« Still asleep, » she said with a wave. « Go ahead and get settled in the guest room. »
I stepped inside, suitcase in hand.
I breathed in the smell of a home full of family.
I told myself this was the beginning of something good, something close.
But as I carried my bag down the hall, I noticed a thin layer of dust on the side table.
There was a heap of laundry slumped in the corner.
And that was only the beginning.
It soon became clear that the neglect ran deeper than a single unswept corner.
Dishes crusted the sink.
The bathroom had not seen a scrub brush in weeks.
The next morning, I rose early and started tidying.
That was my routine in my own home.
The children were still asleep, and the quiet felt almost peaceful.
Then Melissa emerged, phone glued to her palm.
« Oh good, you’re up, » she said, not looking at me. « The bathroom needs cleaning. And the kids need lunches packed. »
