Emma’s mother believed the world would end when she discovered an unusual ultrasound in her father’s handbag. This led to a revelation during dinner that completely altered their family’s dynamic.

With a creak, the front door opened, revealing my husband Jack’s familiar shape filling the foyer. His eyes glowed with relief as soon as he entered our quaint house, even though he appeared worn out from his travels and had sagging shoulders.

Belying the disarray of his homecoming, the haphazard assortment of briefcases, luggage, and other objects dumped at the threshold served as a chaotic testament to his most recent business trip. His coat dangled loosely from one luggage, while a tangle of charging cords protruded from another, silently recording his frenetic travels between appointments and airports.