Corn is watching a documentary about pre-Columbian practices in the Andes as he waits for Maria to get finished so they can visit her father and step-mother for the Thanksgiving dinner. The drive to their town would take two and a half hours, more if Maria delayed much longer and they found traffic.

"Theodore! Come here, right now!"
Woops. He knew that tone. For Maria to call him by the full name instead of "honey", "love" or simply "Theo"... he was in trouble.

Sheepishly Corn made his way to the kitchen to face his better half and his crime. He saw Maria frowning, holding his aunt Daniela's homemade apricot jam in her hands and looking at him with an accusatory look. He noticed she was mostly ready.

"Yes, dear? Is something wrong?"
"Theo, you ate Daniela's jam!" She said with a frown. "Half of the jar is gone!"
And it was delicious, Corn thought. "Eh, is there a problem with that?" he said confused, and his confusion only made Maria's frown deeper.
"Honey, your aunt gave us this jam to bring to my parents as a gift! You already went through the jar that she had for you! Alex is looking forward to this jam as they met Daniela in church and she told them about it! What would I tell them now? "
"Honey, how would I know that this was for a gift? I am sure..." Corn stopped midway as his explanation was cut short by Maria's deadly look.
"Did you happen to look at the piece of paper Daniella had wrapped this in? That said "For Vera, Marc and Alex"? "
Ohhhh... that's what that paper he threw in the trash said, Corn thought about the paper, the writing smudgy as he grabbed the jar with wet hands.

"Can't we get some other apricot jam and mix it with what remains and pretend all is fine? There's nearly half the jar there, they won't... "
"Are you serious right now!? Daniella puts pieces of apricot there, no preservatives, honey and some other 'secret' ingredients for the aroma. That's why Alex loves it! Furthermore, my step-mother is not a fool; Vera knows Daniella seals the jam's jar by heating the jar and removing all air. "
Corn the adept of matter could solve all these issues in seconds. Theodore the berated husband was running out of options. Maria didn't seem to run out of air...

"Honey, you make a mountain out of an anthill, I will tell her that I dropped it by accident. We will buy them some cake on the way."
"And Alex will be disappointed and Vera will find yet another reason to tell me how I don't care about my half-brother Alex."
"Your brother is 11 years old, he won't be traumatized over not having apricot Jam."
"Half-brother!" Maria told him, an accusatory finger aimed his way. Gee, I wonder where Vera gets the idea that Maria and Alex aren't very close, Corn thought and wisely didn't speak his mind. Time to cut his losses.
"I love how you did your hair. Your anger doesn't detract from your beauty, you know. I'll buy you flowers when we stop to buy the cake. "
"You are on laundry duty for tomorrow. You can't sweet-talk your way out of this, Theo." Maria said, a hint of a smile in her face. "But good for you to notice the change."
Oh yes, I can. Corn thought.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Near midnight, Corn entered the apartment with Maria following.
"Love, didn't we agree to say that I dropped the jar? Why did you tell Vera that I ate it?" he asked with a hint of annoyance in his voice.
"No, we never agreed on that. You suggested it, I didn't go with the suggestion."
"But... your step-mother left me without dessert! In a thanksgiving dinner!" he shot back, more annoyance creeping in his voice.
"I agree with Vera on that honey. You had your dessert - when you ate Alex's jam. I have a message in my phone that says how I should take better care of my half-brother because when they pass that's all I will have from them and so on and so forth..."
"How cheerful your step mother can be..."
"As if Vincent is any better."
"Leave my brother out of this. That was 2 months ago and he had a couple of drinks. Vera should not take a joke that hard, Maria."
"That incident two months ago was our wedding, love. For many in the family that was the first time they met Vincent. That joke in front of all my step-mother's family didn't land well."
"Are we talking about Vincent now, or about me not having desert? Vera could at the very least allow me to eat from the pie we bought them!" Corn said as he dropped on the sofa.

That's when she heard the sound of the treacherous jar of that delicious apricot jam being put on a disk. As he turned his head he saw Maria bringing the jam out for him with a spoon and one of those little plates she thought he used to eat it, instead of eating it right out from the jar 'live a savage'. She set the disk on the table and kissed him on the head.
"Goodnight honey, don't be long."
"You are one of a kind, do you know that? Thank you love, good night."