Youre a real treasure, Emily!
Again? Listen, Emily, who was she really having that baby for? For herself or for us? I come home from work, want to have dinner, unwind, spend time with you, and instead Im forced to sit with someone elses child!
He isnt exactly a stranger, Emily shivered and sighed. Honestly, Im not keen on this either, she admitted. But Claire asked me to get a manicure, and you cant bring a toddler into a salon.
James fidgeted with his jacket, pulled it off and flung it onto a chair. He needed to feed his nephew, and doing it in home clothes was far easier. The chance of splashing baby puree was a certainty.
I get it, but you cant skip the nails, can you? Are you the only one for her? Why is our family turning into a nursery?
Theres still Mom, but she cant be on call every day, James replied, pulling a packet of spaghetti from the cupboard.
You, apparently, can, Emily interrupted. You can do everything except look after yourself and me.
James first frowned, then exhaled and relaxed a little. His expression softened: his wife wasnt an enemy, just a steady partner.
Emily, if you dont cut her loose from your schedule, shell keep hanging on. And youll be the one to blame, because the one who brings the load decides where it sits.
Emily pretended to be fully immersed in cooking, but inside she knew James was right. She didnt know how to live with it: she didnt want to become a second mother to her nephew, yet she didnt want to quarrel with the family.
It all started innocently.
Emily, Im coming down with a cold and Toms in my arms. I need to pop to the chemist, but I cant leave the child alone. I cant manage on my own. Help, please.
Without a second thought, Emily rushed in, not considering the delivery. Her sister was ill, possibly badly, and needed rescuing.
Saving soon turned into habit.
Need to pick up a phone from the repair shop? Claires calling. Out of groceries? Emilys on it again. Package arrived at the pickup point? Emily darts over like a personal courier.
Emily could afford such feats because she worked remotely with a flexible schedule, allowing her to break away. That didnt mean it was convenient. Claires house was fifteen minutes away, but the roundtrip, the queue, the waiting and the little lifesnags ate at least an hour.
Now Emily worked mainly evenings and sometimes nights, when the flat was quiet. Her husband, of course, wasnt thrilled, and neither was she. She tried to talk to her sister.
Claire, hows Mark doing? He never helps, does he? Emily asked cautiously while handing over another parcel from Amazon Fresh.
He does help, Claire replied. He just works late and comes home exhausted. God willing, hell sit with the baby while I shower, and the rest falls on me.
Claire protected her own husband, but she didnt think about Emilys situation. Emily grunted and fell silent.
What about his mother? She lives nearby.
Dont remind me! Claire rolled her eyes. Ive had enough of that toad. When she shows up, I get a headache that lasts all evening. Shes not a woman, shes a well of unwanted advice. Id rather starve than ask her for anything.
Is there nobody else? Emily pressed. Oksana also has a toddler, about the same age as yours. You could swap one watches, the other runs errands. Or Megan, she doesnt work at all.
It feels wrong to lean on strangers, Claire admitted. They dont have to.
Leaning on your own is easier, Emily sighed.
After that, Emily decided to turn her sister down. Even before James hinted at anything, she knew it shouldnt be that way.
The opportunity came straight away. The next day Claire called, saying shed booked a slot at the salon.
Emily, come over and sit with the baby for an hour.
The tone had shifted to a command. She wasnt asking any more; she was demanding. It infuriated Emily: why should she rearrange her plans just so Claire could get her nails done?
No, Claire, I cant today. Sorry.
What do you mean I cant?
I cant solve all your problems. I have a life of my own.
I understand, but what am I to do? I have no one else. Ive already booked, I cant let a person down. Shes angry, she wont forgive me.
Claire, you didnt even consult me before booking. Im not a runaway girl or a motherhen. Sort it out yourself.
Fine, Claire snapped, hurt. Its easy for you to say that, you have no kids. You dont know how hard this is.
She knew the nephew was gradually becoming like a son to her, but Emily stayed quiet. She was a nonconfrontational person, and even this refusal felt like a feat.
Claire didnt give up and called their mother.
How can you, Emily? their mother began. Your own sister has a child, and you refuse! Shes alone! Who will help her if not us?
Mom, when she asked me to pick up medicine I went because it was important. Now she calls every day about trivial things. Today she even booked a salon! Does it really have to be that urgent? She just wants to look pretty, like any woman. Understand her.
Emily raised an eyebrow. No one had ever truly seen her position.
Mom, since youre so wise, help her.
What? I can barely move my legs! their mother replied, surprised. Youre young, its easier for you.
Youre young, childfree, yet you sit at home all day. Those words echoed constantly in Emilys ears, and she was tired of them. That day she held firm and didnt help her sister.
In retaliation, her mother and Claire gave her the silent treatment for a week, acting as if she didnt exist. Others might have stayed calm, but Emily couldnt find a place for herself and kept wondering how to mend things with the family.
A week later Claire called again, asking for someone to watch the baby while she got a manicure. Emily agreed, even though she hated herself for it. She was choosing between exile from the family and patience.
Youre soft one minute, sharp the next, James said after listening. Be careful, or shell never back off.
Emily sighed and nodded. Late at night she mulled over how to say no without causing a scene.
During the day the phone rang, predictably.
Emily, I cant any longer. The babys got a fever, has been screaming since morning, and Im running around like a hamster! I cant even sit down or use the loo. Come over, well manage together.
I cant, I have work. We have strict monitoring now: programmes track activity, even lunch cant be skipped. Its like an office.
Silence on the line. Claire seemed to be looking for a weak spot.
Please! Just once, the last time! Ask someone to cover for you or take a day off.
Emily had no choice. She pretended to concede.
Alright, Ill figure something out.
She hung up and texted Mark, asking for his mothers number. Mark didnt refuse, and his mother agreed to pop over to Claires.
Emily knew exactly when the mother arrived because the messages kept coming.
What the heck, youve gone mad! Claire texted. Why did you bring her onto me?
You needed help. I called her, Emily replied, as if nothing had happened. I cant come myself, you know that.
Claire read it but didnt answer. Emily felt a small victory, hers alone. Claire would whine, Mom would probably be upset again, but now the sister would have to learn to manage on her own or find help from those who truly wanted to help.
The whole episode taught Emily that constantly bending for others leaves you bent beyond repair. Setting boundaries isnt selfish; its essential for keeping yourself whole. In the end, the peace you gain by saying no protects the relationships you truly value.
