The laundry? Still in the washer—smelled like a swamp. The sink? Overflowing with dishes I didn’t even remember using. Then Danny came home and asked, “What’s for dinner, Dad?”
I froze. Dinner?
I googled recipes, ruined two pans, and set off the smoke alarm. Danny cried because I snapped at him. And I… just sat on the kitchen floor, overwhelmed.
That night, after finally putting him to bed with cereal and a bedtime story I barely remembered, I looked around the wreck of our home. Lucy made this look *easy*—but it wasn’t. It was *work*. Every day.
When Lucy returned, I hugged her like I never had before. “I’m sorry,” I whispered. “For everything.”
She smiled, tired but kind. “Now you understand.”
**Lesson?**
Respect isn’t about words—it’s about effort. A partnership means sharing the load, not handing it off. Don’t wait to be left alone to realize the weight someone else carries daily.
