“Mom, why is it always this burnt-tasting oatmeal?” Lily grimaced, pushing her plate away with disgust. Emily, frantically rushing to get ready for work, was juggling multiple tasks: trying to get her older son ready for middle school and her younger daughter prepared for daycare.
“I’m not eating this,” Ethan declared defiantly. “Oatmeal’s for babies.”
“You’re the baby!” Lily shot back, glaring at her brother.
The kids instantly erupted into a heated argument, shouting and trading sharp insults.
“Ethan, stop it! You’re the older one, act like it!” Emily tried to reason with him, but her words seemed to fall on deaf ears. Ethan kept hurling insults, and Lily, unable to take it, burst into tears.
“That’s enough!” Emily said firmly, holding out her hand. “Hand over your phone. You’re grounded from all devices for three days.”
She couldn’t afford to waste time on long lectures or explanations about right and wrong. Emily confiscated Ethan’s smartphone, handed him his backpack, and pointed to the door, saying sternly, “Time to go, or you’ll be late for school.”
“I’m not going anywhere without my phone!” Ethan retorted, staring her down.
“One week. No devices for a whole week,” Emily said, standing her ground.
“But why does she always get her way?” Ethan began to protest.
“One more word, and your punishment doubles,” she warned, her eyes flashing with resolve.
Ethan reluctantly accepted his punishment and headed to school.
“What about breakfast? Will you make me different oatmeal?” Lily asked in surprise as Emily helped her into her sneakers.
“No, you’ll eat at daycare today,” Emily replied, tying the laces.
“The food at daycare tastes gross,” Lily pouted.
“Then today’s a fasting day for you,” Emily said with a slight smirk, knowing the daycare food was excellent and Lily usually ate everything with enthusiasm. She was used to these morning tantrums, recognizing that her kids had become increasingly spoiled and willful lately. Emily believed the root cause was the tense atmosphere that had taken hold of their family.
Emily’s husband, Michael, had changed noticeably in recent months. He’d started showing disrespect toward her, and the kids, like sponges, absorbed his behavior. Back when Ethan was their only child, the family had been calmer and more stable. Michael had been actively involved in raising their son, always backing Emily up in disputes. But after Lily was born and Michael took a higher-paying job, he began spending less time with the family and barely participated in the kids’ lives.
The distance between Emily and Michael grew, and the kids, mirroring their father’s indifference and disrespect, made family dynamics increasingly strained.
All household chores and responsibilities gradually fell on Emily’s shoulders. As if that weren’t enough, Ethan had hit his preteen years, adding new challenges. He’d become rude, instigated conflicts, and clearly needed firm parental guidance—preferably from his father. Emily, feeling overwhelmed by domestic duties and eager to return to work, quickly enrolled Lily in daycare as soon as a spot opened up.
Michael, noticing his role in the family seemed even less necessary, decided he could live as he pleased. He started disappearing from home for weeks, claiming frequent business trips.
“You wanted this, so what’s the problem now?” he’d snap sarcastically when Emily, unable to hold back, cried into her pillow at night.
“I don’t like being forced to handle the kids and the house alone!” she’d reply in desperation.
“I’m earning money so we can live,” Michael countered.
“I’m earning too! You don’t need to work as intensely as before. I’m back at work now—you could spend less time on your job and more with the family.”
“And how do you imagine that? Quit my job?” Michael asked mockingly.
“No, just work a little less. We can live on two incomes.”
“Stop talking nonsense. Employees are valued for their efficiency. If I start slacking, they’ll fire me without a second thought. And we can’t survive on your salary. So drop your fantasies and focus on what you’re supposed to do—your womanly duties. Leave me out of it,” Michael said sharply, signaling the conversation was over.
“So you think ‘womanly duties’ are everything that doesn’t involve you? I’m supposed to clean, cook, raise the kids, andwork, while you, the real man, just go to work and call it a day? What a fair division of labor!” Emily said bitterly.
“Em, you’ve become too high-strung,” Michael replied dryly, dodging the conflict.
“High-strung? How am I supposed to stay calm when I’m called to school almost every day because of Ethan? He doesn’t listen to me or his teachers. And do you know what I found on his phone?”
“Snooping in someone’s phone is unethical. There could be private stuff not meant for your eyes,” Michael brushed her off, sticking to his stance.
“Really? He’s only twelve, and I’m responsible for him. I’m his mother—I need to know what’s going on!”
“Just admit you can’t handle it. You’re not the best mom,” Michael tossed out, oblivious to how deeply his words hurt her.
Emily froze, as if doused with ice water. Her tears dried up, and she stared at her husband in disbelief.
“It’s hard to excel at everything: working, running a household, raising kids, being a good wife. Not everyone can juggle it all. You’re clearly one of those who can’t, so you should pick one thing,” he continued coldly, as if delivering a lecture.
“So I’m a failure as a wife too?” Emily managed to say, already dreading his response.
Michael didn’t answer, but his look said more than words. Emily felt a chill pierce her heart. Not long ago, she’d believed their family was just going through a temporary rough patch, the kind of relationship struggles everyone faces. She’d thought Michael’s fatigue from late work nights was the cause, that he was too exhausted to bring her flowers or rekindle the romance they once had.
“None of my friends’ husbands give gifts without a reason either. It’s normal,” Emily had told herself, trying to justify his indifference. She often recalled how Michael had courted her so sweetly before their wedding, convincing herself that with patience, things could go back to how they were.
But that evening, Emily couldn’t sleep. Anxiety and insecurity gnawed at her, keeping peace at bay. The next morning, seeing Ethan with his phone again, her frustration flared anew.
“Who gave you permission? I said no devices for a week!” she snapped, feeling her anger boil over.
“Dad canceled the punishment,” Ethan replied calmly, not looking up. “He said one day was enough. I’ve learned my lesson, and my safety’s more important than your silly rules.”
Ethan’s words stabbed at Emily’s heart. She didn’t know how to react or handle her own child. Michael hadn’t just overridden her decision—he’d undermined her authority entirely, and the pain was unbearable. In a surge of emotion, she snatched the phone from Ethan’s hands. He gripped it tightly, refusing to let go, and in the struggle, the phone slipped from his fingers and hit the tile floor with a thud, its screen shattering into a web of cracks.
“What did you do?! I hate you!” Ethan yelled, his face twisted with anger, looking as if he truly despised his mother.
“Well, if that’s how it is, maybe you’d rather live with your dad?” Emily said bitterly, trying to mask the tremble in her voice.
“He gets me and loves me! You… I wish you weren’t even here!” Ethan shouted, slamming the door as he stormed out to school.
Emily felt tears welling up again, but she knew she couldn’t let herself break. She took a deep breath, trying to suppress the wave of despair.
“Lily, are you eating breakfast, or is it another fasting day?” she asked, turning to her daughter, striving to keep her tone steady.
“I want candy. Dad gives me candy,” Lily said defiantly, staring at her mother.
“And then you get allergies, you know that,” Emily tried to reason, but she could see Lily wasn’t budging.
“That’s not true!” Lily insisted, looking away.
“Don’t argue with me. Finish your oatmeal, and we’ll do your ponytail,” Emily said firmly, though inside she was seething. The constant stress, Lily’s whining, Ethan’s defiance, Michael’s indifference—Emily knew her patience was nearing its limit. But she had no idea what to do about it.
“I don’t want my hair brushed! I wanna go like this! I don’t need a ponytail!” Lily screamed, dodging her mother and running around the room.
Emily felt irritation building, barely holding back from snapping at her daughter.
The morning was a disaster, and as a result, Emily and Lily were late for daycare. The teacher greeted them with a disapproving look, immediately noticing Lily’s unbrushed hair and that she’d missed morning exercise.
“I’m so sorry, I know I messed up. I feel like a terrible mother,” Emily said guiltily, barely holding back tears.
“No, no. I’m just asking you to be on time,” the teacher replied gently, unaware of how much those words stung Emily.
Lost in her thoughts, Emily headed to work, where, ironically, she faced more criticism from her boss. It felt like the whole world was against her today.
By evening, work had piled up. Emily glanced at the clock and gasped—Lily needed to be picked up from daycare in half an hour, and she still had a stack of tasks from her boss due tomorrow. She called Michael and asked him to pick up Lily, as she had to stay late at work.
“You’re lucky I don’t have anything urgent today,” Michael grumbled, taking the request as an inconvenience.
Returning home after a long, exhausting day, Emily wanted nothing more than to collapse into bed, pull the covers over her head, and shut out the world. She longed to escape her husband’s constant complaints, the blaring music from Ethan’s room, and Lily’s endless cries as she chased her brother’s attention.
But as soon as she stepped through the door, a new surprise awaited.
“What’s this?!” Emily asked, stunned.
“Dad said we could get a puppy! A lady outside was giving them away, and we took one! Look how cute he is!” Lily exclaimed, beaming as she ran to her mother with a joyful squeal.
“But who’s going to walk it?!” Emily cried, struggling to keep her composure.
“He doesn’t need walks. He’s used to pee pads,” Lily replied enthusiastically, clutching her new little friend.
“Wonderful…” Emily sighed, throwing her hands up in defeat. She genuinely loved animals but knew caring for a dog required immense responsibility. In this family, it seemed only she understood what that word meant.
Lily treated the puppy like a new toy, oblivious to the care it needed. Ethan was indifferent to everything except his phone and computer. And Michael, as usual, acted against her wishes, creating new problems. Emily even began to suspect he’d brought the puppy home on purpose to show how little her opinion mattered and how easily he could ignore it.
“Fine, whatever. But your dad’s cleaning up after it,” Emily declared firmly, trying to set some boundaries.
Michael mumbled something vague and, ignoring her, headed to the bedroom. Lily, full of energy, kept running around the apartment with the puppy.
Emily tried to focus on dinner while also getting Ethan to show her his homework. Multitasking failed, so she decided to delegate checking Ethan’s assignments to Michael. But just then, Michael started getting ready to leave.
“Where are you going?” Emily asked, confused, noticing him putting on his jacket.
“I’ve got stuff to do. Forgot some documents at the office,” Michael replied coolly, not pausing.
“How long will you be?” Emily asked, though she already knew the answer.
“Don’t know, depends,” he said over his shoulder, walking out the door without looking back, leaving her bewildered.
Emily stared at the closed door, screaming internally with frustration. She felt her life slipping out of control day by day, powerless to stop it.
Instead of relaxing, she forced down dinner without appetite and, pulling herself together, went to Ethan to follow through.
“Turn off the music and go to bed,” she ordered, trying not to raise her voice.
“Don’t wanna,” Ethan replied stubbornly, not even glancing at her.
“Lily wants to, and the neighbors will start banging on the walls if you don’t settle down,” Emily added, her irritation growing. In this endless stress, she felt like a coiled snake, ready to snap at anyone in her path, perpetually angry and on edge.
“Lily! Get to bed now!” she commanded, trying to manage her daughter too. But as Emily stepped forward, she slipped on a puddle left by the puppy and crashed to the floor, hitting her head with a thud.
Lying on the cold tiles, lost in her thoughts, Emily suddenly saw her life from the outside. She didn’t like the picture at all. Michael was right—she couldn’t do everything, striving to be the perfect mother, worker, and wife, only to end up with burnout and disappointment.
Emily made a choice.
“Lily, you can go to bed whenever you want tonight,” she said with unexpected calm, watching her daughter play with the puppy, ignoring her authoritative tone.
“Awesome! Then I won’t sleep at all!” Lily replied gleefully, continuing her game.
Emily just nodded, deciding she’d stop trying to control everything and everyone. She chose peace, even if it meant temporarily stepping back from her principles.
Slowly getting up, she headed to the bathroom. Under the warm shower, she relished washing away the day’s stress, as if cleansing not just her body but her soul. The water seemed to rinse away physical exhaustion and emotional strain. After the shower, she felt as if she’d gained new energy and even rested a bit.
Stepping over the puddle on the floor, she went to the kitchen. She grabbed her favorite oversized mug, filled it with hot chocolate, and, wrapped in a cozy blanket, settled on the soft kitchen couch. Her thoughts kept drifting to the kids, but she pushed the worry aside, convincing herself Lily was old enough to manage without constant supervision. Nothing terrible should happen while she took a moment to rest.
Emily put on headphones and played relaxing music, blending ocean waves and soothing melodies. Closing her eyes, she slipped into a pleasant doze, savoring the rare moment of silence and calm.
Her nap was shattered by Michael’s shouting, crashing into her consciousness like thunder.
“Are you out of your mind?! How could you leave Lily alone? She’s still awake! Music’s blasting through the apartment, Ethan’s glued to his computer, and you’re napping here?! What are you lounging around for?” Michael stood in the kitchen doorway, yelling.
Emily groggily surfaced from her doze, staring at her husband in surprise.
“You’re back?” she asked, trying to process his sudden appearance.
“Obviously,” he snapped. “Wish I hadn’t come back at all.”
“Well, since you’re here, put the kids to bed yourself,” she said indifferently, unwilling to engage in pointless arguments.
Michael frowned, annoyed by her response.
“What’s this attitude? Go do what you’re supposed to,” he demanded irritably.
But Emily refused to comply, realizing she needed to prioritize herself over others’ expectations. For the first time, she didn’t obey her husband, merely shrugging. Feeling her neck stiffen, she stood up without a word and, ignoring his outrage, headed to the bedroom.
“What’s this puddle?!” Michael shouted, stepping into the wet spot.
“Your dog left a gift,” Emily replied casually, walking past.
“And why didn’t you clean it up?”
“Because I didn’t want a pet. You brought it home, you deal with it.”
“Emily!”
“I’m going to bed.”
But Michael wasn’t letting her off that easily.
“What’s wrong with you? Go put the kids to bed now!”
“Leave me alone. Don’t I deserve one day off from mom duties? You’re a parent too! We have equal responsibilities, but you’ve dumped everything on me. All of you just keep saying I’m a bad mother, that it’d be better if I wasn’t here.”
“You know, I’ve put up with this for too long, but I’m done. I’m leaving,” Michael said coldly, staring at her.
“Guess you’ve already found a new ‘peaceful haven’ where everything’s perfect?” Emily asked, holding back her emotions.
“None of your business. But I’ll say this: she handles everything way better than you. She’s got that natural feminine instinct… she’s perfect. You… you’re not who you used to be.”
“Well, can’t argue with that. But I do know one thing—I can grant wishes.”
Michael eyed her suspiciously.
“Are you drunk or just losing it? I’m not sticking around to find out. I’m leaving. I’ll file for divorce tomorrow.”
“No need, Michael. I’ll leave myself,” Emily said, quickly pulling on jeans and a sweater, grabbing her wallet and phone, and heading out of the room.
“What?! Where are you going? Don’t tell me you’ve got someone on the side too!” Michael said, suddenly wary.
“Only parasites get ‘picked up,’ and I prefer to get rid of them. Good luck to you. Don’t forget, Ethan needs to be at school by eight, and Lily at daycare.”
“Emily, don’t be stupid. I can’t stay with the kids!”
“I can’t either. I don’t have a separate apartment, and my conscience won’t let me drag the kids out into the unknown in the middle of the night.”
“Conscience?!”
“Yes, conscience. You were right—I can’t juggle kids, work, and family duties. So starting today, your perfect mistress can take my place. I’m going to live on my own and think about my behavior. I’ll be a ‘Sunday mom.’ Good luck.”
Emily walked out, each step heavy. Her heart ached, but she knew she couldn’t keep living like this.
Her family had long stopped being united; everyone lived their own life, yet somehow blamed Emily for everything. Maybe she was at fault, at least for not stopping this chaos sooner.
A few days later.
“I’m not eating this! I want oatmeal! I want pancakes! I want Mom!” Lily screamed, shoving her breakfast off the table.
“Michael, calm your bratty daughter! I can’t take this anymore!” Ashley, Michael’s new girlfriend, was already regretting moving in with him.
Ethan had called her a nasty name and locked her in the bathroom while Michael was out. Their stupid dog chewed up her new shoes, and Lily, that little demon with an angelic face, screamed so loudly that Ashley was tempted to run away.
At first, Ashley fed Lily only candy and kids’ yogurt, but when Lily got a stomachache, she started demanding real food. Ashley didn’t know how to cook and had no intention of becoming a maid. She hadn’t moved in with Michael for this.
“Michael! Make her breakfast yourself! She’s your daughter, deal with her! I’m done!” Ashley yelled.
“You’re the woman, not me,” Michael sighed heavily. They’d been living together with the kids and Ashley for just a couple of weeks, but it felt like an eternity.
“This is driving me nuts!” Ashley snapped, storming out of the kitchen.
“Mom! I want Mom!” Lily kept sobbing.
Michael struggled to get Lily to daycare.
“Lily’s been crying nonstop, saying she misses her mom. What’s going on with Emily?” the daycare teacher asked cautiously.
“Everything’s fine. She’s just a bit sick, had to go to the hospital,” Michael replied grimly.
“Send her our best and wishes for a speedy recovery. Now I understand why Lily looks so disheveled. She shows up in wrinkled dresses, tights on backward, and has allergy rashes on her cheeks. Tell your wife to come back soon and take care of her daughter. She looks much better with her. And you, by the way, look rougher than usual,” she added, noting Michael’s wrinkled, stale shirt. Ashley hadn’t thought to prepare fresh clothes for him the night before.
“I’ll pass it on,” Michael muttered, trudging to his car.
Twenty minutes later, Ashley called him, throwing a fit.
“I’m not coming back to that apartment while your kids are there,” she declared, furious that Ethan had skipped school. “It’s them or me. I hope you’ll drop them off with your wife tonight so we can live normally.”
“I hear you,” Michael replied sharply, annoyed by her ultimatum.
He hung up but didn’t go to work. Instead, he drove to Emily’s office to talk.
“Is Emily here?” he asked.
“No,” the receptionist said, surprised.
“Where is she?”
“She took time off to go to her daughter… at daycare.”
“I was just there. Did something happen while I was driving?” Michael asked, growing anxious.
“No idea,” the receptionist shrugged.
Michael called Emily, but she didn’t answer. He sped back to the daycare, breaking every traffic rule.
“Where’s my daughter?” he asked the teacher.
“She left with her mom. I don’t know what’s going on with you two, Michael, but for the kids’ sake, I suggest you sort it out with your wife.”
“Where did they go?”
“I think they mentioned the park. Probably nearby. Lily talks about it a lot.”
“Thanks.”
Michael rushed to find his wife and daughter. His thoughts were a jumbled mess.
He spotted Lily from a distance, laughing as Emily pushed her on the swings. Unlike Michael, the “new” life suited Emily. The dark circles under her eyes were gone, and a smile played on her lips. But it faded when she noticed Michael.
“Daddy…” Lily mumbled, starting to cry. “Don’t take me home! I don’t want to! I hate Ashley and won’t live with her!” she screamed, drawing attention from passersby.
“Shh, Lily. You’re going to ride the carousel now, and Mom and I will talk. If you’re a good girl, you won’t see Ashley again,” Michael said.
“Really?” Lily wiped her tears with her fists.
“Yes.”
“Will Mom come back?”
Emily frowned.
“We’ll discuss it with Mom, but without you.”
Lily had to agree. Despite her young age, she knew when things were serious.
“Come back. The kids need you,” Michael said.
“I’m not sure I want to return to that chaos,” Emily replied quietly, so only he could hear.
“But you came to see Lily. You can’t live without her.”
“That’s true. But I can’t live like before.”
“It won’t be like before. I got lost, made a mistake. I’m sorry.”
“For you, it’s that simple?”
“I’m ready to give you the apartment. I’ll live separately for now.”
“With your new woman?” Emily turned away, pained by the topic.
“I think I’ll be alone. Ashley’s not who I thought she was. She’s not cut out to be a wife or mother to the kids.”
Emily barely restrained herself from lashing out. His words were true but deeply hurtful. He’d implied she was a convenient wife, nothing more.
“That’s enough. We’re done.”
“So you agree?”
“Yes, to the divorce. But I’ll only take the kids once you find us a new apartment. We can’t live in the old one—it’s too… tainted,” Emily said, grimacing.
“Fine. Give me a month, I’ll handle it. I’ll cover rent for a place in the meantime.”
Michael left. Emily, calming down, decided her daughter shouldn’t suffer for her father’s mistakes and took Lily with her. She left Ethan with Michael temporarily. The boy didn’t want to move to a rental and agreed to stay without his mom, hoping his parents would reconcile. Ashley was gone for good, leaving Michael after realizing he wouldn’t spend money on her and would give the apartment to his ex-wife and kids. The move and property division dragged on, but three months later, Emily and the kids settled into a new, spacious apartment. Michael kept his promise, sold the old place, and bought a better one for the family. He rented a place nearby to see the kids often.
Michael tried to mend things with Emily, but she refused to repeat past mistakes. After living without him, the kids became calmer, less whiny, rude, or defiant. Maybe they feared their mom leaving again, or perhaps the toxic environment and Michael’s negative influence—disrespecting his wife and setting a bad example—were to blame. Plus, Emily now had time to rest when Michael took the kids. Either way, she didn’t regret the divorce. Michael, however, did, left with little but the dog.