The Wife They Left Behind

the dedicated professional, the ever-present mother, the dutiful wife. But somewhere along the way, I had become little more than the household manager, the personal ATM, an

p of leaving for college

evening, not looking up from her phone. "A

, immediately agreed. "Great idea, swe

reach his eyes. "What do you think, Sarah? You can pla

re our lives changed forever. But I knew better. For them, it was a vacation. For me, it would be a chore, another performance of the happy family

y voice quiet. "I

ile juggling my full-time job and managing the house. Mark and Emily offered their opinions freely-the hotel wasn't fancy enough, the

zed skincare, a medical-grade line I had to order from a dermatologist. Years of stress and a chronic skin condition meant that any deviation from my r

open on the floor, its contents spilled out. My heart seized wh

remor in my voice. "Have

Oh, that. I needed more space in my bag for my new

ark, whe

g about an old newspaper. "It was just a bunch of l

it away? Mark, you can't just buy that at a drugstor

playing on her lips. "Mom, chill out. I

asn't about the cream. It was about the complete and utter lack of resp

ing with a frantic edge. "You know I have sensiti

t's a vacation. Try to relax. You're al

plan this whole trip, I pay for most of it with my bonus, I pack for everyone,

s for twenty years finally broke. A s

umbling out before I could stop them. "I don't w

eplaced by a look of shock. Mark's dismissive e

contempt. "You're going to throw away our marri

to "help" before the trip, chose that exact moment to appear

ark, Emily, what's wrong? Oh

pity. "She's threatening to divorce me, Mom. Beca

ith sympathy, but with a chilling glint of victory. "Sarah, you're being hysterical. A good

see for two decades. I was not a partner or a mother in this family. I was a tool. An appliance. Something to be used until it broke and then casually discard