Chapter 6: Monica - Exceprt

The day began as it always did for Monica. She woke up at 6:30 to a snoring husband and quietly got out of bed. Tiptoeing across the dark room, she grabbed her bathrobe and closed the door, stepping into the hall and turning on the light. She was never truly awake until the first coffee. Two children aged three and six meant having a relaxing cup first thing in the morning was a tradition of the past like late nights out with girlfriends. The first thing she did now was check in on her sleeping angels, prepare their breakfast and then shower. The coffee would have to come a few hours later.

After a quick ten minute rinse, she walked into her bedroom and switched on the light, beginning stage two of the morning – waking the husband and getting dressed. “Cariño. It’s time to get up,” she said going to the closet to pick out that day’s outfit. Shifting through the clothes separated by article crammed in her small closet, she struggled to find something to wear, having already worn everything twice that month. Once upon a time she loved going shopping, but she hadn’t bought any new clothes since last year’s sales, another tradition of the past gone. The only thing more frustrating than not finding something to wear was the sound of her still snoring husband. She stopped searching, went to the bed, and rocked his limp body back and forth. “Come on, Juan, I have to get the kids up now.”