“I had to get my own fridge,” says Emily, exasperation etched across her face. “The situation’s completely ridiculous, but what choice do I have? I wouldnt mind selling the house and splitting the money, but Mum refuses.”
Emily recently turned 24. Shes a university graduate, found herself a decent job, but shes still single. Life in her own home is anything but simple. Emily owns half the house. It used to belong to her father. When she was 14, she and her mum inherited it equally after his passing.
Ten years ago, the family was shaken, suddenly left without their breadwinner. Emilys mother, Mary, had stopped working when Emily was a child; she skipped maternity leave entirely. Your dads salary was enough, she used to say, We had plenty. Mary made the household her focus. But after her husband died, she crumbled: Whod hire a forty-year-old woman now? As a cleaner, maybe?
Emilys story continues: I received a survivors pension, but Mum couldnt resist going to boutiques and buying new things, even though we were scraping by. At first, her brother helped out, but eventually, he had enough.
My uncle told Mum, Mary, you have to find work. Ive got my own kids I cant keep supporting everyone. After about a year, she brought a man home. His name was Craig. She announced hed be living with us. Mums way of solving money troubles was to remarry. Craig did earn good money, but he and I never saw eye to eye.
Craigs words stung: All you do is eat. How about you help with the laundry, or mop the floors? Why are you always studying? University? What for? You should be working. Or do you think Ill keep feeding you forever?
Emily was powerless. Although she got the pension, her mother controlled the money. Mary never defended her against Craig; she was terrified of losing their provider.
How would we survive without him? Mary pleaded. Just dont argue and do as he says. He supports us.
Emily fought her way into university, landed a job. Through all those years, she was seen as an extra mouth to feed, a burden on Craigs shoulders. Hed keep a tally of every penny spent on her.
Six months into my job, I bought my own fridge, Emily recounts. Put it right in my bedroom because Craig locked the one in the kitchen.
Got a job now? Feed yourself, Craig snapped.
Mary once again fell silent. She never spoke up, not even when Craig shoved bill after bill at Emily and demanded she repay everything hed ever spent. Eventually, Craig lost his job. He and Mary started raiding Emilys fridge, and the bills stacked up on her shoulders. At first, she paid up. But after nearly a year of supporting them, Emilyd had enough she padlocked her fridge. Of course, Mary protested, claiming Craig had fed them all for years.
Emily told her, If you want things to be different, help out. Im not the first here to start splitting everything. Get a job.
Craig moved out recently. Marys fed up with a man who brings nothing to the table. Yet, Emily still keeps her fridge locked. She believes Mary should find a job too. Do you think shes right?
