He took over bedtime and told me to go for a drive with no destination

Dear Delyara, I didn’t even know how badly I needed that until I was alone in the car. The children were loud, dinner had gone badly, I’d had a phone call with my sister that left me raw, and I was trying so hard not to become the brittle version of myself that shows up when the whole day has entered me too forcefully. My husband looked at me once and just said, “Go. I’ve got bedtime.” So I drove. No errand. No productivity. No point. Just roads, one petrol station coffee, some music I hadn’t listened to in years, and the strange relief of not being immediately needed by anybody. When I came back, the children were in pyjamas, teeth done, story read. I loved him a little differently after that.