“Im done cooking for your family!” Emily snapped, slamming her apron onto the kitchen table, her hands shaking with barely contained rage.
James froze in the middle of the kitchen, a grocery bag in his hands. Hed just returned from the supermarket with his mothers listthree kilos of meat, veggies for salads, a dozen eggs for baking. Another family dinner for his aunts birthday.
“Em, love, dont overreact,” he said carefully, setting the bag down. “Its just one evening”
“One evening?” Emily turned to him, tears glinting in her eyes. “Four years, James! Four years of every weekend, every holiday, Ive spent eight hours at the stove while your mum takes credit for her signature dishes!”
James looked away. He knew she was right. Hed known all along, but staying silent was easierno arguments with his mum, no conflict, no taking sides.
“She helps you, though,” he muttered.
“Helps?” Emily gave a bitter laugh. “Your mum sits in the living room with guests, spinning tales about how she stayed up all night baking this cake while Im in the kitchen chopping another batch of salad!”
Jamess phone buzzed. He didnt need to look to know who it was.
“Dont answer,” Emily pleaded. “Please, lets talk first!”
But hed already swiped to accept.
“Yeah, Mum Yes, got everything on the list Emily? Shes home, prepping”
Emily turned to the window, fists clenched. Same story, again. Shed lost before the conversation even started.
“Mums asking if youve marinated the meat yet,” James said, covering the receiver. “Guests are arriving by six”
“Let her marinate it herself!” Emily cut in. “Since shes such a brilliant hostess!”
James blinked at her, then back at the phone. “Mum, well well start soon. Yeah. See you.”
He hung up and rubbed his face.
“Em, dont be childish. People are comingits awkward to cancel now.”
“And its fine for me to be your free caterer?” Emily sank into a chair, exhaustion hitting her. “Do you know how much catering for twenty costs? At least three hundred quid! And I do it for freewithout so much as a thank you!”
“I say thank you!”
“You?” Emily looked at him, eyes hollow. “You vanish with the lads to the garden to smoke and talk football while Im left alone in the kitchen!”
James reached for her hand, but she pulled away.
“Listencook tonight, and then well talk to Mum. Maybe next time we order in”
“Next time?” Emily shot up, the chair rocking. “There wont be a next time! Im done, James. Done being your mothers shadow!”
The front door swung openMargaret had her own key. She strode in without knocking, as usual.
“Why havent you started cooking?” she demanded. “Its past three! The meat needs at least three hours to marinate!”
Emily took a steadying breath.
“Margaret, Im not cooking.”
The older woman froze. “What do you mean?”
James stepped in. “Mum, Emilys exhausted”
“Exhausted from what?” Margaret scoffed. “Sitting at home all day?”
“I work remotely!” Emily snapped. “Full-time!”
“Oh, tapping at a computerthats not real work,” Margaret sniffed. “In my day, I worked at the factory and still managed the house! Fed my husband, helped my mother-in-law!”
“Your mother-in-law didnt force you to cook for the whole family every weekend!”
“Force? I did it gladly!” Margaret shot back. “Because family matters! Clearly, you dont understand that!”
Emilys anger flared. “I understand family isnt slavery! I wont spend every weekend at the stove while you entertain!”
Margaret whirled to James. “Are you hearing this?”
James stood trapped between them.
“Mum, maybe we should just order in”
“Order in?” Margaret gasped. “What will people say? That Margaret cant even teach her daughter-in-law to cook? Disgraceful!”
“I can cook!” Emily said. “I just refuse to do it every weekend for your ego!”
“You refuse?” Margarets eyes narrowed. “You wanted to marry my son? Then act like a proper wife!”
“Cooking for twenty isnt being a wifeits exploitation!”
Jamess phone rang again. Margarets name flashed.
Emily raised an eyebrow. “Answering?”
He shook his head and declined the call.
“Tonight, Im with my wife. Not listening to Mums tantrums.”
They returned late to twelve voicemailsfrom furious to weepy. James deleted them all.
“Tomorrows going to be rough,” he sighed.
“Just dont back down,” Emily said, hugging him. “Your mums used to calling the shots. Time that changed.”
The next morning, Margaret barged in unannounced. Emily blocked her at the door.
“Margaret, hand over your key.”
“What?”
“Our house, our rules,” James said firmly.
Margaret dropped the key on the hall table. “Shes turned you against me!”
“No,” James said. “Were setting boundaries. Were adults.”
“Boundaries?” Margaret scoffed. “In my day, family was family!”
“Family doesnt mean using each other,” Emily said. “Four years I cooked while you took credit. No more.”
Margaret left in a huff.
Two weeks of silence passed. Then Jamess Aunt Mabel called.
“Your mum cancelled all her gatherings! Says she cant host anymore!”
James exhaled. “She can hostshe just has to cook or order in herself.”
Aunt Mabel laughed. “We all knew Emily did the cooking! Margaret can barely boil an egg!”
Later, Margaret called. “Can I come over?”
She arrived with flowersan olive branch. Over dinner, she admitted, “I took Emily for granted. It wasnt fair.”
Emily softened. “Id happily cook sometimesif you didnt claim it as yours.”
Margaret nodded. “Ive signed up for cooking classes. French cuisine. Maybe you could teach me your Victoria sponge? Aunt Mabel adores it.”
Emily smiled. “Deal.”
A month later, Margaret hosted them. “Made everything myself!” she announced proudly.
Emily tasted the soup. “Not bad.”
Margaret beamed. “Now I see how hard it was for you. Two dishes wiped me outyou did twenty!”
Things improved. Margaret hosted less, cooked more, and credited Emily when she helped.
One evening, Emily turned to James. “Glad I walked out that day. If I hadnt, nothing wouldve changed.”
“Me too,” he said, pulling her close. “I finally learned to say no to Mum. And were stronger for it.”
Setting boundaries had been hardbut worth it. Now, they had a real family. One built on respect, not obligation. And Margaret? Shed learned the same lesson: love isnt control. Its letting go.
