Know your place, love, Daniel shouted, slamming his mug on the kitchen table.
Daniel, Ive told you a hundred times this isnt the right moment for children, Amelia closed her laptop with a sigh and turned to him. Ive just been offered the lead on a new project. Its the break Ive been waiting three years for.
Ive been waiting three years for an heir! Daniel barked. Emily, were both thirty! Your biological clock is ticking, yet youre still dreaming about some career ladder.
Amelia exhaled slowly. These arguments had become a weekly ritual over the past six months, and each time Daniel grew more insistent.
My work matters! she protested. Youre not quitting your job for fatherhood.
Thats not the point! A man provides, a woman bears, he retorted, as though the rulebook had been written in stone.
She pressed her lips together. Daniels oldfashioned ideas kept resurfacing, as if their marriage had stripped away the thin veil hed hidden behind during the courting days.
The natural order is for people to decide when they want to become parents, Amelia said, rising to clear the dishes. Im not ready now. Thats final.
And when will you be? At forty? At fifty? Daniels voice rose. Or maybe never at all?
Bella, their ginger mutt, stretched on the couch by the balcony door, lifted her head and gave Amelia a worried glance. The dog always sensed the household tension.
Give it a couple of years, love, Amelia sat beside Bella and scratched her ears. Right, girl?
Daniel watched the gesture and sneered.
Thats the problem, he said. All your motherly instincts are going into that mutt.
Dont talk about Bella like that, Amelia snapped, turning sharply. Shes family.
Family? A dog is an animal, not a child! Daniel slammed his palm on the table. I wont put up with this any longer!
The following days turned into a siege. Daniel devoted every waking hour to convincing his wife. At dawn, before Amelia could even open her eyes, he launched yet another lecture on parental duty. By night, hed return with fresh arguments about the ticking clock.
Look at Sophie, hed say, scrolling through social media. Shes your age and already has two kids. And what about Laura from your department? She had a baby last year.
Sophie has been on maternity leave for three years complaining her brains atrophied, Amelia retorted. Laura went back to work after four months because the money ran out.
Youre just scared of responsibility, Daniel accused.
And youre scared Ill outshine you, she shot back.
On Friday, Amelias motherinlaw, Virginia Parker, decided to intervene.
Darling Amelia, Virginia began, settling at the kitchen table, Daniel has told me everything. I get that work is important, but a womans chief purpose is to keep the family line going.
Amelia winced internally. Virginia belonged to the generation that expected women to be mothers by twenty, seeing no other viable life script.
Well sort this out ourselves, Mrs. Parker, Amelia replied politely.
How? Three years have passed! In my day, we had a baby within a year of marriage, and a second by the third, Virginia declared.
Times have changed, Amelia tried to stay calm.
Changed, indeed, the motherinlaw huffed. Not for the better. Women used to know their place.
Daniel nodded, silently siding with his mother.
Ill decide where my place is, Amelia said coldly.
Virginia pursed her lips and exchanged a knowing look with her son.
Youre selfish, Amelia. Daniels thirtyone and wants a child, she said.
Then let him find someone whos ready to give him an heir right now, Amelia shot back.
A heavy silence fell. Daniels face turned pale, and Virginia opened her mouth in outrage.
Fine, Ill do it! Daniel shouted.
After Virginia left, Amelia took Bella for a long walk. The dog trotted happily, pausing now and then to sniff a curious scent or chase another pooch. Those evening strolls in the park had become Amelias oasis amid the marital storm.
You know, girl, she whispered as Bella chased pigeons, sometimes I think youre the only one in this house who truly gets me.
Bellas russet muzzle turned toward her, intelligent brown eyes shining with devotion. Amelia crouched and hugged the dog.
I found you in a shelter, skinny and scared. Look at you now, a proper beauty.
Bella licked her cheek gratefully, and Amelia laughedfor the first time in days.
At home, Daniel waited on the sofa, arms crossed, looking anything but cheerful.
Ive made a decision, he announced.
What now? Amelia was unbuckling Bellas leash; the dog darted to her water bowl.
Either a child or the dog. Choose.
Amelia froze, leash in hand.
You what?
Youve already understood me. If you want to save the marriage, get rid of that mutt. If you wont have my kids, I wont watch you play mother to a dog.
Daniel, have you lost your mind? she said slowly, turning to him. Bellas lived with me four years!
I wont tolerate a dog being more important than me.
She isnt more important! Its just
Just what? he snapped. Just that you spend time, money, emotion on her that should go to me and our future kids!
Amelia sank into a chair, the absurdity of the situation dawning on her.
Youre jealous of the dog?
I expect my wife to behave like a wife, not like a spinster with cats!
I have a dog, not cats.
Dont be clever now! Daniel roared. Decisions made. By Sunday this mutt must be out of the house, or you start preparing for pregnancy!
Bella, hearing the raised voices, padded over and rested her head on Amelias lap. The warm breath of the dog soothed better than any medicine.
What if I refuse? Amelia asked softly.
Then its over for us.
Amelia spent Saturday mulling over everything. Daniel theatrically avoided her, grimaced at the sight of Bella, and sighed loudly as if the dogs presence caused him physical pain.
Times running out, he reminded her that evening. I need an answer tomorrow.
Im ready, Amelia replied calmly.
She had thought it through. Choosing between a dog and a husband was really a choice between loyalty and manipulation, genuine love and emotional blackmail.
Perfect! Daniel exclaimed. Well take her to the shelter tomorrow.
Im taking my things and moving in with my parentsBella and me, Amelia declared.
Daniels face stretched.
Youre seriously picking a dog over me?
Im picking the person who loves me without conditions.
Sunday turned chaotic. Daniel shouted, threatened, pleaded, then shouted again. He promised magnanimous forgiveness if Amelia changed her mind, swore to find a compromise. It was too late.
Youll regret this! he roared as Amelia hauled the last suitcase out. Who else will put up with your whims?
Ill find someone else, she smiled. And hell love dogs.
Bella sat in the car, waiting patiently for her owner to finish packing, as if she knew a new chapter was about to begin.
Amelias parents welcomed her with open arms. Susan Clarke immediately began cooking a hearty dinner for three, while her husband George set up a cosy dog bed in the lounge.
We always thought this marriage was a mistake, her mother admitted, hugging her. We just never had the courage to say it.
The divorce was surprisingly swift. Daniel seemed to realise a compromise was impossible and didnt drag the process out. Amelia moved into her own flat, poured herself into work, andfor the first time in yearsfelt genuinely happy.
Five years flew by. Amelia headed a major department, earned a solid salary, and lived in a spacious flat overlooking HydePark. Bella had grown dignified, yet still greeted her owner with unbridled joy after long days.
Maxwell entered her life quite naturallya colleague from a neighbouring department who started as a friend and became something more. He accepted Bella without a hint of complaint, never minding a bit of fur on the sofa, and even took the dog for walks when Amelia was stuck at the office.
Its absurd that anyone would force a choice between family and a pet, Maxwell said when Amelia recounted her first marriage. Its downright ludicrous.
Daniel saw it differently, Amelia replied.
He was foolish, Maxwell concluded, then quickly added, Sorry, didnt mean to speak ill of your ex.
No apologies needed. Youre right.
On a warm afternoon Amelia strolled through her favourite park with Bella, who now preferred walking beside her to chasing pigeons, still sniffing the world with keen interest.
Bella, stop! a familiar voice called.
Amelia turned and froze. Daniel was ambling down the path, hand in hand with a fouryearold boy. Beside them, on a leash, trotted a ginger mutt uncannily like Bella.
Emily? Daniel halted, recognizing her. What a surprise.
Hello, Daniel, Amelia said calmly.
The boy let go of his fathers hand and ran to the dog.
Bella, whos this? Your sister?
Amelia smiled, looking at her former husband.
What a coincidence with the name, she replied.
Daniel flushed.
The kid wanted a dog. I grabbed the first one I could find. The name just popped into my head.
Right, Amelia said, not pressing the issue. Nice boy. He looks a lot like you.
Thanks. Are you married?
Yes. Maxwells a wonderful chap and loves dogs.
Daniel nodded, at a loss for words.
Dad, whys that lady sad? the boy asked.
Im not sad, Amelia said, smiling. Just thinking about how well things turned out.
When they parted, Amelia lingered on the path, watching Daniels figure recede. Hed gotten what he wanteda childand even a dog.
The problem had never been the dog. It was people who tried to mould each other into someone elses idea. With Maxwell she never had to choose between career and family, nor between love for an animal and love for a man.
Lets go home, girl, she said to Bella. Maxwell promised a delicious dinner.
Bella wagged her tail enthusiastically. Amelia mused that sometimes fate throws mismatched partners together just to make us appreciate the right ones when they finally appear.
