Sarah felt alone and bored. Both kids were in school. She had no family close by. She thought about working, but that would have made her even more of an outcast in her neighborhood.

Sarah tried to fit in with the neighbors, but they would not give her a chance. They continued to snicker and snub her as she walked past.

She had talked to Leo about moving, but he didn’t want to leave his job.

Big families were the norm. Sarah thought maybe if she had a baby, the neighbors would be more accepting.

Sarah suggested adding a baby to the family. Leo was surprised as they still slept apart. He agreed and was excited about the idea.

Leo moved back into his bedroom and they began to show each other a little more affection. Sarah became pregnant almost right away.

Sarah began wearing maternity clothes before she needed to. She waved to the neighbors.

“She acts like she’s the first one to have a baby,” one neighbor said to another as she walked by. “I have six.”

Sarah could barely keep the tears from falling before she made it home.

Sarah and Leo named their new son Todd. All Sarah’s hopes for acceptance in the neighborhood were dashed. No one asked to see the new baby as she walked Oliver to school. No one brought over a casserole or offered to let Oliver play over so she could rest. Sarah accepted that no matter what she did, it would never be enough.

Oliver was not thrilled to have a new sibling. His father worked long hours and now he would have the baby to share him with.

“He stinks,” said Oliver walking away from the baby.

One afternoon, after school, Sarah found Oliver playing with a car she hadn’t seen before. She asked where it had come from.

“Dad got if for me,” Oliver told her.

The phone rang and Sarah answered it.

“This is Nancy. Brian’s mother. Brian says that Oliver took his new car. Can you have Oliver bring it to school tomorrow?”

“I will ask Oliver about it.” Sarah hung up and asked Oliver again about the car.

Oliver just shrugged and walked away.

Leo talked to Oliver about taking things without asking and Oliver agreed not to do it again/

Nancy was one of the few mothers that let Oliver come over and play with her child, but after the car incident, he was no longer allowed over. She claimed other items were missing as well, but she didn’t have proof that Oliver was the one to take them.

Oliver moped around after school. Like Sarah, he had no friends.

Todd had his first birthday. He was a sweet little baby.

Sarah’s uncle passed away. Sarah took Todd with her to stay with her aunt and attend the funeral. Sarah felt relief to be away and to be around family. She stayed for two weeks and wished she didn’t have to go back home.

“Home wrecker is back,” laughed a neighbor as she walked by.

“Probably breaking up another family,” said the other neighbor.

Sarah blushed and walked faster.

When Todd was three, Sarah received a phone call. Her widowed aunt had broken her hip and needed care when she returned home. Sarah agreed to go take care of her. She was happy to have a reason to go away. She had accepted that the neighbors would never accept her no matter what she did.

“Oliver, pack your things. We are going on a trip,”Sarah told him.

Oliver was happy to go away for summer vacation. None of the other kids would play with him. Just because he borrowed their toys once in awhile. They had so much and he felt he had so little.

Leo would stay behind to work.

School was starting and Leo looked forward to the return of his family. Sarah had other ideas. Her aunt was older and it took longer for her to recover. Belinda had made friends. Oliver was on his best behavior. Sarah suggested staying a little longer and enrolling the children in the local school.

“Sarah, you’re my wife. You and the kids should be home with me,” Leo told her. “I don’t want to uproot them in the middle of the school year when your aunt recovers.”

“I’m staying,” Sarah said adamantly. “My aunt needs me. If you insist you can take Oliver, but the other two stay with me.”

Leo sighed. He knew he could not change her mind. He packed Oliver’s things.

Oliver was 12 that year. He would have to be home alone after school while Leo was at work.

Sarah had taught him how to make a few simple meals before he left.

“Cooking is for girls,” complained Oliver.

“Eating is for everyone,” Sarah replied.

Oliver didn’t understand why the rest of his family didn’t come back with him. He didn’t like coming home to an empty house without a snack waiting for him on the table. He didn’t like being back in the neighborhood with kids that snubbed him.

Leo would come home to a messy house. Dishes piled in the sink, counters dirty, trash piled up, spilled milk, crumbs on the couch. He let it slide at first, hoping Oliver just needed time to adjust to the new routine.

“Cleaning is women’s work,” Oliver told him when Leo reprimanded him.

“There is just us men here. We have to help each other out. Your job is to clean up your mess and do your homework and then you can play.”

During winter break, Leo and Oliver went to stay with Sarah and her aunt. Todd wrapped his arms around his father and refused to let go. Belinda had never warmed up to Leo and mostly ignored him. Sarah cooked his favorite things.

At the end of the break, Leo tried to persuade Sarah to come home with him. Sarah refused. She couldn’t leave her aunt. Belinda was in her last year of school and happy.

Leo and Oliver left without the rest of their family. He hoped that she would return in the summer.