Daniel’s smile disappeared before he had even finished reading the first line.
He looked from the page to me, then back to the number printed near the bottom.
“What is this?” he asked.
“Childcare.”
He picked up the paper as if holding it closer might change what it said.
The estimate covered full-time infant care for two babies, five days a week.
It included the registration fee, the weekly rate, and the supplies we would still have to provide ourselves.
Daniel’s eyes stopped at the monthly total.
“That can’t be right.”
“It is.”
“That much for daycare?”
“For two infants.”
He lowered the page slowly.
I had expected surprise.
I had not expected him to look offended, as though the childcare provider had created our second daughter simply to inconvenience him.
“We’re not paying that,” he said.
I folded my hands on the table.
“Then I can’t return to work.”
“You said you would.”
“I said I would return on one condition.”
Daniel pushed the estimate away.
“You can find somewhere cheaper.”
“I called every suitable provider within a reasonable distance.
This was one of the lower estimates.”
He glanced toward the twins, who were asleep in their bassinets near the living room wall.
“Can’t your mother watch them?”
“No.”
“What about someone from your old office? A teenager? Anybody?”
“They are newborns, Daniel.
They need safe, dependable care.
I am not handing them to an unqualified stranger because you think diapers are too expensive.”
His jaw tightened at the reminder.
“That grocery bill was ridiculous.”
“The entire bill was $121.77.
It included food for us, formula, wipes, baby wash, and diapers.”
“You always make it sound small.”
I opened the folder again.
The second page was a monthly budget.
I had listed every household expense in separate columns: mortgage, utilities, groceries, insurance, transportation, formula, diapers, wipes, medical costs, and childcare.
Nothing was estimated loosely.
Every amount came from a bill, receipt, or written quote.
At the bottom, I had divided the total exactly in half.
Daniel stared at his share.
“That’s not what I meant by equal.”
I leaned back.
“What did you mean?”
“You’ll have your salary again.
You can buy the extra baby things.”
“Extra baby things?”
“You know what I mean.”
“No.
Explain it.”
He rubbed the back of his neck.
“I agreed to have one child.
We ended up with two.
I shouldn’t have to cover every added expense because of that.”
