I wanted the house to stop needing me by nine

Dear Delyara, That was the line in my head all evening. By nine. Please, by nine. Not because I’m selfish. Because I know how much of myself remains kind after a certain hour and how much of it starts hardening if I keep giving beyond that point. The later the day gets, the more expensive even ordinary requests become. The children still needed bedtime, my husband still wanted to talk about something practical, the dog still needed letting out, and one school item still wasn’t ready for tomorrow. None of it was unreasonable. I just had no emotional spare room left. By nine-thirty, the house was finally quieter. I felt relief so strong it was almost ugly.