CONTENT WARNING: Animal Death

 

Last night, my boyfriend turned on a bedside light several times during the night. It wasn’t enough to fully wake me up, so I didn’t ask him about it, but I definitely noticed it.

In the morning, I saw that his phone wasn’t on the charger. He has a touch-to-turn-on lamp with a wireless phone charger, so I assumed something went wrong with it during the night and that’s why he turned it on. I put his phone on my charger across the room instead.

Later, once I was at work, I texted him and said I hoped he had found his phone okay, and I asked if he had turned the light on during the night (thinking I might have dreamed it). He said yes but didn’t elaborate.

When we sat down for dinner, we started talking.

Boyfriend: “So, did you just notice that my phone needed to be charged this morning?”

Me: “Yeah, I figured something went wrong with the charger last night and that’s why you kept turning the light on.”

Boyfriend: “Oh… Well, no, it wasn’t, but thanks.”

Me: “So… why did you keep turning the light on?”

Boyfriend: *Sigh* “I was really hoping you weren’t going to ask because I want to be honest, but…”

Me: “Oh, God. Do I not want to know?”

Boyfriend: “I don’t think you do.”

Me: *Nervously* “Okay…”

Important context is that we live in a house that’s over a hundred years old, so my mind immediately goes — correctly — to some kind of pest.

After a minute or so:

Boyfriend: “You know what, I’ll tell you. So, last night we were lying in bed, and I heard something. I turned on my light but didn’t see anything, so I thought I was imagining it. It happened a second time, and still nothing. But then I heard it again and turned on the light, and there were two little eyes looking back at me.”

Me: *Horrified* “A mouse?!”

Boyfriend: “Yeah…”

Me: “In our bedroom?!”

Boyfriend: “Yes. But don’t worry. I’ve already put out several traps in the crawlspace, which is where I think it came from. I fully intended not to tell you because I didn’t want to freak you out, but I figured if the trap goes off in the middle of the night, it’s better that you know.”

And when we both were woken up around 5:00 am the next day by the very loud sound of a trap, I was grateful for his decision!