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\u2019s when I heard it\u2014a faint, muffled sound coming from the boys\u2019 room. My footsteps slowed as I approached their door. With my heart pounding in my ears, I opened it cautiously.<\/p>\n
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\u2019 room had been transformed into what could only be described as a gamer\u2019s paradise. A giant TV covered one wall, colorful LED lights blinked everywhere, and a mini-fridge hummed quietly in the corner.<\/p>\n
My rage flared. Mark hadn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n
I stormed over and yanked the headphones off his head. \u201cMark! What the hell is going on?\u201d<\/p>\n
Startled, he looked up at me, blinking as if he\u2019d just woken up from a dream. \u201cOh, hey, babe. You\u2019re home early.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEarly? It\u2019s midnight!\u201d I hissed. \u201cAnd why are our children sleeping in the hallway?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, it\u2019s fine. They were having fun, like a little adventure or something,\u201d Mark said with a dismissive wave, reaching for his controller again.<\/p>\n
I grabbed the controller before he could. \u201cAn adventure? They\u2019re six and eight years old, Mark! They\u2019re sleeping on the floor like dogs! What is wrong with you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCome on, Sarah. Don\u2019t be such a buzzkill,\u201d he groaned. \u201cThey\u2019re fine. I\u2019ve been feeding them and everything. It\u2019s not like I neglected them.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFeeding them?\u201d I said, incredulous. \u201cPizza and ice cream don\u2019t count as a balanced diet. And have they even bathed once since I left?\u201d<\/p>\n
Mark shrugged, clearly annoyed. \u201cThey\u2019re boys. They\u2019re supposed to get dirty. It\u2019s no big deal.\u201d<\/p>\n
No big deal? I thought my head was going to explode. \u201cMark, our children are not animals! You can\u2019t just let them run wild while you sit in here playing video games. You\u2019re their father, not a teenager with a summer break!\u201d<\/p>\n
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…<\/p>\n