“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.