

Elena helped him redistribute the load, and the machine settled into a steady hum. While Marcus started coffee, she opened the refrigerator and made a grocery list: milk, eggs, spinach, chicken, rice, and coffee filters. Marcus added dish soap and the hot sauce he liked.

After breakfast, they divided the chores. Elena cleaned the bathroom while Marcus vacuumed the living room and hallway. When the vacuum stopped, she heard him moving furniture.

“You don’t have to get behind the couch,” she called.

“I already saw what’s back here,” he replied. “Now I have to.”

By eleven, they carried recycling to the bins behind their apartment building and loaded two reusable bags into the car. Their first stop was the pharmacy, where Elena picked up a prescription. Marcus waited in line at the service counter to return a phone charger that had stopped working.

At the grocery store, Elena compared prices on chicken while Marcus checked their list. They disagreed briefly about whether they needed more rice.

“We have half a bag,” Elena said.

“A small half,” Marcus answered.

They bought rice.

The checkout lines were long, so Marcus unloaded the cart while Elena arranged the groceries by weight. On the drive home, they stopped at a gas station and switched places after Marcus filled the tank.

Back at the apartment, they carried everything upstairs in one trip, each insisting the bags were not too heavy. Elena put away the refrigerated items while Marcus transferred rice and cereal into containers. Then they folded the now-dry sheets together, struggling to match the corners of the fitted one.

By midafternoon, the errands were finished. Marcus made sandwiches, and Elena opened the windows. They ate at the kitchen table, tired but satisfied, discussing whether they had enough energy to cook the chicken that evening.


On Saturday morning, Elena woke to the sound of the washing machine thumping unevenly in the basement. Her husband, Marcus, was already downstairs, shifting towels around the drum.

“One of these is trying to escape,” he said when she appeared.

Elena redistributed the load while Marcus carried a basket of clean clothes upstairs. They folded everything at the dining table, making separate piles for socks, towels, and the shirts Marcus needed for work. Elena matched socks while he checked their list of errands.

They lived in a small town outside Columbus, Ohio, where most Saturday trips required the car. Before leaving, Elena gathered reusable grocery bags from the hall closet. Marcus took the recycling to the bins behind their apartment building and noticed the car’s windshield washer fluid was low. He added a bottle to the shopping list.

Their first stop was the post office, where Elena mailed a birthday card to her sister. Next, Marcus dropped off two shirts at the dry cleaner. At the pharmacy, they picked up Elena’s prescription and compared prices on allergy medicine before choosing the store brand.

The grocery store was crowded. Marcus pushed the cart while Elena read from the list. They bought chicken, rice, spinach, yogurt, coffee, and a bag of apples. Marcus chose tomatoes, rejecting two that were too soft, and Elena found a coupon for laundry detergent on the store’s app. They debated buying ice cream, then agreed on one carton of chocolate.

Back home, Marcus carried the heavier bags upstairs while Elena put away the refrigerated food. He portioned the chicken for the freezer, and she washed the spinach and apples. Afterward, they replaced a burned-out bulb in the kitchen fixture, with Elena holding the step stool steady.

By midafternoon, the errands were done. Marcus started coffee, and Elena opened the ice cream.

“We were saving that,” he said.

“For tonight,” she replied, handing him a spoon. “It’s technically later than when we bought it.”


By nine on Saturday morning, Elena had already started a load of towels, and her husband, Marcus, was standing on a chair in the hallway, replacing the smoke detector battery.

“Still chirping?” he asked.

Elena listened. The apartment was quiet except for the washing machine. “Finally stopped.”

They made a list at the kitchen counter. Elena checked the refrigerator while Marcus opened the pantry. They needed milk, eggs, rice, coffee, spinach, and something for dinner. Marcus added dish soap. Elena added lightbulbs, then crossed them out when he found an unopened package under the sink.

Before leaving, they carried two bags of recycling down to the bins and stopped at the mailbox. There was a utility bill, a grocery flyer, and a birthday card for the previous tenant. Marcus tucked the card into his jacket so he could mark it “return to sender.”

The supermarket parking lot was crowded. Inside, Elena steered the cart while Marcus compared prices on coffee. They disagreed briefly about tomatoes—Elena wanted the cheaper canned ones for soup, while Marcus thought fresh tomatoes would be better for sandwiches—so they bought both.

At the checkout, Marcus unloaded the cart, and Elena watched the total climb higher than they had expected. She removed a bag of chips they had picked up on impulse. Marcus raised an eyebrow but didn’t argue.

On the way home, they stopped for gas. Elena filled the tank while Marcus cleaned the windshield with the squeegee.

Back at the apartment, they carried the groceries upstairs in two trips. Marcus put away the pantry items, and Elena washed the spinach and started the soup. When the dryer buzzed, they folded towels together at the dining table.

By midafternoon, the errands were done. The smoke detector was silent, the refrigerator was full, and rain had begun tapping against the windows. Marcus made coffee, and Elena divided the soup into containers for the week. They sat down for a late lunch, tired but satisfied that Monday would be a little easier.


On Saturday morning, Elena opened the refrigerator and found half a carton of eggs, a jar of mustard, and three soft carrots. She called to her husband, Marcus, who was sorting laundry in the bedroom.

“We’re out of almost everything,” she said.

Marcus carried the hamper into the hallway. “Make a list while I start this load?”

They divided the chores without much discussion. Elena checked the pantry and wrote down rice, coffee, cereal, and canned tomatoes. Marcus added detergent, toothpaste, and lightbulbs, then moved the wet towels into the dryer. Before leaving, Elena gathered the library books from the coffee table, and Marcus broke down a stack of delivery boxes for the recycling bin.

Their first stop was the public library. Elena returned two novels while Marcus dropped a utility bill into the mailbox outside. At the hardware store next door, they bought lightbulbs and a small tube of caulk for the bathroom sink.

The grocery store was crowded with families and employees restocking shelves. Marcus pushed the cart while Elena compared prices on chicken. He chose apples, rejecting two with bruises, and reminded her they needed bread. In the cereal aisle, they debated buying a large box that was on sale.

“We’ll eat it eventually,” Marcus said.

“You say that about every giant box,” Elena replied, but she put it in the cart.

At checkout, they realized they had forgotten milk. Marcus jogged back while Elena unloaded the groceries onto the belt. They used a coupon for coffee and packed the bags themselves.

Back home, Marcus carried everything upstairs in two trips. Elena put away the cold food and washed the carrots they had bought to replace the old ones. Then they changed the laundry together, folded the dry towels, and replaced the burned-out bulb over the kitchen sink.

By three o’clock, the errands were done. Marcus made coffee, and Elena sliced an apple. They sat at the table, tired but satisfied, while the washing machine hummed through one final load.


By nine on Saturday morning, Elena had started a load of towels, and Marcus was standing on a chair in the hallway, replacing the smoke detector battery that had chirped twice during the night.

“Test it before you get down,” Elena called from the laundry room.

Marcus pressed the button. The alarm shrieked, and Elena covered her ears.

“Works,” he said.

They made a list at the kitchen table. Elena checked the refrigerator while Marcus opened cabinets and called out what they were missing: coffee, rice, canned tomatoes, dish soap. She added spinach and chicken, then crossed out yogurt after finding two unopened containers behind the orange juice.

Before leaving, they carried a bag of recycling to the bins behind their apartment building. Marcus broke down a cardboard box while Elena sorted glass bottles. Then they drove to the grocery store, discussing whether they had enough gas to wait until next week. The gauge was just above a quarter tank, so they decided it could.

At the store, Marcus pushed the cart while Elena compared prices on laundry detergent. He chose apples and rejected one with a soft spot. She picked up tortillas, onions, and a bunch of cilantro. In the cereal aisle, Marcus reached for an expensive granola.

“Only if it’s on sale,” Elena said.

He checked the tag and put it back.

The checkout line was long. While they waited, Elena remembered they needed stamps. Marcus offered to stop at the post office kiosk near the pharmacy while she loaded the groceries into the car.

Back home, they worked without discussing it. Elena put away the cold items and divided the chicken into freezer bags. Marcus carried the heavier packages upstairs, then moved the towels to the dryer. They ate leftover soup for lunch and reviewed the receipt, pleased that they had stayed close to their budget.

Afterward, Marcus vacuumed the living room while Elena wiped down the kitchen counters. By midafternoon, the apartment smelled faintly of lemon cleaner and coffee. They sat together on the couch, tired but satisfied, and agreed to leave the remaining errands for Sunday.


On Saturday morning, Elena opened the refrigerator and stared at three eggs, half a lemon, and a jar of mustard.

“We can’t keep pretending mustard is a meal,” she called.

From the hallway, Marcus laughed. He was sorting laundry into uneven piles. “I’m making a list.”

They ate toast, then divided the chores. Elena changed the sheets and wiped down the bathroom while Marcus started the washing machine and took the recycling to the bins behind their apartment building. When he returned, she was kneeling beside the kitchen cabinet, checking cleaning supplies.

“Dish soap,” she said. “And trash bags.”

Marcus added both to the list on his phone. Before leaving, they measured the empty space beside the bookcase. They had been talking for weeks about buying a narrow storage shelf, but at the hardware store, the only one they liked was too wide. Instead, they bought lightbulbs and a new filter for the air conditioner.

Their next stop was the grocery store. Elena pushed the cart while Marcus read from the list. They picked up rice, chicken, spinach, yogurt, coffee, and canned tomatoes. In the produce section, Marcus chose peaches, pressing each one carefully.

“Those won’t be ripe until Thursday,” Elena said.

“That’s planning ahead.”

At the checkout, they realized they had forgotten dish soap. Marcus jogged back while Elena unloaded the cart and found a digital coupon for the coffee.

On the drive home, they stopped for gas. Elena cleaned old receipts from the glove compartment while Marcus filled the tank. Back at the apartment, they carried the bags upstairs in two trips. Marcus put away the groceries, and Elena transferred the laundry to the dryer.

By midafternoon, the clean sheets were on the bed, the refrigerator was full, and the new lightbulb brightened the dim hallway. They made grilled cheese sandwiches and ate them at the kitchen table.

“We still need that shelf,” Marcus said.

Elena looked at the cleared counter. “Next Saturday.”

Neither of them objected.


On Saturday morning, Elena found Marcus in the kitchen, studying the refrigerator with the door open.

“We’re out of eggs,” he said.

“And milk,” Elena added, reaching past him for the nearly empty carton. “Also, the light in the hallway burned out.”

Marcus closed the refrigerator and opened the notes app on his phone. They spent ten minutes making a grocery list while eating toast over the sink. Elena checked the pantry; Marcus looked under the bathroom cabinet and discovered they also needed toothpaste and trash bags.

Before leaving, they divided the chores. Marcus carried two baskets of laundry to the basement of their townhouse, while Elena stripped the bed and gathered towels. She started the first load, and he replaced the hallway bulb using the small stepladder from the coat closet. When the light came on, they both noticed how dusty the fixture was.

“That’s next Saturday,” Elena said.

At the supermarket, Marcus pushed the cart while Elena compared prices on chicken breasts. They chose thighs instead because they were on sale. In the produce section, Marcus picked out apples and rejected two bruised ones. Elena added spinach, onions, and a bunch of bananas. They briefly disagreed about cereal—Marcus wanted the expensive granola, while Elena pointed to the store brand—then compromised by buying both because each box had a digital coupon.

At checkout, Marcus unloaded the cart, grouping cold items together. Elena scanned the loyalty app and packed the reusable bags. The total was higher than they expected, even after the discounts.

Back home, they carried everything inside in two trips. Elena put away the pantry items while Marcus divided the chicken into freezer bags. Then they moved the laundry to the dryer and made sandwiches for lunch.

By early afternoon, the refrigerator was full, the hallway was bright, and clean sheets tumbled downstairs. Marcus sat beside Elena on the couch and opened their shared to-do list.

“Anything else?” he asked.

Elena took his phone, checked off “groceries,” and said, “Not today.”


On Saturday morning, Elena woke to the sound of the washing machine thumping in the basement. Her husband, Marcus, had started a load of towels but forgotten to balance it.

“I thought it would work itself out,” he said when she found him standing beside the machine with a coffee mug.

Together they redistributed the wet towels and restarted the cycle. Upstairs, Elena made a list while Marcus checked the refrigerator. They needed milk, onions, rice, and something for dinner. Marcus added coffee filters. Elena added dish soap, then crossed it out after finding an unopened bottle under the sink.

Before leaving, they gathered the recycling and carried it to the bins behind their townhouse. Marcus broke down two shipping boxes while Elena rinsed a jar that had been left beside the sink. Then they drove to the supermarket, ten minutes away.

The parking lot was crowded. Inside, Elena chose tomatoes and cilantro while Marcus compared prices on chicken thighs. They disagreed briefly about cereal—Marcus wanted the expensive granola, and Elena pointed out that it was nearly eight dollars.

“Fine,” he said, putting it back. “But I’m getting the good coffee.”

They divided the rest of the list. Elena found rice and canned beans; Marcus picked up milk, eggs, and coffee filters. At the checkout, Elena remembered they were out of aluminum foil, so Marcus ran back while she unloaded the cart.

On the way home, they stopped at a hardware store for lightbulbs and a replacement air filter. Back at the townhouse, Marcus carried in the groceries while Elena put away the cold items. He changed the air filter, and she moved the towels to the dryer.

By early afternoon, the errands were finished. Marcus made sandwiches while Elena sliced apples. They ate at the kitchen table, looking over the grocery receipt.

“We forgot toothpaste,” Elena said.

Marcus sighed, then smiled. “Tomorrow.”

She folded the receipt and set it beside his plate. “Tomorrow,” she agreed.


On Saturday morning, Elena found Marcus standing in the kitchen, holding the empty coffee can as if it had personally betrayed him.

“I wrote it on the list,” she said, pointing to the notepad on the refrigerator.

Marcus checked. “Coffee, milk, onions, detergent. You did.”

They ate toast with the last of the jam, then divided the morning’s chores. Elena started a load of towels while Marcus gathered the recycling from the kitchen and garage. When the washing machine began to thump, they paused to redistribute the towels, laughing when Marcus pulled out a bath mat that had wrapped itself around everything else.

By ten, they were in their car, driving through light traffic to the supermarket. Elena pushed the cart while Marcus compared prices on coffee. He preferred the dark roast, but the medium roast was on sale.

“We could get two,” he suggested.

“We could also remember that the pantry is small,” Elena said.

They settled on one. In produce, Marcus chose tomatoes while Elena picked through a bin of onions. They added chicken, rice, yogurt, cereal, and a frozen pizza for the night neither of them wanted to cook. At the checkout, Elena remembered the detergent and hurried back while Marcus unloaded the cart.

On the way home, they stopped at the hardware store for furnace filters and a replacement bulb for the porch light. Marcus checked the size on a photo he had taken before leaving. Elena found the bulbs and reminded him they also needed batteries for the smoke detector.

Back home, they carried the groceries inside together. Elena put away the cold items while Marcus installed the new porch bulb. Then they changed the furnace filter, taking turns holding the awkward metal panel in place.

By early afternoon, the towels were folded, the recycling was gone, and the refrigerator was full. Marcus made fresh coffee, and Elena brought two mugs to the living room. They sat on the couch, tired but satisfied, and agreed to leave vacuuming for Sunday.


On Saturday morning, Elena found Marcus in the kitchen, standing in front of the open refrigerator with a notepad.

“We’re out of milk,” he said. “And almost out of eggs.”

Elena added coffee, spinach, and dish soap to the list. They had planned to clean the apartment before lunch, but the laundry basket was overflowing and the recycling had begun to crowd the pantry door.

Marcus carried two bags of bottles and cardboard down to the recycling bins while Elena sorted the laundry. When he returned, they stripped the bed together and wrestled the fitted sheet into the washing machine. Elena wiped the bathroom counter as Marcus vacuumed the living room, pausing twice to untangle hair from the roller.

By eleven, they drove to the supermarket near their neighborhood in Columbus. The parking lot was busy, and Marcus circled once before finding a space beside a cart return.

Inside, Elena steered the cart while Marcus checked the list. They compared prices on olive oil, chose chicken thighs for dinner, and debated whether they needed a large bag of rice.

“We’ll use it,” Marcus said.

“You said that about the lentils,” Elena replied, but she put the rice in the cart.

At the produce section, Marcus picked out apples while Elena inspected tomatoes. They also bought yogurt, bread, onions, frozen peas, and a box of cereal that was on sale. At checkout, Elena loaded the conveyor belt and Marcus packed the reusable bags, keeping the eggs and bread on top.

Back home, they carried everything upstairs in two trips. Marcus put away the pantry items while Elena divided the chicken into freezer bags. The washing machine buzzed, and together they moved the sheets into the dryer.

By early afternoon, the apartment smelled faintly of laundry detergent and coffee. They sat at the kitchen table with sandwiches, reviewing the remaining chores.

“Hardware store?” Marcus asked.

Elena looked at the loose cabinet handle, then at the couch.

“Next Saturday,” she said.

Marcus nodded, and neither of them argued.


On Saturday morning, Elena found Marcus in the laundry room, staring at the washing machine as it filled with water.

“Did you check the pockets?” she asked.

Marcus reached into the empty hamper and pulled out a crumpled receipt. “Mostly.”

Elena laughed and handed him the dish towels from the kitchen. They had divided the morning’s chores over coffee: Marcus would start the laundry and replace the burned-out bulb above the back steps, while Elena cleaned the bathroom and made a grocery list. By ten, they had finished enough to justify leaving the rest for later.

They drove to the supermarket near their apartment in Columbus. Elena steered the cart while Marcus read from the list on his phone. They compared prices on coffee, chose chicken thighs for dinner, and debated whether they needed more cereal.

“We have half a box,” Marcus said.

“Half a box of the kind neither of us likes,” Elena replied.

They bought a different kind.

In the produce section, Marcus selected tomatoes while Elena searched for cilantro. At the checkout, they realized they had forgotten trash bags. Marcus jogged back to get them while Elena unloaded the cart and placed their reusable bags at the end of the conveyor belt.

On the way home, they stopped at the hardware store for a light bulb and a new air filter. Marcus carried the filter through the aisles to make sure the size matched the old one, and Elena found a small packet of picture hooks they had been meaning to buy.

Back at the apartment, they put away the groceries together. Elena washed the cilantro and stored it in a jar of water. Marcus changed the air filter, then climbed the short step ladder to replace the bulb outside.

By early afternoon, the laundry was folded, the refrigerator was full, and the hallway picture finally hung straight. They ate sandwiches at the kitchen table and discussed whether to vacuum.

“Tomorrow,” Elena suggested.

Marcus nodded. “Definitely tomorrow.”


On Saturday morning, Elena woke to the sound of the washing machine thumping unevenly. She found her husband, Marcus, crouched in front of it, watching it wobble across the laundry room floor.

“I think the towels are plotting an escape,” he said.

Elena opened the lid, redistributed the damp towels, and started the cycle again. While Marcus folded the dry clothes, she made coffee and wrote a grocery list on the back of an envelope. They checked the refrigerator together, debating whether the leftover spinach was still usable.

“It’s soup spinach now,” Marcus decided.

By ten, they were in the car. Their first stop was the post office, where Elena mailed a birthday package to her sister in Arizona. Marcus waited in line beside her, scrolling through the hardware store app for the correct size air filter. Afterward, they drove across town to buy one, along with lightbulbs and a small tube of caulk for the upstairs bathroom.

At the grocery store, Marcus pushed the cart while Elena compared prices on canned tomatoes. They divided the list: he went for milk, eggs, and coffee; she picked out vegetables and bread. They met near the frozen foods, where Marcus had added a pizza to the cart.

“That wasn’t on the list,” Elena said.

“It’s our emergency dinner.”

She considered this, then added a second one.

Back home, they carried the bags in together. Marcus replaced the air filter and tightened a loose cabinet handle while Elena washed lettuce and put away groceries. When she discovered they had forgotten dish soap, Marcus held up the nearly empty bottle by the sink.

“We can add water,” he suggested.

“We’ve already added water twice.”

They laughed and put it on next week’s list.

By midafternoon, the towels were folded, the refrigerator was full, and the bathroom window no longer leaked cold air. Elena made sandwiches while Marcus swept the kitchen. They ate at the table, tired in the modest, satisfying way that came from having spent the day taking care of their shared life.


On Saturday morning, Elena woke to the sound of the washing machine thumping unevenly in the basement. She found her husband, Marcus, standing beside it with a basket of towels.

“I think the blue one is trying to escape,” he said.

Elena opened the lid and rearranged the load. While the machine restarted, Marcus carried a bag of recycling to the garage, and Elena made a list of what they needed: milk, onions, coffee, chicken, toothpaste, and something for dinner.

By ten, they were in their car, driving through light traffic toward the supermarket. Marcus pushed the cart while Elena checked the list on her phone. They compared prices on coffee, debated whether they would actually eat a large container of spinach, and chose a smaller bag. At the meat counter, Marcus suggested chicken thighs because they were on sale. Elena added rice and canned tomatoes, planning a simple one-pot meal.

They each picked one unnecessary item—salted almonds for Marcus and lemon cookies for Elena—then used a coupon at checkout. Marcus loaded the groceries into the trunk while Elena returned the cart.

On the way home, they stopped at the pharmacy for toothpaste and a refill of Marcus’s allergy medicine. Back at the house, Elena put away the cold food while Marcus organized the pantry, throwing out an expired box of crackers. Then they switched tasks: Marcus moved the laundry to the dryer, and Elena broke down a stack of delivery boxes for recycling.

By early afternoon, the kitchen counters were clear, the refrigerator was full, and clean towels tumbled behind the dryer door. Marcus made sandwiches while Elena swept the floor.

They ate at the small kitchen table, sharing the lemon cookies afterward. Nothing about the morning had been remarkable, but the errands were finished, the house felt calmer, and they still had most of Saturday ahead of them.


By nine on Saturday morning, Elena had already started a load of towels, and Marcus was standing at the kitchen counter comparing the grocery list to the nearly empty refrigerator.

“We need eggs,” he said.

“They’re on the list.”

“And coffee.”

Elena glanced over from the laundry closet. “Also on the list.”

They divided the chores before leaving. Marcus carried the recycling down to the bins behind their apartment building while Elena changed the sheets. Then he vacuumed the living room, steering around the coffee table and pausing to rescue a loose phone charger. Elena wiped down the bathroom sink and replaced the hand towels.

At eleven, they drove to the supermarket. The parking lot was crowded, and Marcus waited while a family loaded bags into their SUV. Inside, Elena pushed the cart while he checked items off on his phone. They picked up chicken, rice, spinach, yogurt, and canned tomatoes. Elena compared prices on laundry detergent, while Marcus went back for the onions they had forgotten.

Near the bakery, he added a loaf of sourdough to the cart.

“That wasn’t on the list,” Elena said.

“It’s for dinner.”

“You said that about the cookies last week.”

He smiled but kept the bread.

After checking out, they stopped at the hardware store for lightbulbs and a replacement filter for the air conditioner. Elena found the correct filter size on a photo she had taken before they left, and Marcus chose a pack of warm-white bulbs.

Back home, they carried the groceries upstairs in two trips. Marcus put away the pantry items while Elena washed the produce. Then she moved the towels to the dryer, and he replaced the hallway bulb that had been flickering all week.

By midafternoon, the apartment smelled faintly of detergent and fresh bread. They sat at the kitchen table with sandwiches, tired but satisfied.

“What’s left?” Marcus asked.

Elena checked the list. “Nothing urgent.”

They agreed that was good enough for one Saturday.


Saturday began with the sound of the washing machine thumping unevenly in the basement. Elena paused halfway through making coffee and looked toward the floor.

“Sheets again,” she said.

Marcus carried his mug downstairs and found the fitted sheet twisted around the agitator. He redistributed the load while Elena opened the refrigerator and made a grocery list. They were out of milk, eggs, onions, and nearly everything they needed for dinner. Marcus called up that they also needed detergent.

Before leaving, they divided the chores. Elena wiped down the kitchen counters and sorted the mail, setting aside the electric bill. Marcus took the recycling to the bins behind their townhouse and replaced a burned-out bulb in the hallway. By eleven, they had filled two donation bags with clothes they no longer wore.

They loaded the bags into their car and drove first to a thrift store’s donation center. Afterward, they stopped at the hardware store for lightbulbs and a furnace filter. Marcus compared filter sizes on his phone while Elena found a pack of felt pads for the dining chairs.

The grocery store was crowded with families and employees restocking shelves. Elena pushed the cart while Marcus checked items off the list. They debated whether they already had rice, then decided to buy a small bag rather than risk another trip. Elena chose tomatoes and cilantro for salsa. Marcus picked up chicken thighs and found detergent on sale. At the register, they realized they had forgotten coffee and took turns holding their place while Marcus hurried back for it.

At home, they carried the bags inside together. Elena put away the produce and started a load of towels. Marcus changed the furnace filter and vacuumed the crumbs from the car seats.

By midafternoon, the errands were finished. They ate leftover soup at the kitchen table, tired but satisfied. The clean sheets tumbled in the dryer downstairs, and their newly stocked refrigerator hummed beside them.


On Saturday morning, Elena woke to the sound of the washing machine thumping in the basement. Mark had started a load of towels but forgotten to balance them.

“You put the bath mat in with everything else, didn’t you?” she called downstairs.

A moment later, the machine stopped. “Maybe,” he said.

They ate toast at the kitchen counter while making a list for the day. Elena checked the refrigerator and wrote down milk, eggs, spinach, and chicken. Mark added coffee, cereal, and the salsa he liked. They agreed they also needed lightbulbs for the hallway and a padded envelope for a book Elena wanted to mail to her sister.

Before leaving, they folded the dry clothes together. Mark matched socks while Elena hung up shirts. Then Elena gathered the recycling, and Mark carried it to the bins behind their townhouse.

At the grocery store, they split up. Elena went to produce while Mark picked up dairy items. They met near the meat counter, where they compared prices and decided to buy ground turkey instead of chicken. Mark remembered they were almost out of dish soap, and Elena went back for onions after realizing she had left them off the list.

The checkout line was longer than usual. While they waited, Mark unloaded the cart, and Elena reviewed the receipt from a digital coupon on her phone. They saved three dollars on coffee.

Next, they stopped at the hardware store for lightbulbs, then used the post office kiosk to mail Elena’s package. By the time they returned home, it had started raining.

Mark carried in the groceries while Elena put away the cold items. He replaced the burned-out hallway bulb, and she moved the towels to the dryer. Around two o’clock, they made turkey sandwiches and sat at the table.

“We still need to clean the bathroom,” Elena said.

Mark looked toward the rainy window. “After lunch.”

She nodded. “Definitely after lunch.”


On Saturday morning, Maya found Daniel standing in the kitchen, holding an empty coffee bag upside down as if a few beans might still fall out.

“I added it to the list,” she said, tapping the note on her phone.

Daniel opened the refrigerator. “Did you add milk?”

“You used the last of it.”

“So that’s a yes?”

Maya laughed and added milk.

They lived in a two-bedroom apartment outside Columbus, Ohio, and Saturday had become their day for catching up on everything they ignored during the workweek. After toast and the last two eggs, they divided the chores. Daniel carried laundry to the basement while Maya cleaned the bathroom. When he returned, he replaced a burned-out bulb in the hallway and gathered the recycling. Maya sorted the mail, setting aside a utility bill and shredding two credit card offers.

By eleven, they drove to the supermarket. Maya pushed the cart while Daniel read from the list. They compared prices on pasta sauce, chose chicken thighs for dinner, and debated whether they needed another box of cereal.

“It’s on sale,” Daniel said.

“We already have two boxes.”

“One is basically crumbs.”

They bought it.

In the produce section, Maya picked out tomatoes while Daniel weighed a bag of apples. They also bought coffee, milk, rice, spinach, yogurt, and dish soap. At checkout, Daniel loaded the belt, and Maya scanned the store app for coupons. They saved four dollars and spent more than they had planned anyway.

On the way home, they stopped for gas and dropped a package at the post office counter inside a pharmacy. Back at the apartment, Daniel carried the heavy bags upstairs while Maya took the lighter ones and unlocked the door.

They put everything away together. Daniel noticed the laundry timer had expired and went downstairs to move the clothes to the dryer. Maya started a pot of coffee and wiped out the refrigerator drawer where a tomato had leaked.

When Daniel came back, she handed him a mug.

They stood by the kitchen counter, tired but satisfied, looking at the clean room and the stocked refrigerator.

“Cereal for lunch?” he asked.

Maya opened the new box. “Only because it was on sale.”


On Saturday morning, Elena woke to the sound of the washing machine thumping in the basement. She found her husband, Marcus, standing beside it with a damp towel in his hands.

“I think the sheets wrapped themselves around everything,” he said.

Together they untangled the load, redistributed it, and started the spin cycle again. While Marcus carried a basket of clean clothes upstairs, Elena made coffee and wrote a grocery list on the back of an envelope. They checked the refrigerator, adding milk, spinach, eggs, and mustard. Marcus noticed they were nearly out of trash bags, and Elena remembered that the bathroom lightbulb had burned out.

By ten, they were in their car, driving past soccer fields crowded with children and parents. Their first stop was the post office, where Elena mailed a birthday package to her sister. Marcus waited at the counter beside her, then bought a book of stamps.

At the grocery store, Marcus pushed the cart while Elena compared prices on chicken. He chose tomatoes and avocados, rejecting one avocado after pressing it with his thumb. In the cereal aisle, they debated whether they really needed the expensive granola they both liked.

“It’s on sale,” Marcus said.

“That’s what you said last time.”

They bought it anyway.

At checkout, Elena unloaded the cart while Marcus bagged the groceries, keeping the eggs and bread separate. On the way home, they stopped at a hardware store for lightbulbs and a furnace filter.

Back at the house, Marcus replaced the filter and changed the bathroom bulb. Elena put away the groceries, then called him into the kitchen to help divide the chicken into freezer bags. Afterward, they folded the laundry at the dining table, matching socks and discussing dinner.

By midafternoon, the errands were finished. Elena started a pot of soup while Marcus swept the kitchen floor. The house looked much the same as it had that morning, but the refrigerator was full, the laundry was clean, and the bathroom light worked again.


By nine on Saturday morning, Elena had started a load of towels, and her husband, Marcus, was kneeling beneath the kitchen sink with a flashlight between his teeth. A slow leak had dampened the cabinet floor overnight.

“Hand me the adjustable wrench,” he said.

Elena found it in the toolbox and passed it over. “If this turns into a plumbing emergency, we’re calling someone.”

Marcus tightened the loose connection and wiped the pipe with a paper towel. They waited. No new drop appeared.

“Temporary victory,” he said.

They made a list at the kitchen table: milk, rice, chicken, spinach, coffee, dish soap, and something for dinner. Elena checked the refrigerator while Marcus searched the pantry, calling out that they already had two cans of tomatoes and did not need a third.

Before leaving, they moved the towels to the dryer and carried a bag of recycling to the bins behind their apartment building. Marcus drove to the supermarket while Elena compared prices on the store’s phone app.

Inside, they split up. Elena chose produce and bread; Marcus picked up coffee, cereal, and cleaning supplies. They met near the meat counter, where Elena suggested salmon. Marcus pointed to the price and proposed chicken thighs instead. They agreed on chicken and added a small carton of ice cream.

At checkout, Marcus unloaded the cart while Elena arranged the reusable bags so the eggs and bread would not be crushed. The total was slightly higher than they expected, even after the digital coupons.

Back home, they put everything away together. Marcus divided the chicken into freezer bags, and Elena washed the spinach and set it in the refrigerator. Then they folded the warm towels on the couch while a college basketball game played quietly on television.

By midafternoon, the sink was still dry, the laundry was finished, and the groceries were stored. Elena made coffee, Marcus opened the ice cream, and they sat for a few minutes before deciding who would vacuum.


On Saturday morning, Elena and Marcus made a list at the kitchen table while the coffee brewed. They had lived in their Ohio townhouse for three years, long enough to know that if they went to the supermarket without a list, they would forget something essential and come home with three kinds of chips.

Marcus checked the refrigerator. “Milk, eggs, spinach,” he called.

Elena looked under the sink. “Dish soap. And trash bags.”

Before leaving, they carried two baskets of laundry downstairs. Elena started the washer while Marcus sorted a stack of mail, recycling advertisements and setting aside the electric bill. Then they loaded the car with empty cardboard boxes that had been cluttering the garage.

Their first stop was the county recycling center. Marcus broke down the last box while Elena separated glass jars from aluminum cans. A cold wind pushed across the parking lot, and they worked quickly.

At the grocery store, they divided the list. Elena picked out vegetables and compared prices on chicken, while Marcus found cereal, coffee, and cleaning supplies. They met near the dairy section.

“You got yogurt?” Elena asked.

Marcus held up a carton. “Plain, like you wanted.”

At the checkout, Elena noticed they had forgotten onions. Marcus jogged back to produce while she unloaded the cart. They used a digital coupon for detergent and packed the groceries into reusable bags.

On the way home, they stopped at the hardware store for a furnace filter. Elena checked the size on a photo she had taken that morning, and Marcus found the right one on the shelf.

Back at the townhouse, they put away the groceries together. Marcus replaced the filter and took out the trash. Elena moved the laundry to the dryer and chopped vegetables for soup. By midafternoon, the errands were finished.

They ate grilled cheese sandwiches at the kitchen counter, tired but satisfied. Outside, the wind rattled the bare branches. Marcus poured more coffee, and Elena crossed the last item off their list.


On Saturday morning, Elena opened the refrigerator and found half a carton of eggs, a jar of mustard, and three soft carrots. She called to her husband, Marcus, who was sorting laundry in the bedroom.

“We need groceries,” she said.

Marcus appeared with a basket balanced against his hip. “And detergent. We’re almost out.”

They made a list at the kitchen table. Elena checked the pantry while Marcus looked under the bathroom sink. They added rice, coffee, toothpaste, trash bags, and dish soap, then debated whether they needed paper towels. Marcus pointed out that there was still one roll above the refrigerator, so they crossed it off.

Before leaving, they started a load of towels. Elena measured the last of the detergent while Marcus carried the recycling to the bins behind their apartment building. Then they drove to the supermarket, ten minutes away.

The store was crowded with families and employees stocking shelves. Marcus pushed the cart while Elena compared prices on chicken thighs. He chose apples and onions, rejecting one bruised apple after she handed it to him. In the dairy aisle, they realized neither had put milk on the list.

“I thought you checked the fridge,” Marcus said.

“I checked the shelves,” Elena replied, smiling. “You made coffee this morning.”

They bought milk.

At checkout, Elena unloaded the cart while Marcus arranged the bags, keeping the eggs and bread together. The total was higher than they expected, so they studied the receipt in the parking lot and discovered they had been charged twice for coffee. Elena went back inside for a refund while Marcus loaded the trunk.

On the way home, they stopped at a gas station. Marcus filled the tank, and Elena cleaned old receipts from the center console.

Back at the apartment, they carried the bags upstairs in two trips. Marcus put away the frozen food while Elena washed vegetables and moved the towels to the dryer. By early afternoon, the refrigerator was full, the laundry was turning, and both of them were hungry.

Marcus started sandwiches as Elena sliced the apples. They ate at the counter, discussing what to make for dinner and whether they had enough energy to vacuum.


On Saturday morning, Elena woke to the sound of the washing machine thumping unevenly. She found her husband, Marcus, crouched beside it, watching the machine wobble across the laundry-room floor.

“I think the towels are staging a revolt,” he said.

Elena opened the lid and rearranged the heavy, wet bundle. While the cycle restarted, Marcus gathered empty detergent bottles and a stack of cardboard boxes for recycling. Elena made coffee and wrote a grocery list on the back of an envelope: chicken thighs, rice, spinach, yogurt, coffee, and cat litter.

By ten, they were in Marcus’s sedan, driving through light traffic toward the supermarket. Elena pushed the cart while Marcus compared prices on olive oil. They debated whether they needed two cartons of eggs, then remembered Elena’s sister was visiting the next morning and bought both.

At the produce section, Marcus chose tomatoes while Elena inspected a bag of avocados. One was already soft.

“This one has about six hours left,” she said.

“Guacamole tonight,” Marcus replied, placing tortilla chips in the cart.

The checkout line was long, so Elena went to the pharmacy counter for allergy medicine while Marcus unloaded the groceries onto the conveyor belt. He used a coupon they had nearly forgotten, saving four dollars.

On the way home, they stopped at the hardware store for a new air filter and a package of lightbulbs. Marcus carried the filter; Elena found the correct bulbs by checking a photo she had taken of the old package.

Back at the house, they divided the work without discussing it. Elena put away the cold groceries and washed the spinach. Marcus changed the air filter, then took the recycling bin to the curb. After lunch, they folded the towels together on the couch.

One towel was still damp.

Marcus held it up. “The revolt continues.”

Elena laughed and tossed it over the back of a chair to dry. Then she added “check washing machine” to next Saturday’s list.


On Saturday morning, Elena opened the refrigerator and found half a carton of eggs, a jar of mustard, and three soft carrots. She called to her husband, Marcus, who was sorting laundry in the bedroom.

“We need groceries,” she said.

Marcus appeared with a basket balanced against his hip. “And detergent. We’re almost out.”

They lived in a two-bedroom apartment outside Columbus, Ohio, close enough to several stores that they could finish most errands in one loop. While Marcus started a load of towels, Elena made a list at the kitchen table. They checked the pantry together, adding rice, coffee, canned tomatoes, and cereal.

Before leaving, Elena gathered the recycling and carried it downstairs. Marcus took out the trash, then moved the laundry into the dryer. By ten thirty, they were in the car.

Their first stop was the pharmacy. Marcus picked up a prescription and compared prices on allergy medicine while Elena bought toothpaste and a birthday card for her sister. Next, they drove to the grocery store.

Inside, Marcus pushed the cart and chose vegetables while Elena checked their list. They disagreed briefly over avocados—Marcus thought they were too hard, but Elena said they would ripen by Tuesday. They bought chicken, tortillas, yogurt, frozen peas, and a bag of apples. At the checkout, Elena noticed they had forgotten detergent, so Marcus jogged back to the cleaning aisle.

On the way home, they stopped for gas. Elena cleaned old receipts from the center console while Marcus filled the tank.

Back at the apartment, they carried the bags upstairs in two trips. Marcus put away the cold food, and Elena divided the chicken into freezer containers. Then they folded the towels together on the couch.

By early afternoon, the errands were done. Marcus made grilled cheese sandwiches while Elena sliced apples. They ate at the kitchen table, reviewing the grocery receipt and talking about whether to see a movie that evening. Outside, someone was mowing the apartment lawn, and the steady sound drifted through the open window.


On Saturday morning, Elena woke to the sound of the washing machine thumping unevenly in the laundry room. She found her husband, Marcus, kneeling in front of it, watching the machine wobble.

“I forgot to spread out the towels,” he said.

Elena opened the lid and rearranged the load while Marcus steadied the washer. Once it started again, they carried empty coffee mugs to the kitchen and made a list of errands. They needed groceries, lightbulbs for the hallway, and stamps. Marcus also wanted to return a shirt that was too small.

They left their townhouse just before ten. Elena drove while Marcus checked the store hours on his phone. At the post office, he bought stamps from the machine, and Elena dropped two envelopes into the blue collection box. Their next stop was the department store, where Elena waited near the entrance while Marcus exchanged the shirt for a larger size.

The supermarket was crowded with families and employees restocking shelves. Marcus pushed the cart, and Elena read from the list. They compared prices on coffee, chose apples that were not bruised, and debated whether they would actually cook the bag of fresh spinach.

“We will if we buy mushrooms too,” Marcus said.

Elena added mushrooms to the cart. Marcus picked up pasta, canned tomatoes, and the cereal Elena liked. At the checkout, they divided the reusable bags between them and carried everything to the car.

Back home, Marcus put away the pantry items while Elena washed the produce. They discovered that they had forgotten the lightbulbs.

“I’ll get them tomorrow,” Elena said.

Marcus shook his head and held up his keys. “Hardware store closes at six.”

They went together, bought the correct bulbs, and returned before lunch. Marcus replaced the burned-out bulb in the hallway while Elena moved the laundry to the dryer. By one o’clock, the errands were finished, the refrigerator was full, and they sat at the kitchen table eating sandwiches, pleased to have the rest of Saturday free.


On Saturday morning, Elena found Marcus standing in the kitchen, staring into the refrigerator as if it had personally disappointed him.

“We’re out of eggs,” he said.

“And milk,” Elena added, reaching past him for the nearly empty carton. “Also, this lettuce has become a science project.”

They made a list over coffee at the small table by the window. Marcus checked the pantry while Elena opened cabinets and called out what they needed. Rice, dish soap, coffee, onions, cereal. He added tortilla chips. She crossed them out. He added them again at the bottom.

Before leaving, they divided the other chores. Elena started a load of towels and stripped the bed while Marcus broke down several cardboard boxes that had accumulated near the back door. He carried them to the recycling bin, then returned to fix the loose handle on a kitchen drawer. Elena held the flashlight while he tightened the screws.

At the grocery store, they pushed the cart together, taking turns steering around families and employees stocking shelves. Elena compared prices on canned tomatoes while Marcus chose apples, rejecting any with soft spots. They debated whether they already had mustard.

“We do,” Marcus said confidently.

“You said that last time.”

They bought mustard.

At checkout, Elena unloaded the cart while Marcus arranged the bags so the bread and eggs stayed on top. Back home, they carried everything inside in two trips. Marcus put away the pantry items, and Elena washed the produce. When she discovered two unopened bottles of mustard in the cabinet, she lined them up on the counter without a word.

Marcus looked at them, then at the new bottle in his hand. “We’re prepared now.”

By early afternoon, the towels were dry, the refrigerator was full, and the drawer no longer wobbled. They made grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch and ate them at the kitchen table, tired in the mild, satisfying way that came from having completed nothing remarkable but nearly everything they had planned.


On Saturday morning, Elena and Marcus stood in the kitchen of their Ohio townhouse, looking at a refrigerator that contained half a carton of eggs, mustard, and a container of rice neither of them remembered making.

“We could order breakfast,” Marcus suggested.

“We could,” Elena said, “or we could finally go grocery shopping.”

They made a list together. Marcus checked the pantry while Elena opened cabinets and called out what they needed: coffee, pasta, onions, cereal. He added laundry detergent and lightbulbs, then crossed out paper towels after finding an unopened package in the hall closet.

Before leaving, they carried two baskets of laundry downstairs. Elena started the first load while Marcus gathered the recycling and took it to the bins behind their building. Then they drove to the supermarket, listening to a weekend news program and debating whether the car needed an oil change.

At the store, they split the list. Elena chose vegetables and compared prices on chicken, while Marcus found canned tomatoes, oatmeal, and detergent. They met near the dairy case.

“Did you get milk?” Elena asked.

Marcus held up a gallon.

“Did you check the date?”

He looked at it, sighed, and exchanged it for one with a later expiration date.

They also bought tortilla chips and a frozen pizza, neither of which was on the list. At checkout, Marcus packed the heavier items into reusable bags while Elena paid and reviewed the receipt.

Back home, they put everything away together. Marcus cleaned a sticky spot on the refrigerator shelf before loading the milk and eggs. Elena divided the chicken into freezer bags and labeled them with the date.

By early afternoon, the laundry was dry. They folded it on the couch, matching socks and setting aside a shirt with a loose button. The errands had taken longer than expected, but the kitchen was stocked, the recycling was gone, and clean towels filled the closet.

Elena opened the chips. Marcus turned on the television. They sat down, agreeing the oil change could wait until next Saturday.


On Saturday morning, Elena found Marcus at the kitchen table comparing the grocery list with the supermarket app. He had already circled the digital coupons, though he complained that saving seventy-five cents on detergent should not require “this much paperwork.”

Elena poured coffee into a travel mug and checked the refrigerator. “We also need eggs,” she called. “And the spinach is bad.”

Marcus added both items. Before leaving, they carried a basket of laundry downstairs to the shared laundry room in their apartment building. Elena loaded the washer while Marcus went back upstairs for the detergent he had forgotten. They set a timer on his phone, then drove to the grocery store.

The parking lot was crowded. Inside, Elena pushed the cart and chose produce while Marcus searched for the least expensive olive oil. They debated whether they would actually cook the bag of dried beans Elena picked up.

“We always say we will,” Marcus said.

“This time we will,” she replied, putting it in the cart.

At the meat counter, Marcus selected chicken thighs for Sunday dinner. Elena found cereal, yogurt, and the coffee they both liked. They divided the list and met near the frozen foods, where Marcus admitted he had also added ice cream. Elena laughed and added waffle cones.

After checkout, they stopped at the hardware store for lightbulbs and a replacement filter for the air conditioner. Back home, Marcus carried the groceries upstairs while Elena moved the wet clothes into the dryer. They put everything away together, then ate sandwiches at the counter.

Later, Elena changed the air filter while Marcus replaced the burned-out bulb in the hallway. The dryer buzzed, and they folded towels on the couch while a baseball game played quietly on television.

By midafternoon, the errands were finished. Marcus made fresh coffee, and Elena opened the windows. Neither of them had done anything remarkable, but the apartment felt cleaner, the refrigerator was full, and the rest of Saturday belonged to them.