I broke my arm and asked my husband to help care for our 5-month-old twins, but he refused, telling me, “Moms don’t get sick days. You wanted kids, so you take care of them.” So I decided to teach him a lesson he would never forget.

I had spent days calling his refusal a mere misunderstanding, but now I saw it clearly. “All right,” I said quietly.

He frowned at my quick acceptance. “What does that mean?”

“It means I heard you,” I said softly. I folded the page neatly in half and stood up from the chair.

In the nursery, Liam stirred slightly when I reached down for the diaper bag. I froze until his breathing settled into a steady rhythm again. Then I stepped out into the hallway and called Mom.

“Can the boys and I stay with you for a few days?” I asked.

She went completely quiet on the line. “Did something happen?”

“Nothing new,” I admitted. “That’s the problem.”

“Brianna,” she said, her voice filled with worry.

“I can’t keep risking my arm because Mason won’t pick them up,” I explained. “I need my arm to heal properly, Mom. My boys need me.”