“Come on. You know what I mean.”
I suddenly noticed how frequently he said we.
We could help Heather.
We could sacrifice.
We could manage somehow.
Yet I alone was expected to surrender my employment.
I imagined Monday morning: Heather arriving with Maddie, Ben, and Owen at 7:30, Seth heading to a job site, and me preparing meals, changing diapers, cleaning messes, arranging activities, and supervising naps.
The same routine would repeat every weekday.
Then Seth would return and praise how much we’d helped his sister.
“I’ve watched those kids before,” I said. “You know I have.”
“Exactly.”
“For a few hours. When Heather asked me and I was available.”
“What’s the difference?”
His question astonished me.
“The difference is that I said yes.”
He fell silent.
I studied his expression.
“You knew I wouldn’t agree to this, didn’t you?”
He crossed his arms.
“I knew you’d have concerns.”
