"Reaching a Breaking Point"

"I'm pregnant, Avan, are you not getting this?" Ashley's voice rose to a shout, her words laced with frustration and desperation. She felt like she was drowning in a sea of responsibilities, and Avan's calm and rational approach was not helping. Avan's expression changed from calm to shock as he processed Ashley's words. He felt like he had been punched in the gut, and he didn't know how to react. He had suspected that Ashley might be pregnant, but he had hoped that she would be happy about it. "I...I didn't know," Avan stuttered, trying to find the right words to say. Ashley laughed, a bitter sound that was laced with tears. "You didn't know? You're not even paying attention to me, Avan. I'm telling you that I'm pregnant, and you're just standing there, looking at me like you're not even sure what to say." Avan took a step forward, his arms outstretched. "Ashley, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...I just..." But Ashley was beyond consolation. She felt like she was at her breaking point, and Avan's words were not helping. "I don't want this pregnancy, Avan. I want an abortion. Alex is so hard to deal with, and Avery is a baby. The housework, the cooking...it's all too much for me. What would you know?" she yelled, her voice cracking with emotion. Avan felt a pang of guilt as he realized that he had been taking Ashley for granted. He had been so caught up in his own thoughts and worries that he had neglected to see what Ashley was going through. He knew that he had to be there for her, to support her and help her through this difficult time. "Ashley, please," Avan said, his voice soft and gentle. "Let's talk about this. We can figure it out together." But Ashley was beyond reason. She felt like she was drowning, and she didn't know how to keep her head above water. "You don't understand, Avan. You don't get it. You're not the one who has to deal with all of this. You're not the one who has to be the mom and the wife and the chef and the maid. You're not the one who has to do it all." Avan felt a surge of anger at himself. He knew that he had been taking Ashley for granted, and he was ashamed of it. He knew that he had to do better, to be better. He took a deep breath and tried to approach Ashley calmly. "Ashley, I do understand. I understand that you're overwhelmed, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I haven't been there for you more. But we can get through this together. We can figure it out." Ashley looked at him, her eyes filled with tears. "How?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "How are we going to figure it out?"