My wife and I have been together for twelve yearsa decent stretch for any family, wouldnt you say? In the beginning, everything felt right. I worked hard, my wife cared for our home, and she gave me two wonderful kidsa daughter and a son.
Lately, Ive received a promotion at work and our household income has gone up considerably. Youd think things would be brighterlive well and be happy, right? But trouble arrived from a place I never anticipated. My wife has, rather suddenly, become obsessed with soap operas. Oddly enough, she watches everything and anythingfrom detective dramas and soppy love stories to those endless, overdramatic series that seem all the rage nowadays.
I wouldnt mind if this was just how she took a load off. But gradually, its as though these television series have swallowed up every spare moment she has. The house hardly gets cleaned anymore, hardly a meal is cooked. When I bring it up, she suggests we just get a takeawaysince we can afford it now. Thats fine once in a while, I get itbut should our children live off fish and chips day in, day out?
Worse still, shes started putting on weight, which I suppose is what happens when every hour is spent parked on the sofa, grazing on snacks. Ive tried nudging her gentlyoffering to sign up together for the gym or take the kids swimming at the leisure centrebut always the same answer: Im tired. Tired from what, I wonder? One day, in a moment of frustration, I hired a cleaner to come and sort out the househoping it might embarrass her into action. She took it as a sign she didnt have to do anything at all anymore. She barely finds time for the children; her precious soaps always come first.
I feel trapped. The lively, engaging woman I fell madly for has faded into someone entirely differenta woman whose only care now is the fate of characters on a TV screen. So often, after a long day, Im running home just to stick on a load of washing or help the children with their homework.
My mother-in-law doesnt help matters. She sides with my wife in everything now, though she once thought I was never good enough for her daughter. So, Im not expecting a hand from that quarter. Im genuinely considering divorce. It breaks my heart most for the children; theyre the ones bearing the brunt of this, clearly. I havent a clue how to fix it, or if theres any way out at all.
