Then came the night Ethan sat me down, carefully smoothing out a printout like it was an important contract. \u201cI\u2019ve been thinking about our marriage,\u201d he said, his voice laced with what he probably believed was a kind of gentle authority. \u201cMarisol, you\u2019re an amazing wife, but I believe there are some areas where we can grow together.\u201d He spoke to me as if I were just a machine that needed fixing, and I could almost catch a glimpse of excitement in his gaze. My jaw clenched. Improvement, based on whose perspective?\n\n\n\n
I looked down at the paper. At the top, in bold letters, read \u201cMarisol\u2019s Weekly Routine for Becoming a Better Wife.\u201d Right away, I felt my stomach twist uncomfortably. He had laid it all out for me: a detailed schedule for my entire week, from the break of dawn to the time I went to bed, telling me exactly how to spend every single moment to achieve some warped idea of wifely perfection.
\n\n\n\n
I looked over the list: wake up at 5:00 a.m. to prepare him a gourmet breakfast. After that, I\u2019d hit the gym to keep my figure in check. After that, I would dedicate the remaining time before work to cleaning, organizing, and ironing my clothes. After finishing my own job\u2014because yes, I was still working full-time\u2014I would come home to whip up elaborate dinners, serve canap\u00e9s when his friends came over, and make sure the house was spotless before collapsing into bed at night.\n\n\n\n
I was completely taken aback for a moment by the sheer boldness of it all. Ethan suggesting I could be more domestic was one thing, but handing me a detailed plan felt like something out of a 1950s instruction manual, as if I were just a character in it. All of this came from Glen, a bachelor who wouldn\u2019t recognize a stable relationship even if it tap-danced right in front of him.\n\n\n\n
Ethan\u2019s face was lit up with hope, as if he was waiting for me to overflow with thanks. I held back my anger and decided to approach things differently. I put on a gentle smile and replied, \u201cYou know, Ethan, you might have a point.\u201d Perhaps this framework will be beneficial for me. He instantly felt at ease, the tension in his forehead easing away. He expressed his gratitude for my understanding, completely oblivious to the fact that I had no plans to stick to his script.\n\n\n\n
The following morning, while Ethan was still asleep, I brewed myself a cup of tea and took a closer look at that absurd schedule. If he expected me to be the \u201cperfect wife,\u201d perhaps it was time to demonstrate that perfection doesn\u2019t come cheap. Although he had innocently written up a neat little plan, I was on the verge of creating a detailed invoice that would outline the true costs of his requests in terms of time, money, and personal sacrifice.\n\n\n\n
I settled in at my laptop and started working. Initially, I wrote down all the suggestions that Ethan had put forward. Those first trips to the gym? Sure, I could hire a personal trainer, but they can be quite expensive. How about we consider a minimum of $1,200 a year? Next, the exquisite breakfasts and high-end dinners called for only the finest ingredients. We couldn\u2019t just expect organic produce and free-range options to show up in our kitchen, and those bulk frozen pizzas just wouldn\u2019t satisfy us anymore. We should consider increasing the grocery budget to around $700 each month.\n\n\n\n
If Ethan thought I would be cooking for his friends, I\u2019d definitely need some cooking classes to sharpen my skills in the kitchen. Those classes and specialized equipment are likely to come with a hefty price tag. So, what about the time? How can I keep up with my full-time job if I\u2019m dedicating hours each day to this routine? If I had to spend so many hours on household chores, my paycheck would just disappear. I added a note: to make up for the loss of my salary, Ethan would need to pay me what I used to earn at my job\u2014let\u2019s say $75,000 a year. After all, if he was turning me into a full-time personal maid, cook, and event planner, he ought to compensate for my lost income.\n\n\n\n
So, what\u2019s the deal with space? If he wanted to have his friends over often, we\u2019d need to set up a special space for entertaining. I wrote down another note: $50,000 to create a \u201cman cave\u201d so his friends wouldn\u2019t interfere with my meticulously planned routine. After all, if perfection really mattered, his friends wouldn\u2019t be messing up my workspace or my peace of mind.\n\n\n\n
When I finally wrapped up my typing, the list had transformed into a magnificent chaos. Each of his demands carried a price\u2014whether it was financial, emotional, or a combination of the two. I took the time to print out the document and placed it right beside the original schedule. I came up with my own little counterproposal called \u201cEthan\u2019s Plan for Supporting the Perfect Wife.\u201d I was so eager for him to see it.\n\n\n\n
That evening, Ethan strolled into the kitchen, humming a little tune to himself. He noticed the new document waiting for him. \u201cWhat\u2019s this?\u201d he inquired, lifting it up with a relaxed demeanor. I propped myself up against the counter, arms crossed, and took in the show.\n\n\n\n
Initially, he attempted to laugh, as if we were sharing a lighthearted secret together. But as he glanced at the numbers\u2014the gym fees, the grocery budget, the cooking classes, the compensation for my lost salary\u2014his smile began to fade. When he finally hit the projected $75,000 a year that I would need if I left my job to pursue his \u201cimprovement plan,\u201d he appeared downright sickly.\n\n\n\n
\u201cAre you serious?\u201d he exclaimed, stretching the paper out in front of him as if it could leap out and attack. \u201c$1,200 for a trainer?\u201d Are you spending hundreds more on groceries each month? Are you asking for seventy-five thousand dollars to cover your salary? \u201cMarisol, this is absolutely wild!\u201d\n\n\n\n
I lifted an eyebrow, pretending to be unaware. \u201cBut sweetheart, you were the one who wanted everything to be structured and perfect.\u201d Don\u2019t you see that it requires resources? If I\u2019m going to dedicate my life to fulfilling all these expectations, we have to approach it as seriously as a full-time job.\n\n\n\n
He stammered, rifling through the pages, discovering one line after another filled with expenses and adjustments. \u201cBut\u2014this was meant to be a helpful schedule!\u201d he exclaimed. \u201cI never intended\u2026\u201d <text\u201dI honestly didn\u2019t consider the expenses!\u201d\n\n\n\n
\u201cExactly,\u201d I replied with a sense of calm. \u201cYou didn\u2019t consider the costs, not only in financial terms but also regarding respect and partnership.\u201d Marriage isn\u2019t just about one person giving commands. It\u2019s all about working together and appreciating the time and effort we each bring to the table. What you provided was basically a plan for making me your own personal housekeeper.\n\n\n\n
Ethan felt the heaviness settle on his shoulders as he came to terms with the extent of his mistake. The pride and superiority he had flaunted the night before faded, giving way to feelings of shame and regret. \u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d he said softly. \u201cI found myself tangled in Glen\u2019s nonsense.\u201d He presented it in such a simple way, almost as if specific \u2018roles\u2019 would naturally align if we just set a few guidelines. I truly didn\u2019t intend to offend you or diminish the importance of all that you do.\n\n\n\n
I nodded slowly, letting him witness the pain he had inflicted. \u201cI love you, Ethan, but if you ever try to \u2018fix\u2019 me like that again, I\u2019ll have to remind you\u2014once more\u2014just how unrealistic your expectations really are.\u201d In this marriage, we are equals, and it\u2019s important for us to act that way.\n\n\n\n
He took a deep breath and then grabbed the schedule he had first handed to me. He didn\u2019t say a thing; he just ripped it in two and tossed the fragments into the recycling bin. I went ahead and created my own list, tearing it into tidy strips until there were no readable numbers left.\n\n\n\n
For a brief moment, we remained quiet, the atmosphere heavy with a shared sense of understanding and regret. Then Ethan gave a small, crooked smile. \u201cI think we\u2019ve both made our point, haven\u2019t we?\u201d he said gently.\n\n\n\n
I smiled back at him, feeling a sense of relief as the tension began to fade away. \u201cAbsolutely, I believe so.\u201d Let\u2019s move forward and focus on what truly counts.\n\n\n\n
That evening, we decided to get takeout, lounged on the couch, and reminisced about the things that initially connected us. Forget about lists, routines, or anyone else\u2019s twisted notions of gender roles. We discussed trust, kindness, and partnership\u2014how to create a life that suits both of us, rather than conforming to someone else\u2019s limited vision.\n\n\n\n
Ethan learned a valuable lesson, and I did too. Every now and then, a sudden shock\u2014a clash with the ridiculous\u2014can serve as a wake-up call, reminding us that marriage isn\u2019t about reshaping one partner to fit the other\u2019s vision. It\u2019s all about evolving together, fostering mutual respect and understanding. In that way, the torn-up schedules tossed in the trash were a minor sacrifice for a deeper, more equitable connection.\n\n\n\n
\nSummarized:\n\n\n\n\n
Marisol, a wife, was taken aback when her husband Ethan presented her with a neatly typed schedule detailing how she could \u201cimprove\u201d as a wife. She always thought of herself as the steady one in their marriage\u2014level-headed, patient, and more likely to give people the benefit of the doubt. Ethan often grabbed onto new ideas with a kind of innocent excitement, typically about harmless things. Recently, Ethan found himself swayed by his co-worker Glen, who likes to call himself a \u201cexpert\u201d on relationships, even though he\u2019s never actually been in one that lasted. Glen had a knack for sharing his opinions on how wives ought to act, and it seemed that Ethan absorbed every single one of his suggestions.\n\n\n\n
Ethan would throw out little remarks that made Marisol raise an eyebrow, yet somehow, he appeared even more convinced after each chat. That night, Ethan took a seat, carefully smoothing out a printout like it was an important contract. He remarked, \u201cYou\u2019re a wonderful wife, Marisol, but I think there\u2019s some room for improvement.\u201d He spoke to me as if I were just a machine that needed fixing, and I could have sworn I caught a glimpse of excitement in his gaze.
At the top, in bold letters, it read \u201cMarisol\u2019s Weekly Routine for Becoming a Better Wife.\u201d At the top, in bold letters, it read \u201cMarisol\u2019s Weekly Routine for Becoming a Better Wife.\u201d The schedule featured waking up at 5:00 a.m. to whip up a gourmet breakfast, hitting the gym to \u201ckeep my figure,\u201d dedicating the remaining pre-work hours to cleaning, organizing, and ironing clothes, and returning home to craft elaborate dinners, serve canap\u00e9s for visiting friends, and make sure the house was immaculate before collapsing into bed at night.\n\n\n\n
Marisol was left momentarily speechless by the sheer audacity of it all. Ethan suggesting I could be more domestic was one thing, but handing me a detailed plan felt like something straight out of a 1950s instruction manual. Ethan\u2019s face was lit up with hope, as if he was waiting for me to overflow with thanks. I held back my frustration and decided to approach things differently, putting on a cheerful smile and saying, \u201cYou know, Ethan, you could be onto something.\u201d Perhaps this framework will be beneficial for me. He instantly felt at ease, the tension in his forehead easing away. He expressed his gratitude for my understanding, completely oblivious to the fact that I had no plans to stick to his script.\n\n\n\n
The following morning, Marisol got ready to create a thorough invoice outlining the expectations her husband, Ethan, had for her to be the \u201cperfect wife.\u201d She went through each suggestion Ethan had offered, covering the expenses for gym visits, fancy breakfasts, high-end dinners, and cooking classes. She also said that she would need to raise the grocery budget to $700 a month to make up for the loss of her salary.
To make up for the loss of her salary, Marisol proposed that Ethan should pay her the same amount she earned at her job, which came to $75,000 a year. She also brought up the importance of having a dedicated entertainment space and a budget of $50,000 to create a \u201cman cave,\u201d ensuring that her carefully planned schedule wouldn\u2019t be interrupted by his friends.\n\n\n\n
When Marisol finally wrapped up her typing, the list had transformed into a magnificent chaos, each of his requests carrying a price\u2014whether it be financial, emotional, or a mix of both. She printed a document and placed it beside the original schedule, labeled \u201cEthan\u2019s Plan for Supporting the Perfect Wife.\u201d Ethan noticed the new document and observed it with a relaxed demeanor.\n\n\n\n
Ethan stared at the figures, his face turning a shade of green. He was taken aback by how serious Ethan was regarding the costs. It dawned on him that marriage isn\u2019t just about one person calling the shots; it\u2019s about sharing responsibilities and appreciating each other\u2019s time and efforts. Marisol emphasized that marriage is not about one person giving commands; it\u2019s about sharing responsibilities and appreciating each other\u2019s time and efforts.
Ethan came to understand the gravity of his mistake and sincerely apologized for his arrogance and condescension. He expressed regret for getting swept up in Glen\u2019s antics and assured that he never intended to insult or undermine all that Marisol accomplished. He acknowledged that if Ethan attempted to \u2018fix\u2019 him in that way again, he would need to demonstrate just how unrealistic his expectations really are.\n\n\n\n
Ethan ripped the schedule he had first handed to her into shreds and tossed the scraps into the recycling bin. Marisol smiled back, feeling a sense of relief as the tension began to fade away. He acknowledged that they had both made their point, realizing that sometimes a sudden shock\u2014a clash with the ridiculous\u2014can serve as a reminder that marriage isn\u2019t about shaping one partner to fit the other\u2019s vision. It\u2019s all about evolving side by side, fostering respect and understanding for one another. The torn-up schedules tossed in the trash were a minor sacrifice for a deeper, more equitable connection.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"