His voice is quiet when he talks about his diagnosis and treatment plan.
His next words catch me off guard.
"The first weekend with the boys... I realized how absent I've been, not only as a husband, but as a father. I couldn't even make my kids breakfast. I hadn't cooked in... I don't even know how long. I realized how much I've been pushing onto my wife's plate."
“Keep going,” Dr. D’Amore encourages with a nod.
I keep my eyes locked onto Atlas as he looks at me and continues speaking.
"I've truly been thinking about howeasyWendy makes my life, at the expense of her. She takes care of the boys, cooks our meals, cleans, shops, pays the bills, and schedules appointments—all of it. Stuff I just assumed was done by magic," Atlas turns to me. "It was done by magic—it was done by my wife."
I didn't know this. This was something I thought I would have to approach with time, with a couple of therapy sessions.
I didn't know that Atlassaw.
"I'm a father. I'm an adult, and my sons were the ones helping their mother—protectingtheir mother. I failed at a lot,but that—not being the husband and father my wife and kids deserve is my greatest."
"Atlas..."
"Even before Carrie died, I wasn't pulling my weight as I should have. Wendy had everything at home covered, so I thought all I had to do was my job. Make money for them, provide them with a good life and a good future. I just... I didn't know she was struggling."
The situation lay bare before us.
Atlas struggling mentally, not knowing heshouldask for help.
Me struggling with taking care of the kids and the home, not knowing Icouldask for help.
Atlas snorts. "Look at us."
"Look at us," I laugh, shaking my head.
The smile drops from Atlas' face as he faces me directly and leans forward.
"Wendy, I'm so sorry. I am so sorry for leaving all of it to you—the childcare, the house, the bills, the appointments, and then... the last year... you know, I'll never apologize enough for my neglect.But you are my entire world.Everything begins and ends with you. Our entire lives, mine and the boys, would be nothing without you.”
I smile as his words wrap around me and settle. He gives me a small smile and kisses my hand again, lingering a little longer this time.
“Trace said something to me—he said houses usually fall apart without their cornerstone,” Atlas leans toward me, eyes glassy. "That's you, baby. You're my cornerstone. I would completely fall apart without you."
My heart is slamming in my chest like it's trying to break out and nestle itself in his. Because that's where it belongs. My heart has always belonged to Atlas.
"I love you, Atlas. No matter what—I love you. Always have."
"Always will," he finishes with a watery laugh, reaching out with his free hand to brush the tears from my cheeks. Thathole in my chest stitches itself together even more.
We're not healed, but... we're getting there.
We made the first steps. Huge steps.
And now we keep at it.
"Both of you were incredibly vulnerable today," Dr. D'Amore smiles, eyes bouncing back and forth between us. "You should be very proud."
"Doc, I—" Atlas starts, glancing back at me. "I know I've... I've broken Wendy's trust in me. How do I repair that?"
"You are, Atlas," I assure him, and he nods, glancing at me before turning back to the doctor, his face serious.
"Well, rebuilding trust is a slow process,” she acknowledges. “How was trust built in your relationship before?"
