“Everything can wait.”
Then he looked at his family.
“I want everyone out of this house tomorrow morning.”
His mother stared at him.
“What?”
“By ten.”
“Marcus!”
“Ten.”
“This is ridiculous.”
“No.”
His voice remained firm.
“What happened tonight is ridiculous.”
His mother shook her head.
“This is my family.”
“So is Elena.”
His mother looked stunned.
Marcus squeezed his wife’s hand.
“And so is Sofia.”
He paused.
“This is their home.”
His mother whispered:
“You’d throw your own mother out?”
Marcus looked at her.
“I’d throw anyone out who makes my wife feel like she has to earn the right to rest in her own home.”
Nobody spoke.
Marcus led Elena toward the bedroom.
Behind them, his mother began crying.
Marcus heard it.
He kept walking.
He closed the bedroom door.
And for the first time that night, Elena finally broke.
She sat on the edge of the bed and covered her face.
Marcus knelt in front of her.
“Hey.”
She shook her head.
“I’m sorry.”
“Why are you apologizing?”
“I ruined everything.”
“You didn’t ruin anything.”
“They’re your family.”
“And you’re my wife.”
She looked at him.
“I didn’t want you to fight with them.”
“I know.”
“I didn’t want to cause problems.”
“I know.”
“I thought if I just did the dishes…”
Marcus took her hands.
“Elena.”
She looked at him.
“You don’t have to earn your place in this family.”
Her tears fell.
“You don’t have to cook for them.”
Another tear.
“You don’t have to clean for them.”
Another.
“And you never have to apologize because you’re tired.”
She whispered:
“I just wanted everyone to be happy.”
Marcus leaned forward and kissed her forehead.
“I care more about you being safe.”
For several minutes, neither of them spoke.
Then Elena suddenly touched her stomach.
