\n“Why is it\u00a0this\u00a0<\/i>expensive?”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n
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He didn’t look at me. “Then go back to work and buy whatever you want yourself.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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The lane went quiet. Tasha removed them. I paid for the rest with shaking hands.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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***<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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In the car, both girls cried.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Carl drove like nothing had happened.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\n“I’m trying to teach you responsibility.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n
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I stared at the two car seats behind him. “Which one should I stop buying diapers for then?”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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He gripped the wheel. “Don’t twist my words!”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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“I didn’t. I repeated them.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\n“Don’t twist my words!”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n
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***<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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At home, I fed Abby first while Talia screamed in her swing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Carl dropped the groceries on the counter. “So? Are you looking for a job?”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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I burped Abby. “Yes. But I have a condition.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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He sighed. “Here we go.” I picked up Talia. “Before I go back, you take care of both girls alone for one full weekend.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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“That’s it?” he laughed. “Challenge accepted.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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“No calling my sister. No dropping them with your mother. And no pretending one baby doesn’t count.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\n“So? Are you looking for a job?”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n
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His smile thinned. “I can babysit my own kids.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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I looked over Talia’s head. “You don’t babysit children you made. You parent them.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Then I opened our family group chat.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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“Don’t drag people into our marriage,” Carl snapped.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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I typed:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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“Carl believes he should only be responsible for one baby. Since Abby and Talia are twins, I may return to work early. He will care for both girls this weekend.”<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
I held out the phone. “Explain it.” His face drained.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\n“You don’t babysit children you made. You parent them.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n
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***<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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The next Saturday, I left with my purse, pump bag, and calm.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Carl held Abby awkwardly while Talia cried in the bouncer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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“Where are the clean bottles?”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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“Cabinet by the sink.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\n“Which cabinet?”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n
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“The one you open every day for coffee.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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I kissed the girls. “Call for real emergencies, not because you cannot tell cries apart.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\nI left with my purse, pump bag, and calm.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n
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***<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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By noon, I had seventeen missed calls.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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“They won’t stop crying!”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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“Did they drink?”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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“They did, maybe one drank twice. I don’t know.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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“They’re wearing different colors, Carl.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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My sister, Renee, sat across from me with untouched tea.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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“Check the green notebook by the fridge.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\n“They won’t stop crying!”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n
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He went quiet. “There’s a notebook?”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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“Yes. I told you twice.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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At 3:40, he texted:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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“Where are the extra diapers?”<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
I typed back:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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“The store. Remember?”<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
Renee laughed while angry. I still sent the answer:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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“Hall closet, top shelf. For the girls. Not for you.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\n“I told you twice.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n
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***<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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On Sunday, he broke the rule and called his mother.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Deborah phoned me. “Why is my son alone with two crying babies?”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\n“Because they’re his babies.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n
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“Marriage isn’t about score.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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“Ask him why he started splitting our daughters like a bill.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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She went silent. “I’m going over.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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“Good.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\n“Marriage isn’t about score.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n