Introduction: Now we’d like to complicate Vincent and Erin’s dilemma just a bit more by telling you what happened next…

Need to get up to speed with the first part of the dilemma? Read it here and vote/comment before moving on to The Wrinkle.

Read our Expert’s Analysis of the dilemma and your responses.

THE WRINKLE

After Vincent accused her of overspending, Erin walked out of the room and didn’t speak to him the rest of the night. Vincent decided it would be better to sleep in the guest room.

The next morning he got up earlier than usual and brought her a cup of coffee in bed and apologized to her as soon as she woke up. They lay in bed and talked for an hour before the kids got up about Vincent’s job and the pressure he was under. Erin reminded him that his boss, Don, had four kids of his own and was now a grandfather. He, of all people, should be able to understand Vincent’s predicament. He agreed to talk to his boss. Before getting up to get dressed he kissed Erin, thanked her and told her he loved her.

“I love you too” she said smiling. Before Vincent got to the bathroom door it dawned on her that she’d forgotten something. “Oh! Don’t forget we need the down payment for Michael’s pre-school transferred into our checking account!” Vincent closed his eyes and sighed at the reminder of having to write another big check. ‘This wasn’t Erin’s fault’ he thought to himself. ‘We both want Michael to go to that school.’

Cutbacks

Later that day Vincent scheduled a lunch meeting with Don who suggested they go to his favorite steakhouse around the corner from their office. While they waited for their main course to be served Vincent told Don what had been happening with his home life. He described how all the late nights and work on the weekends were really upsetting his wife and children. He told his boss that he really liked the work and very much wanted his future to be with the firm but he wondered if cutting back his hours would affect his chances for advancement.

When Vincent finished Don leaned in closer to him and told him “I’m sorry to hear you’re having trouble at home, Vincent. Really I am. But I can’t lie to you; there are a lot of lawyers your age who would kill to be in your shoes. I can’t see how cutting back is going to help you career here.”

Vincent mentioned Don’s commitment to his own family as a plea for understanding. But judging by his tepid response it became clear that not only was his boss not very sympathetic but that it had been a choice that Don had also made long ago and that his relationships with his wife and kids suffered because of it.

On his way back to the office Vincent felt like he’d been punched in the stomach. He left the office relatively early and arrived home at 7pm. Erin and the kids were thrilled to see him and Vincent was able to sing his son to sleep with a lullaby.

Sit Down

After the kids had gone down for the night he sat down in the kitchen with Erin and told her about his conversation with Don. Erin was floored. She had worked for Don when she had gotten out of college and thought he was a really decent guy.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about this” Vincent told her. “Why don’t I just start my own practice? That way I’ll be my own boss and I can set my own hours. At the very least I could look for a job at another firm where the hours are less drastic.”

Erin knew that either alternative would mean changes. She looked at him somewhat confused “but how will we be able to afford that?” she said.

Vincent went onto explain that they most likely couldn’t continue living in the same house and that the pre-school they were hoping to send Michael to would also not be an option. He also thought Erin might need to consider going back to work.

Now Erin was the one who felt like she had been punched in the stomach. She had worked for a long time to make their dream home. She loved not having to work. She was starting to regret making an issue out of his job at all.

After Vincent had finished listing what would need to change in their lives if he opened a solo law practice he seemed to notice that Erin’s mood had changed for the worse.