Marriage and Priorities
Marriage is supposed to be a partnership where spouses support each other at their weakest. For one woman in her mid-30s, a recent episode convinced her she has never been her husband’s top priority.
The Illness and Its Impact
She fell violently ill on a Thursday morning with a high fever, vomiting, and what she suspects was a stomach bug. For several days she remained bedridden and in need of care.
The Husband's Schedule and Family Dynamics
Her husband has a hybrid work schedule: home on Mondays and Tuesdays, and the rest of the week he travels to a small apartment he rents. The couple bought a duplex last year and his mother lives in the adjoining unit.
On Thursday, the husband learned his aunt — his mother’s sister, in her late 60s — died unexpectedly. He drove over that night to tell his mother and stayed on her side of the duplex.
His Response to His Wife's Illness
He called his wife to explain his plan but did not offer to come back or check on her condition. Later, he texted to ask whether he should worry about contracting her illness. When he returned to the home briefly, he left Gatorade and...