The Shallows

by Holly Craig

That’s why I need to allow myself these short fourteen minutes of silence before the day starts. It’s what every mother needs.

And while this happens, one upping each other in cars, jobs, success and goals to take over the world, Charles ignores my presence, ignores his wife. I can sense Mateo is a man’s man who isn’t too fond of females.

He’s not my husband anymore. He’s the ‘should man’. The man society says I ‘should’ have; ‘should make happy’ and ‘shouldn’t’ divorce, no matter how unhappy I am.

They’re just not grandparent parents. In fact, they’re not even parent parents.