I checked the bedroom next, hoping to find Mark passed out after a long day of trying to manage the kids. But the bed was empty, still made, as if no one had slept in it at all. Panic set in. Was Mark okay? Had something happened? I rushed down the hall, scanning the rooms one by one. That’s when I heard it—a faint, muffled sound coming from the boys’ room. My footsteps slowed as I approached their door. With my heart pounding in my ears, I opened it cautiously.

Inside, my husband sat hunched over, completely engrossed in a video game. He wore headphones, surrounded by energy drink cans and a pile of snacks. The boys’ room had been transformed into what could only be described as a gamer’s paradise. A giant TV covered one wall, colorful LED lights blinked everywhere, and a mini-fridge hummed quietly in the corner.

My rage flared. Mark hadn’t even noticed I was home. He was too busy playing his video game to realize that our kids were sleeping on the floor. The ridiculousness of the situation made my blood boil.

I stormed over and yanked the headphones off his head. “Mark! What the hell is going on?”

Startled, he looked up at me, blinking as if he’d just woken up from a dream. “Oh, hey, babe. You’re home early.”

“Early? It’s midnight!” I hissed. “And why are our children sleeping in the hallway?”

“Oh, it’s fine. They were having fun, like a little adventure or something,” Mark said with a dismissive wave, reaching for his controller again.

I grabbed the controller before he could. “An adventure? They’re six and eight years old, Mark! They’re sleeping on the floor like dogs! What is wrong with you?”

“Come on, Sarah. Don’t be such a buzzkill,” he groaned. “They’re fine. I’ve been feeding them and everything. It’s not like I neglected them.”

“Feeding them?” I said, incredulous. “Pizza and ice cream don’t count as a balanced diet. And have they even bathed once since I left?”

Mark shrugged, clearly annoyed. “They’re boys. They’re supposed to get dirty. It’s no big deal.”

No big deal? I thought my head was going to explode. “Mark, our children are not animals! You can’t just let them run wild while you sit in here playing video games. You’re their father, not a teenager with a summer break!”