My wife Mira’s boss, Gabriel, had been ruining our mornings with his 6 a.m. calls, asking her to cover shifts for sick employees. Frustrated, I suggested she give him a taste of his own medicine. The plan was risky, but it might be the only way to reclaim our peaceful mornings.

One morning, I made breakfast to surprise Mira. As we enjoyed our pancakes, Mira’s phone rang at 6 a.m. It was Gabriel, asking her to cover a shift. Despite her exhaustion, she agreed.

This became a routine. Every morning, Gabriel would call with another “emergency,” leaving Mira drained and our mornings disrupted. I watched as Mira became more tired, the sparkle in her eyes fading.

One evening, after a tense moment where Mira snapped at me due to her exhaustion, I suggested she confront Gabriel. She was hesitant, fearing it might worsen her situation, but I encouraged her to take a stand. That night, we set her alarm for 3:25 a.m. Mira called Gabriel, pretending to offer help early in the morning.

Gabriel, groggy and annoyed, asked why she was calling so early. Mira explained that she was just trying to replicate the early wake-up calls she received from him. The line went dead, and Mira, though anxious, felt a sense of accomplishment.

The next day, Mira faced Gabriel at work, armed with call logs and a firm resolve. To her surprise, Gabriel apologized and promised to implement new policies for shift coverage. The early morning calls ceased, and Mira began enjoying work again.

A week later, I woke up to find Mira still in bed at 7:30 a.m. – a rare luxury since Gabriel’s calls had stopped. We enjoyed a peaceful breakfast, and Mira was finally free from the early morning disruptions.

The situation was a reminder of the importance of standing up for oneself and the support we give to loved ones. Mira faced the issue head-on, and together, we reclaimed our mornings.