Enough of carrying everyone on my back! Im not going to cough up a single pennygo and feed yourselves however you like! Emily shouted, slamming the card blocker.
She shoved the flats door open and was instantly met with voices drifting from the kitchen. Her husband, Thomas, was chatting with his mother, Margaret Hargreaves. The woman had arrived early that morning and, as usual, made herself at home in the kitchen.
So, whats the story with the telly? Thomas asked.
Its ancient, Margaret complained. The pictures terrible, the sound cuts out. It ought to have been replaced ages ago.
Emily slipped off her shoes and stepped into the kitchen. Margaret sat at the table with a mug of tea; Thomas fiddled with his mobile.
Ah, Emilys here, Thomas said brightly. We were just talking about Mums television.
Whats wrong with it? Emily asked, weary.
Its completely broken. We need a new one, Margaret replied.
Thomas set his phone down and turned to his wife.
You always foot the bill for things like this. Buy Mum a new set. We dont want to dip into our own pockets.
Emily froze as she shrugged off her coat. He said it as casually as if he were ordering a loaf of bread.
I dont feel like it either. And you? she asked.
Well, you have a good job and a decent salary, Thomas explained. Mine is modest.
Emily frowned, as if testing whether he was serious. Thomass face radiated confidence in his own logic.
Thomas, Im not a bank, she said slowly.
Oh, come off it, he waved her away. Its just one television.
She sat down at the table and reflected on the past months. Who paid the rent? Emily. Who bought the groceries? Emily. Who covered the utilities? Emily again. And the medicines for Margaret, who constantly complained about her blood pressure and aching joints. Margarets loan for home repairs had been abandoned after three months, and Emily had taken it over too.
Remember anything? Thomas asked.
I remember whos been footing the bill for this family for the last two years.
Margaret interjected, Emily, youre the lady of the house; the responsibility falls to you. Is it really that hard to buy your soninlaws mother a TV? Its a family purchase.
For the family? Emily repeated. And where is this family when money has to be spent?
Its not like we do nothing, Thomas protested. I work, and Mum helps around the house.
What help? Emily raised an eyebrow. Margaret comes over for tea and to talk about her ailments.
Margaret bristled. What do you mean just to talk? I give you advice on running a household properly.
Advice about how Im supposed to support everyone?
Who else would? Thomas asked, genuinely surprised. You have a steady job and a good income.
Emily stared at him. He truly believed it normal for his wife to shoulder the entire financial load.
And what do you do with your money? she pressed.
I save it, Thomas replied. Just in case.
For what case?
You never know. A crisis, being sacked. You need a safety cushion.
And wheres my safety cushion?
Youve got a secure job; they wont fire you.
Emily said calmly, Perhaps its time you and your mother decided for yourselves what to buy and with what money.
Thomas smirked. Why talk like that? You manage the money perfectly. And we already try not to burden you with extra expenses.
Not burden me? Heat flushed Emilys face. Thomas, do you honestly think youre not a burden?
Its not as if we ask you to buy something every day, Margaret defended. Only when its really needed.
Is a television really needed?
Of course! How can you live without one? The news, the programmes.
You can watch everything online.
I dont understand the internet, Margaret cut in. I need a proper TV.
Emily realised the argument was going round in circles. In their heads, both Margaret and Thomas truly believed Emily was obliged to provide for everyone while they pinched every penny for themselves.
Fine, Emily said. Tell me how much this TV costs.
You can get a decent one for four hundred pounds, Thomas brightened. A large one, with internet capability.
Four hundred pounds, Emily repeated.
Not a huge sum, Thomas added.
Thomas, do you know how much I spend on this family each month?
Probably a lot, he guessed.
About seven hundred pounds a month: the flat, groceries, utilities, your mothers medicines, her loan.
Thomas shrugged. Its family. Thats normal.
And how much do you spend on the family?
Sometimes I buy milk. Bread.
Thomas, you spend at most five hundred pounds a month on the family, Emily calculated. And not even every month.
But Im saving for a rainy day.
Whose rainy day? Yours?
Ours, of course.
Then why does the money sit in your personal account and not in a joint one?
Thomas fell silent. Margaret quieted as well.
Emily, youre saying the wrong things, Margaret finally ventured. My son provides for the family.
With what? Emily asked, astonished. The last time Thomas bought groceries was six months ago, and only because I was ill and asked him to go out.
But he works!
And I work. Yet my salary goes to everyone, and his goes only to him.
Thats just how its done, Thomas said uncertainly. The woman runs the household.
Running the household doesnt mean carrying everyone on your back, Emily retorted.
And what do you suggest? Margaret asked.
I suggest everyone supports themselves.
How is that supposed to work? Margaret cried. What about family?
Family means everyone contributes equally, not one person pulling the rest along.
Thomas looked at his wife, bewildered. Emily, thats an odd way to think. Were husband and wife; we have a joint budget.
Joint? Emily laughed. A joint budget is when both people put money into one pot and spend it together. What do we have? I put money in, and you keep yours to yourself.
Not for myselfIm saving it.
For yourself. Because when money is needed youll spend it on your own needs, not shared ones.
How do you know?
I just do. Right now your mother needs a TV. You have four hundred pounds set aside. Will you buy it for her?
Thomas hesitated. Well thats my savings.
Exactly. Yours.
Margaret tried to shift the tide. Emily, you shouldnt talk to your husband like that. A man should feel the head of the family.
And the head of the family should support the family, not live off his wife.
Thomas does not live off you! Margaret protested.
He does. For two years Ive paid the rent, food, utilities, your medicines, and your loan. And Thomas has been saving for his personal needs.
Its only temporary, Thomas tried to justify. Theres a crisis, times are tough.
Weve been in a crisis for three years now. Each month you shift more expenses onto me.
Im not shifting them; Im asking for help.
Help? Emily laughed short. Did you pay the rent at any point in the last six months?
No, but
Did you buy groceries?
Sometimes.
Thomas, buying milk once a month does not count as buying groceries.
Alright, I didnt. But I work and bring money into the family.
You bring it in and immediately stash it in your personal account.
Im not hiding it; Im saving it for the future.
For your future.
Margaret jumped back in. Emily, whats gotten into you? You never complained before.
I used to think it was temporary, that youd soon start pulling your weight with family expenses.
And now?
Now I see Ive been used like a cash cow.
How can you say that! Thomas burst out.
What else am I supposed to call it when one person supports everyone else and they still demand gifts?
What gifts? The TV is something Mum needs!
Thomas, if your mother needs a TV, then she should buy it. Or you can buy it from your savings.
But her pension is small!
And is my salary made of rubberstretchable without limit?
You can afford it.
I can. But I dont want to.
Silence fell. Thomas and Margaret exchanged glances.
What do you mean you dont want to? Thomas asked quietly.
It means Im tired of supporting the family alone.
But were a family; were supposed to help each other.
Exactly. Each other. Not one person helping everyone else.
Emily rose from the table. She realised they saw her as a cash machine that should dispense money on demand.
Where are you going? Thomas asked.
To take care of things.
Without another word, Emily opened her banking app right there at the table. Her fingers flew over the screenshe blocked the joint card Thomas had access to. Then she went to transfers and moved all her savings to a new account she had opened a month earlier, just in case.
What are you doing? Thomas asked warily.
Handling the finances, Emily said curtly.
He tried to peek at her phone, but she angled the screen away. Five minutes later, every penny had been transferred to her personal account, inaccessible to husband or motherinlaw.
Whats happening, Emily? Thomas asked, alarmed.
What should have happened long ago is finally happening.
Emily went into the card settings and permanently revoked access for everyone but herself. Thomas stared, baffled, unable to grasp the scale of what was unfolding.
Sensing trouble, Margaret leapt from her chair. What have you done? Well be left without money!
Youll be left with the money you earn yourselves, Emily replied calmly.
What do you mean, ourselves? What about family? What about the joint budget? Margaret screamed.
Margaret, we never had a joint budget. There was only my budget, which everyone lapped up.
Youve lost your mind! Margaret shouted. Were a family!
In a steady voice, Emily said, From today on we live separately. I am under no obligation to fund your whims.
What whims? Thomas objected. These are necessary expenses!
A fourhundredpound TV is a necessary expense?
For Mum, yes!
Then let Mum buy it with her pension. Or you buy it with your savings.
Margaret rushed to her son. Why are you staying quiet? Put her in her place! Shes your wife!
Thomas mumbled something unintelligible, avoiding Emilys eyes. He knew she was right but would not admit it aloud.
Thomas, Emily said quietly, do you really think I should support your whole family?
Well were husband and wife.
Husband and wife means partnership, not a situation where one person supports all the others.
But my salary is smaller!
Your salary is smaller, but your savings are largerbecause you spend them on nothing but yourself.
Thomas fell silent again. Realising his mother would not press her son, Margaret changed tactics.
Emily, return the money immediately! Im running out of medicine!
Buy it with your own money.
My pension is small!
Ask your son. He has savings.
Thomas, give me money for medicine! Margaret demanded.
He faltered. Mum, Im saving that for the family.
I am the family! she shouted.
But those are my savings.
You see? Emily noted. When it comes to spending, everyones money suddenly becomes personal.
Margaret altered her approach. Emily, lets talk calmly. Youre a kind woman; youve always helped.
I helped until I realised I was being used.
Youre not being usedyoure appreciated!
Appreciated for what? For paying all the bills?
For supporting the family.
Im not supporting a family. Im supporting two adults who can work and earn their own money.
The next morning Emily went to her bank and opened a separate account in her name. She printed statements for the last two years, showing that every pound had gone to her husband and his mothergroceries, rent, utilities, medicines, and the loan. It was all on Emily.
When she got home, she pulled a large suitcase from the hallway and began packing Thomass belongingsshirts, trousers, socksfolding everything neatly.
What are you doing? Thomas asked when he returned from work.
Packing your things.
Why?
Because you no longer live here.
What do you mean, I dont? This is my flat too!
The flat is in my name. I decide who lives in it.
But were husband and wife!
For now, yes. But not for long.
Emily rolled the suitcase into the hallway and held out her hand. The keys.
What keys?
To the flat. All sets.
Emily, are you serious?
Absolutely.
Reluctantly, Thomas handed over the keys, both the main set and the spare.
Does your mother have keys?
Yes, she visits now and then.
Call her. Have her return them.
Why?
Because Margaret no longer has the right to enter my flat.
An hour later Margaret arrived, her face hardening as she saw the suitcase.
What does this mean? she demanded.
It means your son is moving out.
Moving out where? This is his home!
This is my home. And I will not support freeloaders any longer.
How dare you! Margaret exploded.
I dare. Hand over the keys.
What keys?
To the flat. I know you have a duplicate.
I wont give them back!
Then Ill call the police.
Margaret caused a scene, shouting that Emily was destroying the family, that relatives should not be treated like this, that she had always thought her daughterinlaw a good girl.
The good girl is gone, Emily said calmly and dialled the police.
Hello, we need assistance. Former relatives refuse to return the keys to my flat and to leave the premises.
Half an hour later two officers arrived. They checked the documents for the flat.
Maam, they said to Margaret, return the keys and leave the flat.
But my son lives here!
Your son is not the owner and has no right to dispose of the property.
With witnesses present, Margaret reluctantly took the keys from her purse and threw them on the floor.
Youll regret this! she shouted as she left. Youll end up alone!
Ill be alone, but with my own money, Emily replied.
Thomas silently lifted the suitcase and followed his mother out. At the door he turned back.
Emily, maybe youll reconsider?
Theres nothing left to reconsider.
A week later Emily filed for divorce. There was almost no joint property to splitthe flat had always belonged to Emily, and the car had been bought with her own money. Nothing remained to divide.
Thomas tried to call, begged for a meeting, promised everything would change, that he would pay all expenses himself.
Too late, Emily answered. Trust does not return.
But I love you!
Do you love meor my wallet?
You, of course!
Then why did you live off me for three years without a shred of remorse?
Thomas had no answer.
The divorce proceeded quicklyThomas did not contest it, seeing how pointless it was. The court declared the marriage dissolved.
For another month Margaret kept callingcrying, then threatening, then asking for money for medicine. Emily listened in silence and hung up.
My blood pressure is up because of you! Margaret complained.
Ask your son to treat you; he has savings.
He says hes sorry to spend the money!
Wonderful. Now you understand how I felt for three years.
Six months later Emily ran into Thomas at the grocers. He looked tired; his clothes had lost their former crispness.
Hi, Thomas greeted awkwardly.
Hello.
How are you?
Great, and you?
Fine Im living with Mum for now.
I see.
You know, I realised I was wrong. I really did dump too much onto you.
You realised?
Yes. Now I pay for all of Mums expenses myself, and I see how hard it is.
But you have savings.
I had. I spent them on Mums medicine and repairs to her flat.
And? Does it hurt to spend it?
Thomas paused, then answered honestly, It does. A lot.
Now imagine doing that for three years straight.
I understand. Forgive me.
I already have. But that changes nothing.
What if I make it right? Become a different man?
Thomas, you only became different when you were left without my money. Thats not changethats being forced by circumstances.
But Ive realised my mistake!
You only realized it when you had to pay yourself. If I had kept supporting everyone, youd never have seen it.
Thomas nodded, knowing Emily was right.
I have to go, Emily said, heading for the checkout.
At home she brewed tea and sat by the window with a book. The flat was quietno one demanding money for TVs, medicines, or anything else. The money in her account belonged solely to Emily. No one told her how to spend it.
When she closed the door behind her exhusband six months earlier, Emily felt a lightness she had not known for years. Freedom from financial parasites proved worth more than any lingering family ties. Now every pound she spent was a conscious choice, not coercion.
Emily never again allowed anyone to climb onto her shoulders. She learned to say no without guilt, and money once again became a tool for her own plans, not a lifeline for freeloaders.
