When our vacuum broke, my husband said I should just sweep because I’m “homeall day anyway.” So I grabbed our newborn and a broken broom and showed up at

his office to remind him exactly what that really looks like I’m 30. I just had my first baby, a sweet little girl named Lila. She’s 9 weeks old, and yeah
—she’s perfect. But also? She’s chaos. She screams like she’s in a horror movie. Hatesnaps. Hates being put down. Basically lives in my arms.

I’m on unpaid maternity leave, which sounds relaxing until you realize it means I’mworking a 24/7 shift with no help, no breaks, and no paycheck.

I’m also handling the house. And the laundry. And the meals. And the litter boxes. We havetwo cats, both of whom shed like it’s their full-time job.My husband Mason is34. He works in finance. Used to be sweet. When I was pregnant,he made me tea and rubbed my feet. Now? I’m not sure he sees me. I’m the woman whohands him the baby so he can say “she’s fussy” and give her back five seconds later.Last week, the vacuum died. Which, in a house with two cats and beige carpet, is likelosing oxygen.
“Hey,” I told Mason while he was playing Xbox. “The vacuum finally kicked it. I found adecent one on sale. Can you grab it this week?”He didn’t even look up. Just paused his game and said, “Why? Just use a broom.”

I blinked. “Seriously?”He nodded. “Yeah. My mom didn’t have a vacuum when we were kids. She raised five ofus with a broom. You’ve got one. And you’re home all day.”I stared at him.“You’re not joking,” I said.“Nope.” He smirked. “She didn’t complain.”I let out this weird laugh. Half choking, half dying inside.“Did your mom also carry a screaming baby around while sweeping with one arm?” Iasked.He shrugged. “Probably. She got it done. Women were tougher back then.”
I took a breath. Tried to keep calm. “You do know the baby’s crawling soon, right? She’sgoing to have her face in this carpet.”
Another shrug. “The place isn’t that bad.”I looked around. There were literal cat tumbleweeds in the corner.
“And anyway,” he added, “I don’t have spare money right now. I’m saving for the yacht tripnext month. With the guys.”

“You’re saving for what?”