I had been gone for five days, but nothing prepared me for what I saw when I opened the door: my wife juggling dinner and our sick toddler, while my mother and sister sat nearby on their phones.

phone buzzed again.

Then another message appeared:

You embarrassed me in front of your sister. We need to talk.

Ethan stared at the screen before typing one response.

My son is sick. My wife is exhausted. You sat in my kitchen while she handled everything alone. Do not come back tonight.

Then he flipped the phone face down.

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