This is my house, my mother yelled.
This is our house. Yours, mines and Evans. We all live here, no I take that back, evan and I live here, you just stay here.
What is that suppose to mean? scoffed my mother.
Youre not here anymore. I only see you in passing. We dont talk anymore, and the only time you even speak to Evan is to chastise her or to punish her. Dont you think we miss you? We want to see you… on the weekends, at night, all the time. Not just five minutes in the morning and five minutes at night. We are a family about to welcome a new member and yet you feel like a stranger to us, Tinas voice nearly whispered.

My closet door was open and my bedroom door barely cracked but I heard that and my mothers reply.

Im sorry. Im sorry for not being here for you, Evan or the baby. Its just that Im working so many hours to give you everything that your heart could possibly desire. And as unfortunate as it is, that requires time apart.
The only thing my heart desires right now and always is for you to be here, with us.

There was a moment of silence of what I could only guess to mean that my mother was finally hearing her.

Baby, my mother whispered.

Another moment and still nothing. I took that as a clue that it was safe for me to climb out of my cave. I eased out of my closet and walked over to my bedroom door. I stood there waiting for a sign.

Youre right. I need to be home with you and evan. Ive always known that but I thought I was being the good wife by keeping up my end of the deal.
And what deal was that?
At our commitment ceremony, I promised in front of everyone that I would be a good provider.
Bette, this marriage is 50-50. I never expected you to carry the burden of paying the mortgage, paying all utilities and still be able to buy everything that Evan asks for. I know that I havent been working for that last five months but I do have some money saved up. You could have used some of that.
But thats your money.
Bette, my money is your money, is our money. You have to let go of this pride you carry around. You cannot do everything. Everyone need help, even you.

Another round of silence.

I didnt feel right eavesdropping but they werent exactly whispering and their door wasnt exactly closed.

All I want from you, Bette, si to say you need help. I can go back to work. My job is waiting for me.
No. You cannot go back to work.
Bette, please dont tell me what to do.
Im sorry. Im sorry, my mother quickly apologized.
Its not that I dont love being home when Evan comes home and spending more time with her and doing things around the house that needed to be dome in this house that we have put off for so long, because I truly do but I miss the interaction with other grownups.
If you need to return to work, then okay. Ill support your decision.
Thank you.

I heard the rustling of clothes and assumed that they had shared body contact.

That felt good, Tina sighed.
I missed you, my mother said.
Ive missed you, too.
It seems a little to quiet in here.
We can definitely make some noise.
I wasnt eluding to that but we can certainly look into making noise later, my mother suggested.

I smiled. Everything was all right with them

Oh.
I know we werent whispering and I know Evan was asleep but shes a light sleeper…so…
You think she heard everything we said, Tina guessed.
I know she heard everything. Lets go see what our daughter is up to.

Oh ***** , theyre coming, ran through my mind.

I have to hide, I thought.

But where? I couldnt run out of my room, cause they would see me. So the only hiding place I had access to was my closet. I climbed back in.

*****