He had opened it in front of Marcus and Ben.
“You packed diapers, feeding charts, that ridiculous shirt, and a baby book!”
“The book you promised to read,” I said.
“You made me look like a liar.”
“No, Ethan. I stopped helping you look like a good husband.”
There was movement in the background, then Marcus’s voice cut through.
“You told us Kyra wanted you to leave?”
Ben asked whether I truly had no help.
Ethan snapped that our marriage was none of their business, but his friends had already heard enough.
They began packing.
“My wife struggled when we had one baby,” Marcus said. “You left Kyra with three.”
“You’re siding with her without hearing me?” Ethan demanded.
“We heard you,” Marcus replied. “That was enough.”
After they walked out, Ethan accused me of ruining his vacation.
“Now you have the solo trip you claimed you wanted,” I said.
He threatened to stay for the full two weeks just to punish me.
“That’s your choice,” I told him. “But when you return, you will not move back into the guest room and continue living like you’re single.”
“It’s my house too.”
“Then come home and live like it.”
Tessa began crying.
“Tara has been changed, Timothy has eaten, and Tessa needs me,” I said. “I don’t have time for your tantrum.”
Then I ended the call.
My hand shook afterward.
I did not feel powerful. I felt terrified.
But fear was not the same as helplessness.
Two days later, Ethan returned home.
He walked into the kitchen and found Ben placing food in our refrigerator.
“What are you doing here?” Ethan demanded.
“Bringing dinner,” Ben replied. “Someone has to help Kyra.”
Ethan looked at me like I had betrayed him.
“You’re inviting people into our house to judge me now?”
“They came because you left.”
Ben picked up Timothy’s bottle and handed it to Ethan.
“Your turn.”
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