The Husbands: A Novel

Nora and Hayden Spangler are on their way to look at a house in Dynasty Ranch, a development outside of Austin, Texas. Nora broods while Hayden drives, oblivious to her mood. He always tells her things will get done, “But the part he leaves out is that he’ll have nothing to do with the doing” (5). Nora feels like the family Rumpelstiltskin, taking care of the house and family as if by magic.

They arrive at 2913 Majestic Grove, and, despite the ruins of one burned-out house, the street looks like the American Dream. Their current home is too small, with their four-year-old daughter, Liv, and a baby on the way, and some features they initially found charming—like the switchback stairs—now seem dangerous, especially after “the accident.” Nora feels like their family is part of Alice in Wonderland, eating the cake that makes them grow until the space around them becomes too small.

Hayden and Nora meet Isla Wong, the neighborhood realtor. She asks what Nora does, and Nora says she’s a personal injury lawyer. Isla confirms that Nora graduated from Dartmouth though Nora finds the question odd. Isla tells them it is for the buyer application process.

Though it’s Sunday, Nora gets an urgent text from Gary, a senior partner at her firm, Greenberg Schwall. Nora is a candidate for partner, and though she doesn’t have her own client list, she is content to work behind the scenes, helping Gary with his caseload. He cannot connect to the printer, so she must spend the afternoon on the phone with him and IT. When Hayden disappears to the garage, Nora gets irritated. He says she should have come to get him. He accuses her of being in “a mood” and says it’s ridiculous that she’s expected to work weekends. She explains that, unlike him, she doesn’t get to go to work and just work; she must drop Liv off or take her to appointments, run various errands, etc. Feeling like a broken record, Nora says she needs time, and Hayden tells her they’ll figure it out, but Nora knows it will be she who figures it out. He promises to help more, but she’s heard this before. She has to believe him though, because he forgave her for doing something awful.

The chapter is followed by a link to and summary of a Lexington Post article on social media. The article discusses the record number of working mothers and how they employ “creative problem-solving to make the most of their time” (16). One female commenter mocks the author’s use of “creative,” and another mentions she must wear her breast pump so she can express milk on the go. The lone male commenter says articles like these ignore the work men do at home.

Nora must attend another meeting of the Women’s Leadership Initiative at work, where she is compelled to discuss “direct language” with a partner named Barbara. The firm’s men are working at their desks while the women sacrifice time for these monthly meetings. Isla texts, asking Nora to call. After the meeting, Nora does, and Isla mentions some neighbors who need help with a wrongful death case. Though she doesn’t really want to take this on, Nora agrees to meet them tomorrow.

By the next morning, Hayden has abandoned his promise. Nora gets a flat tire on her way to Dynasty Ranch and is about to call a tow truck when a man pulls over. Changing the tire, he asks her for the time, concerned because his wife expects him and he needs to grocery shop, pick up the drycleaning, and get home to fold the laundry; he seems nervous about being late.

Nora rings the doorbell and tells the man who answers that she’s looking for Cornelia White. The man is Asher, Cornelia’s husband, and Nora realizes he’s cleaning out the closet; he gushes about the virtues of an organized space. Nora confesses that clean closets are a rarity in her home. Asher suggests that she must be “just like [his] Cornelia. She works so hard” (26). Nora goes down the hall to find Cornelia, a psychiatrist, just finishing notes on a recent counseling session. Her walls are hung with degrees and accomplishments. Dr. Thea Jenkins, a neurosurgeon, arrives. The women tell Nora about their friend, Penny March, and how her husband, Richard, was killed in the housefire down the street. The fire happened on the night of a hospital benefit that most of the neighbors attended. Nora sees their closeness and thinks of her best friend, Andi Ogsby, who lives abroad. Thea suggests that taking the case would give them a chance to get to know Nora, and then one of the women could serve as the Spanglers’ “sponsor” if they make an offer on the house.

Penny is in Cornelia’s pool house, where she’s been living since the fire. Penny is a 40-something advice columnist, and Nora is a fan of her work. Penny is very intuitive and offers Nora hypothetical advice about whether to take her case. Penny loves Cornelia, but she also seems irritated by Cornelia’s attempts to “therapize” her.

The chapter is followed by a Facebook post from a central Texas mothers’ group. An anonymous poster writes that she’s been busy lately with her brokerage firm, but her husband just told her she doesn’t spend enough time with their kids. She is certain this period is temporary and doesn’t want to make any professional changes. Most commenters are supportive, while one criticizes the original poster for ignoring her husband’s needs. Cornelia comments that this is a common problem and asks if the poster has considered therapy.

Nora comes home to a big mess and finds Hayden on the couch. She wasn’t sure she wanted another child because there is already so little of her to spare, but a friend told her that moms don’t split their love with two kids; instead, one’s heart grows larger. This reminds Nora of The Grinch. It’s dinner- and bath-time, but the fridge is empty. Hayden orders take-out, but they eat late, so the “finish line” of Liv’s bedtime recedes. Hayden asks Nora if she’s ordered Liv’s new shoes—she hasn’t yet. She tells him he could order them, but he doesn’t know Liv’s size.

Hayden disappears again. Liv refuses to walk, so Nora calls him for help. When he emerges, he says she just needs to ask for help and tells her to watch “the tone.” Nora is seething even before he says to stop acting as though he doesn’t “help [her].” She asks him, “Why is helping around the house only considered helping me?” (46). He accuses her of getting “worked up” over semantics and tells her to stop keeping a “scoreboard” of their roles. Nora says she doesn’t need a scoreboard to know she does more, and he disappears again. Nora puts Liv to bed and reminds herself that Hayden is a good husband. She looks at Liv’s scars, reminded of the stitches and pins that once held her daughter together.

Later, Hayden apologizes, saying they both have full plates, and this is what happens when two people work, have a family, and a life. Nora doesn’t feel like she has a life. She mentions Dynasty Ranch and explains Penny’s case. Hayden is on the fence about the house.

Nora lies awake for hours, thinking of all the things she must remember. At 2:00 am, she goes in search of melatonin. The bottle is empty, her mother’s Ambien bottle beside it. With “self-loathing,” she considers taking one, but opts to call Andi instead. Andi reminds Nora that tomorrow is Nora’s mom’s birthday, and Nora cannot believe she nearly forgot. Nora’s parents divorced after 20 years: Her father left for another woman, and Nora’s mother had to cobble jobs together to make ends meet. She died of cancer eight years ago, and there was never a doubt as to whether Nora or Tom, her brother, would put life on hold to care for her. Nora searches the internet for information about the Marches’ housefire, and she learns that Richard burned to death.

Gary calls Nora for a meeting to discuss Nora’s candidacy. The executive committee raised concerns, such as the decline in Nora’s billable hours during her maternity leave and at the time of Liv’s accident. Barbara reminds Nora that she’s not the only parent up for promotion, and Nora longs to point out that the others are fathers, and it’s not the same. Gary suggests it might be a different story if Nora had her own clients, so she tells them about the wrongful death case. She mentions that she considered refusing it because Gary needs her help with his caseload. Barbara calls the case “promising” though Gary is less enthusiastic.

Nora decides to take the case and calls Cornelia to let her know. Cornelia asks about the house, and Nora says Hayden is unsure. Cornelia invites them to a dinner party so the Dynasty residents can persuade him. That night, Hayden gets home after Liv’s in bed, but he brings Nora flowers. He insists he’s not a “total asshole” and that he does more around the house than his friends. They end up having sex, and she’s grateful that “everything is mostly, mostly fine” (66).

The chapter is followed by a summary and link to a magazine article on social media. The article discusses how the “modern dad” does triple the housework of his predecessor. All female commenters say it’s still not enough. The one male commenter asks why men should want to do things for their wives when those wives are so ungrateful.

Nora drives to the charred remains of Penny’s house. Exploring the ruin, she detects a lemony, piney scent near the laundry room. Alexis Foster-Ross, the HOA head, approaches and invites Nora to her house. Alexis is the CEO of a tech start-up, and Nora mentions that she’s up for partner. Alexis asks if Nora went to good schools and what her grades were, more questions that seem odd. Alexis calls it a “[b]ig year” for Nora, even telling Nora that she is proud of her. The unexpected praise makes Nora emotional.

Max, Alexis’s husband, arrives, and he’s the man who changed Nora’s tire. Max acts like they’ve never met. As he unloads groceries, Nora asks Alexis for copies of the community plans. They exchange numbers, and Alexis promises to provide any information to assist the Spanglers’ decision to buy the house, saying, “we don’t have a lawyer yet” (79). Nora assumes it must be a joke.