He was exhausted already from a long day at work. Yet he dreaded going home even more than the hours he had to spend working with angry customers. It was easier to handle those annoying people than it was to handle his wife. He already had to spend all of last night trying to convince her that there were no hidden cameras, no microphones, and that her phone wasn't hacked. He had already told her more times than he could count that there was no one out to get her. There was no one following her. No one wanted to harm her or their children. He didn't know what he had to say to finally make that clear to her. It was as if she was truly off in her own little world. Sometimes, he would look into her eyes and not even recognize the look in her eyes anymore. She looked at him like she was seeing a ghost. He dreaded walking through the door to see what wild antics Kimberly was up to today. What wild claims would she make this time. All he wanted to do was come home, shower, eat dinner, and relax. Although, he was sure he would have a mess to clean up instead.

He pulled into the driveway of their house but was in no hurry to go inside. He let out a long, slow sigh and rubbed his face instead. How was it that this place didn't even really feel like home anymore? He loved his children, but they wore him out. He loved Kimberly, but she strained him more than anything. It was more like he was taking care of four people instead of only the three. He shook his head while looking toward his home. He had to mentally prepare himself to even get out of the car. He shook off his trepidation and climbed out of the car. Each step he took closer toward his front door seemed heavier. He even took his time with his keys, in no rush at all to get inside.

The first to greet him was the aroma of dinner. Something Italian, by the scent of it. The next to come at him almost instantly was his toddler. "Daddy!" She barreled down the hallway upon hearing the front door open. He may have been tired, but he had to admit that he loved this heartwarming greeting.

He scooped her up in his arms, "Where's mommy?" He was apprehensive to even ask.

Kim came out from the kitchen with a basket of clothing. "The lasagna should be done in about twenty minutes." She didn't make eye contact as she spoke. She looked skittish. A little on edge. He was beginning to wonder if her medication needed to be changed. This one didn't seem to be helping at all. In fact, she seemed to be getting worse. He would have to try to talk to the doctor himself, maybe. Perhaps he could recommend either a higher dosage or a change in prescription altogether. All he knew for certain was that something needed to give.

"I'll take my shower then." He looked his wife over. She moved like a zombie. Her face was blank. She went down the hall to their bedroom to fold the clothes. Frank carefully sat his daughter down and shut himself away in the bathroom. This was his second sanctuary besides the car. He could find some amount of peace locked away in here where he didn't have to face the reality of what was waiting for him just on the other side of the door. It was almost like walking on eggshells. Never knowing what sort of struggle or dilemma he would have to face with Kim.

He lost track of time as he showered. He only wanted the peace of being left alone to think. He was worried, though he would never say it out loud. He had seen and heard of cases where mothers suffer postpartum psychosis and end up killing their own children. That was a fear he always tried to push to the back of his mind. Kim would never. She loved her children. He knew that. Yet as tiny as the thought was, it was dark. Like a tiny, little black hole within his mind that was slowly growing as it ate everything around it. Kim wasn't always herself. He had seen that much. There were times she would walk around the house with a knife in hand, muttering nonsense. She was so lost in her fear that someone was shadowing her. That tiny black hole worried that maybe she would turn that knife on the children or herself one day while he was away at work.

She didn't even seem to realize she did these things. When he would bring it up to her, she seemed surprised and confused. She claimed to have no recollection of the events. That was so frustrating for him. He would constantly have to remind her of everything. She couldn't even go out driving by herself for fear that she would get lost, not remembering her way home, or getting distracted. He could have dropped her off two miles from their house, and she would have likely gotten confused and lost on how to get home. It was even more outrageous considering they had lived in this town all their lives together. She should have known how to navigate by now. She was an adult. Why couldn't she act like it?

Her forgetfulness was another stressor. They could have a conversation about anything, and she would forget things two minutes later. It made making plans a nightmare. She couldn't keep track of things. There were post-it notes all over the place. He was getting tired of seeing them and having to pull them off things. Why couldn't she just keep track of them in her phone or simply do better to remember. It was annoying on many levels. He was sure she just wasn't listening. He could tell her they had plans for the day, and it was basically going in one ear and right out the other. It was a bit selfish of her to ignore him and not set the priorities for their family. Not to mention, he was so tired of having to repeat himself so often. If she truly cared about things, she would remember them.

She only ever saw things from her own skewed perspective. She was so caught up in her own head that she couldn't see the strain she was putting on this family. He was tired of her calling him the bad guy. He was sure she was telling her therapist all these terrible things about him. How he was so mean and unsupportive. It made him a little angry. All he did was support. He was the backbone of the household. He was the only one keeping everything in order. Every day, he did backbreaking and draining work to make sure every bill was paid on time. He put in double time to come home and take care of his family on top of that. He was the one talking Kim off of her fantastical ledges. Talking her down every time she was lost in one of her delusions. He always had to be the voice of reality and reason.

He needed her to snap out of it. He needed her to wake up and step up. He needed her to be his partner. To help him raise their children in a safe environment. She could get over this if she only wanted to. Sometimes, he could have swore she only did this as some sort of ploy to get more attention from him. Like some child acting out. Sometimes, he wished he could just grab her by the shoulders and shake her back into reality. Postpartum isn't supposed to last very long. Maybe another year or so. The hope was that she would return to normal soon. He was getting too tired for this dance. Either he would have to wait, or she would need to shake this off.

He was pulled from his thoughts when he could smell the pungent stench of something burning. The food? He climbed out of the shower and got dressed as quickly as he could. When he emerged from the bathroom, Kim was still folding clothes. She moved like such an old lady sometimes. "Kim?" He snapped her out of her daze, "The food?" Deciding not to wait for her, he made his way to the kitchen. The air was filled with a thin cloud of smoke. She trailed behind him with a string of apologies.

When he pulled the food out, it was easy to see there was no saving it. She knew it only had twenty minutes left! What was she doing that whole time! How could she have forgotten when the smell was right there! Didn't she have a timer set? She had a timer for everything else! Why not the things that mattered! His frustration was boiling his blood. "What in the world, Kim!" He yelled, throwing the smoking lasagna pan into the sink. He rushed to open the window to fan out the kitchen before the smoke became thick enough to set off the loud smoke alarm.

"I'm so sorry!" She said for the hundredth time, "Time got away from me! I was focused on laundry, and I didn't realize!"

He couldn't contain his temper as he interrupted her, "Do you realize anything?"

"It was an accident, Frank!" She said defensively, "I obviously didn't do it on purpose! This wasn't my grand master plan!"

"Oh please," He roared, "As if you could plan anything with your head so far up your-"

"You know I'm forgetful!" She shouted back, "You know I can't remember things these days! Time gets away from me a lot!"

"Yeah!" He scoffed, "I know! You're always doing this! You can't seem to get it together! It's bull that I have to keep cleaning up the messes and picking up the slack because you can't seem to function half the time!"

"It's not my fault!" She countered, "You know my brain -"

His tone was mocking, "You know my brain is fried." He rolled his eyes now, "That's the other thing, Kim! Those procedures were two years ago! Let it go! You can only use that as an excuse for so long before you have to start taking responsibility for yourself like an actual adult! You need to start paying attention! You're as bad as a child with all of your excuses!"

She was silent. Only staring at him. What was her expression? Shock? Anger? Sadness? A combination? He couldn't trouble himself to care. This had been going on for long enough. He just wanted her to display a bit of common sense. He couldn't figure out where her head was anymore. He just wanted her to be normal. To act and behave normally. Like she used to years ago. Why couldn't she just decide to be that version of herself again? To put away these silly ideas and visions. She knew they weren't real.

She finally spoke. This time, her tone was slow and calm, "You know I've been through a lot."

He felt some tension release with her shift in tone. At least it wasn't a screaming match anymore. He knew she had been through a lot. He just didn't understand how what she had been through had changed her so much. Plenty of women have babies. They don't go insane. Plenty of people have depression. They still function in society. Why did she have to be so different? Why couldn't she handle this better? It put all the strain on him because she couldn't take care of her mind. No one else could fix this except for her. She needed to. "I get that." He said as calmly as he could, "What you went through was rough. But you can't keep doing this." He didn't know how to express what he was thinking to her. He didn't know how to tell her how stressed all of this was making him. They went from a perfectly normal family to this. What even was this? "You don't realize how rough this is for me. You don't take me or our kids into consideration. You go off on your episodes, muttering to yourself and carrying knives around. In front of the kids, Kim? Then I have to explain to them how no one is really outside and no one is trying to hurt them." He sounded tired now, stretched thin, "You act like I don't support you. But here I am. Always having to keep you in line. Always reminding you to take your medication. Always cleaning up after you. Always guarding the kids. I know you would never hurt your family, but you scare them. I need you to be their mother again. I need you to act right. This has got to end."

"I'm sorry." Was all she said. She wouldn't look at him. She was hugging herself, looking down. She looked ashamed and sounded pitiful. He knew she longed to feel normal again. At the same time, he knew she was still herself. Underneath all of the crazy, she was still his Kimmy. She just had to start acting like it. He couldn't risk losing her to some hospital or treatment facility. He needed her there for the kids.

"It's fine." He sighed and began cleaning up the lasagna mess in the sink, "Let's find something else to cook for dinner."

"Wait." She looked up to him now, "What do you mean I walk around with a knife?"

"Just you being in your own little world." He told her, "Muttering nonsense of who knows what about stalkers or demons."

She looked concerned, still hugging herself. Lost in her own thoughts.

"You won't hurt anyone." He said firmly. He wasn't exactly certain if he was trying to convince her or himself. He knew she was okay. She just had to be. She would snap out of this any day now. She would be his Kimberly again. Then, for further reassurance, he added, "I will make sure of that. I will always be here. I won't let you hurt anyone."