Gabby Hale stared forlornly at the calendar.  It’s strange to think that it’s been one month to the day since she became a tiny little woman.  She sank into the couch and looked around her lovely living room.  She wanted to enjoy it while it lasted, knowing that it would soon be beyond her family’s means.  

Teddy had gotten a job since this had all started, so he was upstairs in the computer room.  She hoped against hope that whatever Teddy was doing could keep her in the lifestyle she had grown to love.  She felt selfish for wishing as much.  Her husband was working hard now that she couldn’t, and she felt she had no right to judge how much he earned.  But she couldn’t help looking around and thinking of everything she was going to lose.  

“Honey!  Do you have a second?  I have something important we need to discuss.  Come upstairs.”  

Then after a short, somewhat embarrassing pause, he continued.

“I mean, I’ll come bring you upstairs.  Sorry!”

It was still an adjustment for the couple that the stairs were too large for Gabby to use.  She heard shuffling upstairs as Teddy made her way down to her.  She heard him descend each step of the staircase with a *thud*.  *thud*.  *thud*.  Finally, she saw Teddy’s beaming face move through the doorway.  He made a beeline for the sofa he had placed her on before work and found his little wife neck deep in the sofa cushions.

“Somebody has decided to make herself comfortable.”

In truth, Gabby had only buried herself this deep because it was one of few things she could do of her own volition now, but she decided not to spoil her husband’s happy mood.

“Her come with me!  Get on your big ol’ Teddy bear’s hand.”

Gabby had to admit, Teddy’s optimism was one of the few things keeping her going these days.  As they went upstairs, they passed the Slete and Hale Power Cooler that was keeping their house nice and cool even during the June heat.  It always gave Gabby a pit in her stomach every time she saw it.  She knew it was unreasonable.  This air conditioner was hardly responsible for her current predicament.  It had been the result of careful construction and efficient production under her father’s watchful eye.  But she always dreaded passing it on the way to and from the living room.

When they got to the computer room, Gabby was surprised to see Teddy on the site they listed their mansion on, but was more surprised to see it was no longer listed for sale. 

“I’ve got good news, sweety bunch!  I’ve gone over our finances, and it looks like we don’t need to sell the house after all!  Look!”

He opened another tab and pulled up his personal bank account.  Gabby was once again stunned!  Teddy was actually making more a month than she ever did.

“Wow, that’s incredible dear!  How is this possible?  It’s not anything illegal is it?”

Teddy shifted in his chair a bit.  He didn’t look Gabby in the eye as the next few words dropped from his mouth.

“I mean, not *entirely* illegal.”

He pulled up an internet poker site in another tab.  It seems this is how Teddy made his fortune.  He showed Gabby a quick round at the table.  The game was Texas Hold’Em.  He explained to Gabby his logic behind each decision, his prediction on what his opponent’s had in had based on pre-flop and post-flop betting habits, the odds of having the winning hand at the turn and what outs he was playing to.  He talked like a seasoned veteran of the game.  

Technically, while gambling wasn’t illegal in their country or state, gambling websites were.  Teddy simply used a vpn and a few off-shore accounts to funnel his earnings back into his American bank account.  Gabby had a few concerns about this to be sure.  Gambling was a volatile occupation no matter how good you got at it, and the laundering it took to get the money back where it could be used raised some eyebrows.  But Gabby couldn’t provide for their family, and this was something that not only was Teddy good at, but very good at.  She wanted to support her husband while he was doing everything to support her.

Teddy was closing down all the open browsers when Gabby noticed something odd about Teddy’s personal bank account.  The name it was under was ‘Theodore Snoww’.

“Teddy, what’s this?”  She said angrily pointing a finger at the name on the account.

“Wait, didn’t I tell you about that.  I got our names changed over to Theodore and Gabriella Snoww a week ago.  In fact, I think I have your new driver’s license here somewhere…”

“And you didn’t tell me!”

“I thought I did.”

“Why on earth would you do something like that!”

“Well, if we kept going by your last name, you would just keep remembering everything that used to be.  I know you miss being big.  I’ve seen the look you give the air conditioning unit every time you pass by it.  Do you really want to be miserable forever?”

“Well, no.  But…”

“And much of the reason we even kept your last name in the first place was that you were the chief provider.  Well, that isn’t even true now, isn’t it?  I’m the one keeping a roof over our heads.”

“I get that, but…”

“Besides, why would it even really matter what it says on your driver's license anyway?  It’s not like you’re big enough to drive anyway.  You couldn’t even reach the driver’s seat from the pedals!”

“That true…”

“Then it’s settled!  Sorry that this was so rough for you.  I did think I talked to you about this before I made this decision.  It seems like you’ve had a lot to process today.  Why don’t you lay down and I’ll get you something to eat.  It’ll be just like breakfast in bed, only dinner!”

“I think that may be for the best, dear.”

Teddy placed his wife on the nightstand with her tissue and cotton swab.  Gabby pulled the tissue over her and snuggled against her cotton swab pillow.  Teddy went to go prepare something to eat.

A single tear rolled down Gabby Snoww’s eye.