Nicholas Kennedy always thought of himself as a good man. He brought himself up out of the poverty his parents had borne him into. He worked for his education, became well-spoken and well-dressed, obtained his PhD in mathematics. He was, for all intents and purposes, a successful man. He had a beautiful wife who was now pregnant with their first child after years of trying. He had a good life, or so that’s what he tried to remind himself when he felt the impact of simplicity and repetition every morning. He was living the Amercan Dream, he told himself. He was wealthy, attractive, had a large house, a nice car, started a family. He should be content.
But if he was honest with himself, he wasn’t content. Lakewood High seemed insistent on increasing his work load, he worked increasingly longer and longer hours every week. His wife, Sarah, would argue with him constantly when he was home. He was tired and not getting enough sleep. And now that she was pregnant and neurotic, Sarah wouldn’t so much as touch him, let alone have sex with him.