My Husband Left Me Alone with Our Six-Month-Old Twins While He Went on Vacation – When He Came Back, He Froze in the Doorway

Summer set the bags down.

“Tell me what you need first.”

I tried to smile.

“I’m serious.”

I pointed toward the sink.

“Wash the bottles, please. Then hold Ivy so I can shower.”

“Done.”

***

When I came downstairs 20 minutes later, Summer was rocking Ivy with one foot while making faces at Lila.

“You sound terrible,” I said as she sang.

“They haven’t developed standards yet, so to them, I’m perfect.”

I laughed, then covered my mouth as though the sound didn’t belong there.

Summer handed Ivy to me.

She opened one of the grocery bags and placed a sandwich in front of me.

“Eat while it’s warm.”

I took one bite.

Then she asked, “How much has Brandon actually been doing?”

I stared at the sandwich.

“What do you mean?”

“You always say he handles nights.”

“Twice. He handled two nights.”

Summer’s expression changed.

I looked at the clean bottles.

“I tell people he wants me to rest. Mostly, he asks why dinner is late and the house is a mess.”

With the girls finally asleep, Summer sat across from me.

“Why have you been protecting him?”

“Because I thought other people’s judgment would damage our marriage.”

“And what did hiding it do?”

I looked toward the twins.

“It left me carrying the truth alone.”

Summer reached across the table.

“What do you want when he comes home?”

I took another bite, buying myself a second.

“I don’t know yet.”