**Diary Entry 12th September**
*”When will dinner be ready?”*
*”Itll be ready when you make it.”* My mother-in-law peered over her glasses. *”Nicholas, does your wife expect me to cook while she lazes about?”*
Natalie ignored her, grabbed a few things, and marched to the hallway. The old woman followed. *”What on earth are you doing? Where are you going?”*
*”On holiday! Goodbye!”* She dropped her heavy bags with relief.
*”Im home!”*
A grumble echoed from the living room before Nicholas appearedfortyish, in a tracksuit and slippers.
*”Must you shout, Natalie? This isnt your village. Act civilised.”*
*”You couldve at least met me. You know my wages came ingroceries wont buy themselves.”*
He sighed dramatically. *”For heavens sake! What groceries?”* Then he turned and left.
Natalie exhaled. Exhausted. Two jobs to keep this house running, while Nicholasegged on by his mumspent years writing a mythical *second* book. The first? A flop. *”No one understands art!”*
She unpacked, then collapsed. A months holidayjust to scrub, launder, and fold under her mother-in-laws watch.
*”Natalie!”* Margaret peered into the kitchen. *”Sitting down? Your husbands worked all daymust he starve?”*
*”Earned much, has he?”* The words slipped out. Once, shed admired the aspiring writer who promised fame. Once, shed trembled at Margarets glare, bending over backwards to please. Guilt had silenced herafter maternity leave, it was Margaret whod supported them.
The older woman whirled around. *”What did you say?”*
*”I asked if hed earned anything. Most working men bring in money.”*
*”How dare you! Nicholas spent all day plotting his next chapter! What would you know of mental labour?”*
Margaret huffed off. Natalie stared at the fridge. *What am I doing here?* Her son, Jack, was long gonesent to her parents village for *”disturbing Nicholass genius.”*
Suddenly, she yanked open the fridge, stuffing groceries into a bag. Her wages and holiday pay were hers. Shed bring treats. Buy Jack a gift on the way.
As she lugged the bag out, Nicholas called, *”Dinner?”*
*”When you cook it.”*
Margaret gasped. *”Nicholas! She expects me”*
Natalie was already leaving.
*”Where are you going?”*
*”Holiday. Ta-ra!”* She didnt wait. Sixty miles in a taxi? Worth it.
Jack was asleep when she arrived. He woke, bolting into her arms. *”Missed you, Mum.”* Her mother eyed her. *”Whats happened? Left Nicholas? Wholl look after him?”*
Mum had never tolerated Nicholas. Weekends here ended when shed roused him at dawn for choreshis *”country retreats”* soon stopped.
*”Ive had enough. A whole month off!”*
Mum beamed. *”Good. Rest. Be with Jack.”*
Natalie lay beside him, tracing his face in the moonlight. She didnt notice when sleep took her.
Morning brought the smell of baking. Unheard ofsomeone cooking *for her*. Jack bounced in. *”Gran made pies! A whole tray!”*
After breakfast, Natalie rolled up her sleeves. *”Right, what needs doing?”*
*”Rest first,”* Mum said.
*”This *is* rest.”*
*”The veg patch, then. Cabbages need weeding.”*
By the third row, Natalie found joy in the work. The neat, tended lines made her smile.
*”Never seen anyone weed with such a grin,”* a voice teased.
She looked up*”James!”*lunging into his arms.
Her childhood neighbour. At ten, shed trailed after fifteen-year-old James. Hed humoured her, sharing sweets. Then hed left for the army, married, moved away. A decade since theyd met.
*”Youre back?”*
*”Visiting Mum. Divorced last month.”*
That evening, James and his mum hosted a barbecue. Laughter, no filters, no bitternessjust living.
Two weeks later, Mum broached it. *”Will you go back?”*
*”Dunno. Jobs there, but no home.”*
*”Rent somewhere. Or stay. Well find work. And James You see how he looks at you?”*
*”Mum! Thats nostalgia.”*
*”Hes steady. Good job in the city.”*
Natalie laughed. *”Trying to matchmake?”*
James left for work. Natalie missed him pathetically. Nicholas bombarded her with texts*”Ungrateful! I lifted you from that village!”*then threats to evict her. *Amusing. Never registered me, but now hell remove me?*
Margaret called next. *”My blood pressures up! Any harm comes to me, its on you!”*
Thensilence. Odd, but welcome.
James returned, bearing Jack a toy train. Another invite. Mums knowing look made Natalies heart race.
As kebabs sizzled, a car pulled up. A young woman flounced out. *”James! Enough hiding! Lets go home.”*
Natalie froze. *His ex-wife.* She took Jacks hand, retreatinguntil a taxi arrived.
Out stepped Nicholas and Margaret.
*”Look at her! Gallivanting while her husband suffers!”*
*”Why are you here?”* Natalies patience snapped.
*”Home. Now! A man needs feeding, cleaning”*
*”Got a job, then?”*
Margaret spluttered, but Nicholas cut in. *”Im writing! Not flipping burgers!”*
*”Know what, Nicholas? Youre a failure. What have you done for this family? Fed us? Taught Jack? No. You and your mum leech off me. Im not coming back. Only for my thingseverything *I* bought.”*
As she turned, James appeared, grinning. *”Bravo.”*
They watched Nicholas, Margaret, and the ex-wife argue wildly.
Natalie didnt stay in the village. After marrying James, they moved to the city. He insisted she quit the factory*”No place for a woman.”* Now she files papers in an office, ashamed of her small wageuntil James laughed. *”Your moneys for you. *Ill* provide.”*
Nicholas married the ex-wife. Last Natalie heard, Margaret finally shoved him into a factory job.
Funny how life works. One door closes, another opens.
**Lesson:** A life spent pleasing ingrates is a life half-lived. Sometimes, walking away is the bravest step.
