**Diary Entry 12th March**
*”Where are you off to? And wholl cook for us now?”*
*”What on earth are you doing? Where are you going? Whos going to make dinner?”* My husband, Thomas, stood baffled as he watched Antonia pack a bag after yet another row with his mother.
Antonia glanced out the window. A dreary, grey afternoon, despite it being early spring. Their little town up north seldom saw sunshinemaybe thats why the locals were so gloomy and unfriendly. Shed noticed lately how rarely she smiled, the frown lines deepening, making her look older than her years.
*”Mum! Im going out!”* Her daughter, Emily, shouted from the hallway.
*”Fine,”* Antonia muttered.
*”Fine? Give me some money, then.”*
*”Since when do walks cost anything?”* Antonia sighed.
*”Mum! Seriously?”* Emily huffed. *”Theyre waiting for me! Hurry up! And why so little?”*
*”Its enough for ice cream.”*
*”Youre such a miser,”* Emily tossed back before slamming the door. Antonia shook her head, remembering the sweet little girl shed been before the teenage years hit.
*”Toni, Im starving! Whens dinner?”* Thomas bellowed from the living room.
*”Go and eat, then,”* she replied flatly, setting a plate on the table.
*”Arent you going to serve me?”*
Antonia nearly dropped the pan. *Good grief.*
*”We eat in the kitchen, Tom. Take it or leave it.”* She sat down alone.
Fifteen minutes later, Thomas finally shuffled in.
*”Cold gross.”*
*”Take longer next time.”*
*”I asked you nicely! Not a shred of care in the world! You know Ive got the match on!”* He shoved a bite of chicken into his mouth. *”Tastes like cardboard.”*
Antonia rolled her eyes. Football had turned him into a different manbets, merchandise, overpriced tickets. An obsession, though hed never cared for sports when they first met.
Without sitting down, Thomas grabbed a beer, a bag of crisps *”for the hunger,”* and marched back to the telly. Left behind, Antonia cleared the dirty dishes.
No one ever appreciated her work.
Exhausted from her shiftshe was a senior nurse at the hospitalshe came home to another full-time job: fetch, carry, clean.
*”Any more drinks left?”* Thomas rummaged through the fridge. *”Whys there never any?”*
*”You drank them all! Should I buy them for you single-handedly? Have some shame, Tom!”*
*”Oh, touchy,”* he sneered before slamming the door to restock for the next match.
Antonia went to bed earlyanother long shift tomorrowbut sleep wouldnt come. Worry gnawed at her. Where was Emily? Who was she with? It was dark, and still no sign of her. Calling always led to rows.
*”Are you trying to embarrass me in front of my friends? Stop calling!”* Emily would scream. So Antonia stopped, telling herself her daughter was eighteen now. No job, no studiesjust *”finding herself”* after finishing school.
Just as she dozed off, Thomass triumphant shouts woke her. Someone mustve scored. Then came the loud debate with the neighbour whod *”popped round”* and stayed too long, bringing his girlfriend along. Around midnight, Emily clattered in, banged plates, stomped upstairs. When silence finally fell, the cat yowled for food.
*”Can no one in this house feed the bloody cat?!”* Antonia snapped, migraine pounding. Emily had headphones on, tapping her forehead like *”whatever.”* Thomas snored on the sofa, beer can in hand.
*”Ive had enough I cant take this anymore.”*
The next morning, her mother-in-law rang.
*”Antonia, darling, dont forget the vegetable planting today. And the cottage needs tidying.”*
*”I remember,”* Antonia sighed.
*”Well leave tomorrow.”*
Her one day off, spent under Veras watchful eye at the allotment.
*”Thats not how you sweep! Hold the broom properly!”* Vera barked from her perch on the bench.
*”Im nearly fifty, Vera. I think I can manage,”* Antonia dared to say.
*”Thomas would never do it like that.”*
*”And where is your son? Why isnt he driving you? Why must we take a three-hour bus? Its always Thomas this, Thomas that…”*
*”Hes exhausted.”*
*”And Im not?”*
Regret hit instantly. Vera loved justiceher own version of it. Thomas could do no wrong; Antonia was just the workhorse tolerated out of pity.
They rode home in silence, opposite ends of the bus. Next day, Vera complained to Thomas, who erupted.
*”How dare you speak to my mother like that!”*
*”What? Would you rather I”*
*”If it werent for her, youd still be at that clinic!”* He threw it in her facehow Vera had *”helped”* her land the hospital job. Better pay, but the stress had aged her. Shed regretted leaving the quiet clinic a thousand times.
*”What are you doing?”* Thomas froze when he saw her.
Antonia did the one thing he never expected.
**Lesson Learnt:** A womans patience isnt endlesssometimes, the quietest ones walk away first.
