Zane

Sometimes she felt like she was married not to a grown man, but to her own child's older brother. Zane was a wonderful husband—kind, attentive, always willing to lend a shoulder. But whenever their son Ian was around, he'd go into "eternal boy" mode.

Ian was an obedient and quiet boy. Five years old, with wide eyes and a careful speech—the perfect child when she was around. But in Zane's company, they became a couple, making her left eyebrow twitch. Together, they did only what they pleased, as if the world existed specifically to test her patience.

That weekend, they went to the zoo. A family outing seemed like a great idea—at least until she made her fatal mistake: she didn't leave them alone, but simply went to get some wet wipes.

When she returned, she heard Zane's distinctive whisper.

• Come on, son, but quickly.

This has already become alarming.

Turning around, she saw Ian standing on the enclosure's fence, holding onto his father's shoulders. Zane was gently nudging him forward so he could reach the raccoon, who was standing on his hind legs, waiting for a treat.

"Dad, he's so cute! Can I pet him?" Jan asked excitedly.

“Of course you can,” Zane immediately replied, as if he was allowing her to touch a kitten and not a wild animal.

"Zayn, stop!" She barely screamed, but her voice broke.

He turned around, smiling as if nothing had happened.

"He just wants to feed him. I'm holding him tight."

People around looked at each other, some were filming on their phones, some quietly gasped.

And she stood there and thought about only one thing: how the two people dearest to her managed to be so wonderful at the same time... and so catastrophically irresponsible.