Left Neglected

Bob drives Sarah home. Sarah is ecstatic to be outdoors, seeing familiar landmarks.

Bob tells Sarah that her mother will be staying with them, despite Sarah not wanting Helen to stay. Bob says that Sarah cannot stay home alone.

Sarah insists that she will be fine, that they can hire someone, but Bob tells her that they cannot afford that, with Sarah’s loss of income. His job is even more tenuous than before.

Sarah had secretly been hoping that Bob would lose his job and receive severance, so that he would be home to care for her. By the time he found another job, she would be ready to return to work. This is not going according to her plan.

Sarah asks if Abby can stay longer hours, but Bob reveals that Abby is leaving for an internship. Bob reiterates that they need Helen to stay.

Sarah enters the house, reminded of how she felt when she returned home after Charlie was born. The house feels different, though she is the one who is different.

There are changes: Orange tape covers the left side of surfaces, and there’s now a handrail. The rugs are gone, so she will not trip. Sarah is surprised by how tidy the house is, without kid stuff strewn everywhere.