Nine months pregnant and eager to prepare the nursery, Eloise grew frustrated as her husband, Tom, kept delaying putting together the baby’s crib. Every time she asked, he promised to do it “tomorrow,” but that day never came. Feeling overwhelmed and alone, Eloise decided she couldn’t wait any longer and set out to assemble the crib herself despite her heavy pregnancy.

Dragging the heavy box across the room and struggling with complicated instructions, Eloise worked slowly and painfully while Tom watched passively. When he finally noticed, he dismissed her effort with a careless comment, only deepening her sense of isolation. Though exhausted and in tears by the time she finished, Eloise realized this wasn’t just about the crib—it was about Tom’s failure to share the responsibility of preparing for their baby.

Determined to teach him a lesson, Eloise invited friends and family over and tasked Tom with handling all the party preparations, knowing it would overwhelm him. As the day unfolded, Tom panicked trying to manage the decorations, food, and errands, showing Eloise exactly what it felt like to be left to carry the load alone. The party exposed his lack of readiness and sparked an important conversation about partnership.

Afterward, Tom apologized sincerely, admitting he hadn’t understood how much Eloise was managing on her own. She told him firmly that parenting and marriage require teamwork, not one person doing it all. Tom promised to change, and Eloise gave him a chance to prove he could truly be a partner—because this journey wasn’t hers alone, but theirs.