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.

That answer genuinely surprised me. Mason glanced past my shoulder toward the cozy living room.

“She asked whether I’d been helping since you broke your arm,” he continued.

“What did you tell her?” I pressed again.

“I told her you’re home with the boys, and I’m at work all day.”

I stood there and waited for the rest. Mason rubbed the back of his neck again, unable to meet my gaze directly.

“Then she asked why you had to leave the house just to get someone to help you,” he admitted softly.

“What did you say?” I asked.

“Nothing,” he whispered.

“Why not?”

His jaw tightened hard. “Because I knew how it sounded.”

Before I could say another word, Noah started crying from inside the house. Mason instinctively turned his head toward me, panic flashing across his eyes.

“Brianna?” he asked nervously.

I stayed right where I was on the porch step. “You’ve got him.”