The Babysitter & The "Boss Lady"

My ten-month-old daughter, Lily, had just taken a nasty tumble and was out cold. I was freaking out, but my husband, Mark, gets this call and just bolts out the door, leaving me and Lily high and dry.

Later, like 3 AM, he stumbles back drunk, propped up by this young woman. She’s got this snotty look on her face, all, "Oh, hi, sister. You're a stay-at-home mom? Seriously? You're like a freakin' leech, mooching off your husband! You're giving us women a bad name!" Then she has the nerve to add, “You’re not good enough for him!”

I take one look at the smudges on them both, and calmly shut the door.

It’s been too long since I’ve had to handle someone. My knuckles were itching.

1.

Lately, Mark had been complaining about this new hire, a recent college grad. He’d go on and on about how she messed up contracts, sent stuff straight to Legal without him seeing it, tossed his freshly printed documents in the shredder, spilled coffee all over his laptop, even reformatted his USB drive with his presentation on it!

At first, I tried to be sympathetic. But after a while, either she left the company, or he figured out I was tired of listening, because he stopped bringing her up. Still, two months later, in the middle of the night, I met her after Lily took her tumble off the bed.

It was a split second while I used the bathroom, I don’t know how Lily rolled off. My poor little girl had a huge goose egg on the back of her head, crying her eyes out. I was terrified she had a concussion. I got her ready to go to the ER, rushing Mark to get us to the hospital.

But, of course, then a call comes in on his cell. He glances at it, doesn’t answer, but then it rings right back. It’s this kind of thing he’s got to take.

Mark answers, and his face gets all tight. "What's up?"

Lily was still screaming. Mark’s voice was even louder. He keeps repeating "What is it?" and then he runs outside the car, with a hand over his forehead.

He was walking around outside, phone clamped to his ear, looking like he wanted to kill someone. I was trying to soothe Lily and worried sick, but I can hear him getting heated out there.

After about five minutes, Mark pops his head back in, looking totally annoyed. "Babe, it's this new girl at work. Some big client has her cornered in the bathroom. I have to go."

I was floored. "You’re going to go get her while Lily is like this?!"

I looked at Lily, who’d finally calmed down a little but was clearly out of it. Every mom knows that when your baby hits their head, it’s the change in mood that really gets to you.

I’m about to tell Mark how dangerous this is, but he cuts me off. "Lily's got you. You go to the ER. I’m not a doctor. I’m not gonna be helpful at the hospital. But this girl, Ashley, is new to town. She doesn't have anyone else here. I'm the only person who can help her.”

I stare at him, not comprehending. "Mark, it’s our daughter who needs help. Your own child! And what do you mean, only you can help her? Does she not know an...