This is all your fault! pursed her lips, Judith eyed her daughter-in-law as Emily washed up after dinner. In the sitting room, three-year-old Molly was wracked with a cough.
If you paid attention to your child, if youd noticed her cough earlier and hadnt kept dosing her up with whatever nonsense
I did exactly what the GP prescribed, Emily tried to defend herself, but Judith was already off.
You needed antibiotics! Now youll be giving her injections, you daft girl. Honestly, your lot havent a clueuseless, the lot of you, not a thought in your heads, couldnt care less about your own children. Why, when your husband was a child
Emily turned off the tap, scrubbed her hands, and escaped the kitchen before the tears spilled over. For five years now, shed been blamed for everything. Always wrong, always sorry. And by far her worst mistake had been believing Ben and agreeing to stay with his parents until we can afford our own place.
Their future home was nothing more than a pit dug in rented soil, the build stalled for years. As Ben reassured her, it was all Emilys fault for having two kids close together, completely on her own whim.
Any time Emily gingerly mentioned renting a flat, Ben shut her down:
Im not paying good money to strangers for fresh air!
Emily would sigh and suggest alternatives. Lets buy a small house with the family allowance? Theres the government scheme, and the local initiative
Buy what? An old wreck? Thatll barely pay for a skip. Your capital goes to the build. Once summer rolls around, well get cracking
Summer rolled around. Nothing cracked except Bens resolve. Emily stopped pouring money in, and so they went on, round in circles.
Ben, can you watch Molly while I pop out for Oliver from nursery? she called as he trudged in, already sulky.
What if she spikes a fever?
Ill only be half an hour.
No, dont even ask. Anything could happen
Unmoved, Ben left her to dress Molly alone. The nursery was just a mile away. Not far. A breath of fresh air would do them both good
Told you we shouldnt have sent Oliver in today, Ben grumbled as they left, happy to ship the kids off anywhere, arent you.
Emily snorted. All my fault, as usual.
That evening she was at her laptop, children giggling in the next room.
Working? Ben peered over her shoulder. Dinner, then?
Emily snapped the laptop shut.
Looking at flats again? He sounded suspicious. Well finish building soon, you know. Its a waste of time.
She nodded.
Mum, my tower wont build! Molly shouted, bursting into tears.
Thats right, mummys no help, Ben agreed, smirking.
Emily stared at them, knowing shed passed her breaking point. Even Molly thought she was in the way. Always wrong. Always at fault.
Next morning, Emily didnt take Oliver to nursery. Judith watched her pack the kids after breakfast, lips whiter than ever.
Off to the doctor, Emily offered, out of habit.
She returned late, blaming a long wait at ENT. The kids were giddy, giggling as Emily tried, in vain, to hush them.
Dad, guess where we went today? chirped Molly, running to Ben.
Where?
Not telling. She wilted under Emilys warning look.
Secret, clever Oliver added. Its for your birthday.
The following day, Emily vanished with the children.
No one noticed till Ben came home and sniffed, Mum, whats for dinner?
Ask your Emily. She flounced off this morning with the kids and hasnt been back since. Ill scramble some eggs since your wife doesnt bother, Judith sniffed.
Maybe shes at the doctors Ben trailed off, poking his head in their room. It was immaculateEmily was a good housekeeper, but something was off. Ben finally placed it: Mollys enormous stuffed ginger cat, usually sprawled over the sofa, was gone. So was Emilys winter coat and all their clothes.
Mum! Emilys gone! Ben called, still not believing it.
Shell be back. Scatter-brained.
No, really. Shes taken everything. Look. The wardrobes empty.
And the kids? Ring her, quick! Anxious, Judith peered in and clucked over the empty shelves, muttering about daft daughters-in-law who clearly had lost their marbles.
Ben called, but Emilys phone was switched off.
Mum, how did you not notice her clearing out? Its not like this was one bag.
I was out at Tesco! She must be off her rocker. Someone needs to get those kids back off her.
And whos going to watch themare you?
Of course not. Theres nursery.
And evenings? Weekends? If theyre poorly?
Hire a nanny, Ben.
Do you know how much nannies cost?
Well, theres always care homes. Temporarily.
Ben groaned and held his head.
The eggs burned. Darkness settled. Mother and son sat in the tiny kitchen, pondering their next steps.
What more did she want? Ben whined. Just ups and leaves without a word. Maybe shes found another man?
Whod want her?
Shes got no job. Hows she planning to live?
Told you, you shouldve used her family allowance on the build. Gone now, shell buy herself some dump and hide. Shell be back, give her a week on toast and water. Shell crawl back
And then what, just welcome her? No, you must show her whos bosslet her crawl back, let her beg. The kids should stay here, remind her shes nobody. Fancy thinking she could swan off
Judith went on and on. Ben went to bed hungry, certain Emily would be home in days, apologising for her little drama. He had no intention of looking for her.
Instead of Emily, a letter arrivedrecorded delivery. Emily Mary Greenwood was filing for divorce.
Mum, it says I have to go to court, Ben reported.
Dont go. They cant divorce you without your consent. Has she been found?
No.
Find her! Get her back. The neighbours will talk. I told them Emily and the kids had gone on a holiday! Imagine what theyll say if they find out. People will laugh.
Shell come back herself
If shes filed, shes not coming back. Youll have to hunt her down, bring flowers, apologise
For what? Ben snapped.
I dont know. Youll think of something.
Emily turned up by accident. Ben, grocery list in hand, spotted her in the town centre as he left Sainsburys after work.
It was nearly six. Emily and the kids, not in hiding at all, were enjoying the park, sipping juice and laughing. She lookedwell, happy. And she didnt look the least bit starved or desperate to come crawling back.
Ill end up paying HER child support for two! Ben thought grimly.
He shadowed them until they turned into a block of council flats. He had to sprint to keep them in sight.
Oliver, Mollymiss Dad?
The children promptly hid behind Emily. Oliver whispered, Mum, we dont have to go to Grans, do we?
Of course not, love.
Already turned them against me? Ben burst out. Ran off without a word. Whats wrong with yousitting pretty, never lifting a finger. You find some other bloke? Plan to sponge off someone else now? Ill get the kids, you knowIll see you in court!
Emily smiled sweetly. Wait here, Ill fetch their things.
Wh-what for?
You do want them with their things, dont you? Molly wont sleep without her ginger cat. You know that.
This is a joke! Ill
Emily stepped away, wary of Bens anger. Neighbours began to hover, attracted by the drama.
Come on then, where do you live? Ben jerked his head to the door. Emily shook hers.
See you in court, Ben.
Youll get nothing! Not the flat, not the cottageI started the house. Theres nothing for you!
Emily studied his twisted, angry face, baffled how shed ever missed who he truly was. Five years side by side, waiting for a miracle, hoping hed change
Shall I ring the police? offered her new neighbour, a brisk woman in her forties.
Ben blanched at the mention of police, huffed, and blurted, Fine, do what you want. Its all your fault anyway!
Emily laughedlight and free. She hugged her children, and they went home. Home was just a rented place for now, but for the first time in five years, Emily was the boss. She chose what was for tea, what time theyd go to the park, and when to hoover the carpet. As it happened, Emily had a jobshed freelanced for years, building websites, learning in the evening once the kids were asleep. Maybe shed known, deep down, her patience would run out one day.
Then the divorce. Ben, following his mums advice, never turned up in court, and after a few adjournments, a letter arrived: the divorce was finalised in his absence.
He missed Olivers birthdaysaid he was paying child support, wasnt he?
A few months later, Emily finally bought herself a little two-bedroom flat on the edge of town and moved in with the kids.
Through the grapevine, she heard Ben was trying terribly hard to settle down again, but every woman ran for the hills.
And yet sometimes, in the small hours, Emily still heard her ex-husbands mocking voice in her dreams: Its all your faultOne crisp evening, as the children painted paper butterflies at the kitchen table, Emily poured herself a cup of tea and stood at her window, watching dusk settle over the rooftops. She listened to Mollys giggle, to Olivers careful instructions: No, you fold it like this. The flat glowed with a new warmthbooks piled on shelves, sunflowers crowding the sill, the hum of laughter as natural as breathing.
She heard the doorbell and, heart steady, answered it. The postman handed her an envelopea form for the childrens new school, and nothing more. She smiled and closed the door on the world outside.
That night, after stories and toothbrushing, Oliver whispered, Mum, are we really home now?
Emily tucked him in, kissed his brow, and whispered back, Yes, darling. Were exactly where we belong.
Somewhere in the shadows of her old life, Judith grumbled to unseen visitors and Ben railed about ungrateful women. But Emilys world was lighter nowuntethered from blame, rich with possibility.
She sat on her tiny balcony, breathing the cool night air, and realized she didnt fear the future anymore. The children slept, safe and loved, and as the city lights blinked beyond, Emily let herself dream. There would be lost buttons and scraped knees, hurried Monday mornings and slow, golden Sundays. There would be peace. And for the first time, she knewwith her small tribe and her hard-won freedomthat was more than enough.
