After a week away, I came home to a shocking sight: my kids, Tommy and Alex, asleep on the cold hallway floor. My heart raced, trying to make sense of the chaos. My husband, Mark, was nowhere to be found, but odd noises were coming from the boys’ room. What I discovered next sent my blood boiling — and I was ready for a fight!
I had been away on a business trip for a week, and as much as I enjoyed the professional break, I couldn’t wait to get back home to my boys. They must have been counting down the days. Tommy and Alex, at ages six and eight, always seemed to have endless energy, especially when they knew I’d be back soon. And Mark? Well, I figured he’d be more than ready to hand the parenting reins back to me. While he’s a great dad, he’s always been the “fun parent,” leaving me to handle most of the responsibilities.
It was nearly midnight when I pulled into the driveway. The house was dark and quiet, just as it should be. As I unlocked the door and quietly stepped inside, all I wanted was to collapse into bed. But the moment I stepped into the hallway, something felt… off.
My foot hit something soft, and I froze. Panic gripped me as I quickly flipped on the light switch. My stomach dropped.
There were Tommy and Alex, curled up on the floor, tangled in blankets. Their faces were smudged with dirt, hair sticking up in all directions like they’d been through a war. My mind raced. Why were they on the floor? Had there been a fire or a gas leak? Where was Mark?
The living room was a mess — pizza boxes, soda cans, and melted ice cream littered the coffee table. It looked like a college frat house, not my home. But still, no sign of Mark.
I rushed to our bedroom, my heart pounding in my chest. Empty. The bed hadn’t been slept in, and Mark’s car was still in the driveway. Panic was quickly turning to anger.
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