Doesn't the KISS principle rule here? Isn't the likely truth... Theoretically isn't it that, Nick is in the closet. Never broke away from his family and created his own self-sustaining life. His family is deeply religious. So Nick has created the character he thinks people/family want him to be, the Trad Dad. But really he's seething, and bitter. His family keeps telling him to man up, real men don't leave their wives, they figure it out. His wife tries desperately to find ways to make it work too, she starts doing things with him she wouldn't normally. Anyone who was a jock in college, knows that the guys on the cheerleading squad having nude parties/rooms isn't about "getting girls" it's about being naked with the guys, that's not a cool story, that's the story of some non-=straight kids playing with their feelings without saying it out loud. Nick isn't straight. He forced himself to be what he thought he was supposed to be, had the kids, got married, says all the the words he thinks he should. After the kids, i'm sure the sex felll off, and the wife started looking elsewhere. All of this, is him giving an FU to his family, and to himself, for not being strong enough to be himself and go off on his own, instead he decided to become a fake character for the family money. and feels stuck in this life, so he abuses substances and acts out. This is also what Imholte is about, and why they connected. They saw in each other, a likeminded soul. And as always... Putting two psychos in one place, you get all the chaos.
They're both in the closet.
Nick will keep spiraling until he admits it. Appears to also be into youth, grossdressing, and more.
This story makes the most sense.
No straight trad guy is doing anything he's doing... Because Nick isn't straight or trad.
He's trying to be what he thinks that looks like, for grandaddy's moulah.
That's why they're both caricatures of trad men, with the "steeltoe" "trad dad" names.... Steeltoe? lol.... Those two are more likely to be in chrome heels, than steeltoes.
They're both playing characters.
He's burning it all down in spite of his family and himself. He doesn't think he will get the money or love of his family if he admits the truth. What he's essentially doing is trying to prove his family doesn't love him, and will act out until they leave, or he's revealed. The reveal will be epic.
They always find each other. Addicts find addicts. real recognizes real. Closet dwellers recognize closet dwellers. And that's what's happened.
Only uglier things to come.
The issue isn't the drugs... It's WHY the drugs. And this is the why. Theoretically.
Listen again to everything. He's in the closet, the wife now knows, and they've been trying to find ways to make it work "for the kids" but it's killing them both to try.
Theoretically...... "The worst day of his life" might have to do with this fact.
