Wives should be at least ten years younger than their husbands, he claims, as if nature designed it that wayto keep a young female nearby.
Olivia barely holds back a laugh. Of course, Philip earned his doctorate last year and finally became a research fellow. But she refuses to let him twist every scientific fact into a jab at her. Hes been studying all kinds of spiders, and, as she knows, many female spiders arent shy about feeding on their mates.
She giggles at the memory, then answers aloud:
Didnt you know theres only a years gap between us when we got married?
Thats the point! Everythings upside downyoure older than me!
One year.
What does that matter? Its the fact that counts!
Why are we even having this conversation? Olivia begins to lose her patience.
Lately Philip keeps making comments about her, mostly negative. He disguises criticisms as compliments, which anyone scrolling through social media would call insults. He tells her shes gained weight, that her hair is thinning, that her clothes are out of fashion sometimes his remarks cross the line into outright hurtful.
Im talking about nature, Philip says. Its about maximizing a species wellbeing. You keep turning it into petty arguments. At least read a book.
Olivia hisses, almost roaring like an animal. He always hints that she doesnt measure up academically. It used to sound like a lighthearted tease, but after his doctorate it feels like a verdict.
When they first meet, Philip is a graduate student with barely a penny in his pocket. He lives in a university hall, works odd jobs, and dreams of a great scientific career. Hes just turned twentyfive. They often cross paths in the park where Olivia walks her dog, Baxter. Philip insists its destiny: they live on adjacent streets and happen to meet once a weekhim on his way to the lab, her on her evening stroll. Olivias beauty makes him push past his shyness and introduce himself. Initially shy and modest, Olivia cant believe a charming young man is actually talking to her.
Her family relations are, to put it mildly, strained. Her mother prefers a bottle to her daughter, and her father isnt much better. In practice, her grandmother raises her. The grandmother is elderly and often unwell. From school onward, Olivia helps her with everything, so she never pursues higher educationthere are more pressing matters. She does manage to finish a vocational college as a seamstress. When the grandmother feels a bit better, Olivia works at a clothing factory until it shuts down.
Later she cares for the grandmother fulltime as her health deteriorates. They live on the grandmothers state pension. To supplement the income they rent a spare room in the twobed flat the grandmother owns. Olivia squeezes herself into the small loft.
So when Philip asks her out and soon proposes, Olivia feels like shes living in a dream.
Im an undesirable bride, she often says to herself. A spinster, and certainly not a beauty
Dont say that, Philip replies. Youre the most wonderful woman I know. Dont worrywell find a second job, afford a modest flat, and help your grandmother.
He truly takes nightshift taxis after the lab to bring home extra cash. Yet the cramped renting never lasts long. The grandmother passes away, leaving the twobed flat to her beloved granddaughter. The young couple moves in, and the money they saved from rent starts to flow. Philip continues at the university, while Olivia occasionally takes sewing orders at homefirst simple skirts and dresses, then more elaborate pieces.
A few years later their son, Leo, arrives. Olivia devotes herself to the child, working from home only to stitch simple garments. She does everything she can to raise him smart. Philips salary finally reaches a respectable level, so theres always enough bread and butter. Still, he spends endless hours in the lab, leaving little energy for his own dissertation. How can he think about grand scientific breakthroughs when he also has to feed a family?
Years fly by. Leo finishes school with a gold medal, gains a place at a reputable university, and heads to London to study. He breezes through his coursework, dreaming of following his fathers scientific path, though he eventually chooses a different field. Philip swells with pride and tells everyone about Leos achievements.
Look at that fine young manhell be an academic one day, his colleagues tease, grinning. You should think about your own dissertation now.
Its too late for me, Philip waves off.
Better late than never! Youve already gathered a mountain of data. It would be a shame to let it go to waste.
Philip finally thinks, why not? He starts drafting his PhD thesis. Throughout, Olivia follows him like a hen, dusting his papers, urging him onward. He barely does any housework; since he began his thesis he stops taking out the rubbish and even neglects heating his lunch. Olivia wont let him put a readymade soup in the microwave, fearing it will distract him from his genius thoughts.
At first her diligence fuels him. He stays up late at the computer, but progress stalls. Calculations need redoing, tables must be reformatted. Frustrated, Philip snaps at Olivia.
Why do you always make the same peas soup? he shouts when she places a bowl on the table. You cant eat the same thing every day!
Its not the same, Olivia protests. I just made it yesterday. Before that it was beef stew.
No, it was definitely peas yesterday, Philip insists.
Fine maybe the day before then. I try to vary the meals, you know.
Try harder!
Olivia purses her lips and retreats to another room.
Day by day Philip becomes more petulant, like a child. He complains about cold tea, about a poorly ironed shirt.
The tea is too cold, he hisses one evening as he works at his desk, while Olivia brings him a cup. I wont drink lukewarm teait tastes like mud!
Heat it up in the microwave, Olivia suggests.
The more insolent Philip becomes, the less Olivia wants to please him. The biggest blow comes when she lands a large order: two school classes commission graduation aprons. She wants the work to be flawless because it matters to the children. While shes busy washing, cooking, and cleaning, she finally sits down to sew. A few minutes later she turns on her favourite cooking show.
Can you turn it down? Philip barks after five minutes. I cant concentrate!
Olivia lowers the volume. How he hears the programme through a closed door remains a mystery.
A minute later he repeats, I said turn it down!
Its already down, Pete, she replies.
He storms over, snatches the remote, and cranks the volume nearly to zero.
Your brain burns from watching idiotic programmes! Only idiots watch that rubbish!
Its my favourite show! Olivia hisses, trying to grab the remote back. Why did you mute it?
It can be watched without sound, he waves off. The pictures change, thats enough!
I want sound!
The TV is shouting! You cant think! You should watch something sensible! You have the brain of a pea!
Im exhausted after a whole day and just want to relax! Leave me alone!
What are you exhausted from? You dont work. You boiled a few cutlets thats it! Instead of the TV, read a book. You might actually become smarter!
Olivias lips tighten. Again the endless youre too stupid insults.
When Philip finally defends his thesis, things worsen. He constantly tells Olivia she isnt his intellectual equal, and that becomes a new wedge between them.
One evening Olivias cake burns while Philip is in a sour mood.
Whats this black charcoal? he snaps, flinging a slice onto the plate. Indeed a dark crust forms.
I overbaked it, got distracted, she sighs. She had longed for a cherry cake and even ate a slightly burnt piece straight from the oven.
Why did you forget? Were you counting crows?
I was busy. Ive got a coat commission. Im sewing.
Instead of sewing, you should cook properly, not burn cakes! Why bother with these orders? They bring no money, only distraction. You should be reading, broaden your mind.
Ive been sewing half my life, Olivia retorts, hurt. It does bring income, even if its modest. If I chased more orders, I could earn decently.
Who needs those ragclothes? No shops want them.
I make good garments from decent fabrics. In shops they cost the same but the quality is poorer
Who needs those sports jackets? Philip scoffs. Are you planning to go shopping for them?
Younger people wear them now. A friends daughter suggested I start a line. Sports suits made from the fabrics I use are pricey in stores. I could expand.
Cant think of anything else? Philip nearly bursts into laughter. Look at you, a budding entrepreneur!
My friend says
Your friends are idiots, and youre just like them. I told you, read books instead.
Fine, you know what? Ill figure it out myself. Im not a girl any more. If I want to, Ill open my own studio. Think I cant?
Im sure you cant. Ninetyfive percent chance youll fail.
Thats it? Thanks for the confidence! Olivia snaps, then looks at the ruined cake and at Philip.
If you dont like it, dont eat it. Wash the dishes yourself. Im a fool, I have the brain of a pea. I cant even handle this. Ill just read a book instead.
From that moment Olivia decides to prove herselffirst to herself, then to Philip. Her son is grown; its time to live for herself and do what she missed out on in youth.
She saves a few pounds each month for advertising. Her friends daughter offers to help post an online ad. At first business is slow.
Business not working? Philip jokes. Olivia stays silent.
Gradually orders trickle in. New mothers on maternity leave and anyone who likes comfortable clothing order trousers or jackets. The friends daughter spends time photographing the pieces; Olivia even models some of them, showing the outfits on women of different ages and sizes. The daughter handles client emails, socialmedia, and promotion, taking a cut of the profit, which Olivia gladly accepts.
Business climbs. Orders increase.
Are you still at the sewing machine? Philip teases when he comes home. Olivia really is, because a large family ordered matching outfits, and work swamps her.
Foods in the fridge, she says. Heat it yourself or need help?
Philip huffs in annoyance.
Olivia enjoys being her own boss. Income isnt steady month to month, but it becomes reliable enough to matter.
Soon youll earn more than your husband, her friends joke.
Olivia doesnt deny it.
One night Philip returns from work to find only a plate of cutlets in the fridge.
No dinner? he asks, hurt, as he steps into the room she turned into a workshop.
I only managed the cutlets. No sides. If you want, buy some bread or make a quick omelette, she replies.
He doesnt even look away from the sewing. He peers at the sleeve shes stitching, then says, You spend all your time on nonsense instead of feeding your husband.
I cooked the cutlets. If you helped sometimes, nothing would go wrong. I have more work now than you do, Olivia snaps. Why do I need a wife like this? You sew tracksuits, but you talk like a fashion model.
My patronising remarks are getting old, honestly. Stop bothering me. Im not stopping you from writing your dissertationjust stop bothering me.
Dont compare a dissertation to scraps of cloth
To each his own, Olivia shrugs.
Philip might never have recognised her success if not for one event. Their research institute throws a big New Years party, and Olivia arrives in a dress she made herself. She becomes the nights star. Men compliment her, women are either impressed or jealous. When asked where the dress came from, she proudly mentions her tiny studio and even shows the shops name on her phone. Younger lab colleagues stare at the price tags and ask for the link.
Your wife is a real business lady, a colleague jokes to Philip, who stands sulking in a corner. Good, shell keep you afloat in old age.
Business lady, huh Philip mutters, watching Olivias enthusiastic recounting of her sewing work.
The party turns Olivia into a sensation. Some colleagues later ask Philip how the studio is doing. At first it irritates him, then a strange pride surfaceshis wife really is a proper businesswoman.
Since then he tolerates Olivias sidehustle. When she hires a young seamstress as an assistant, he cant deny that his wife now runs a legitimate enterprise.
You doubted me, Olivia says with a harmless grin.
Her success impresses Philip, even if he never admits it. He no longer jibes about her lack of education or calls her a fool. He even helps clear the potatoes for dinner when the fridge only holds cutlets, and the dissertation no longer hangs over his head.
