– That’s not how you make pilaf! – Jeremy said, looking over Maria’s shoulder.
Maria turned to him and silently put a spoon in his hand. She really did not like it when he started telling her how to do it right. And in his opinion, she did everything wrong.
– Cook it yourself! – she said through her teeth and left the kitchen.
He had no choice but to continue cooking. He assumed that she would immediately start to consult him properly, and he would teach her. And he expected such behavior from her.
And she, to calm down, took up knitting. In half an hour, Jeremy was already sitting next to her and advised her on how to pick up the loops to make them look more even. Maria silently gave him the knitting needles.
– What are you giving me knitting needles for? What am I, a woman? – he was indignant. – You knit, so knit yourself.
But the desire to knit disappeared. She sat down in a chair and started watching TV.
– “Why did you move away from me?” he asked her unhappily.
She did not answer and pretended to watch TV.
– What are you watching this nonsense?” Jeremy asked and switched the TV.
He began to irritate Maria seriously. They had been dating for almost a year, and a month ago they started living together and applied to the registry office. When they met, Jeremy almost immediately began to take care of her and took on all her tasks. He advised, taught, helped. At first she liked being taken care of. But then, when they began to live together, Maria realized that it was not so much care for her as his desire to control her life. His unobtrusive help turned into persistent implementation of his rules in her life. He stuck his nose in everything and gave valuable instructions on how to do things right.
Maria felt that she had lost her identity and no longer belonged to herself. In recent days, she had an increasing desire to run away from him or simply not come home from work. On top of that, she had done the stupid thing of letting him move into her apartment. And now she was wondering how to talk to him to separate again. And call off the wedding.
– Don’t you think you’re crossing the line?” she asked, trying to contain her inner irritation.
– “What do you mean?” Jeremy asked.
The expression “in the sense” irritated her very much.
– And you do not understand? – she answered
– What should I understand? That you are trying to take out your bad mood on me? – he asked.
– “Jeremy, I’m annoyed that you’re always prying and telling me what to do and how to do it,” Maria said, trying to keep her tone calm.
– What else can I do if your hands come from the wrong place, he replied slyly, “You don’t know how to do anything.
– Well, then we should not live together anymore, – Maria exhaled. And even somehow my soul was relieved that she said it.
But not here! He was not going to give up:
– “Why is that? You, instead of drawing conclusions and changing your behavior, want to continue to just sit! I teach you, tell you how to do it, and you start a quarrel!
– I have already made conclusions – she replied with irritation – and I will not change my behavior. So, let’s not irritate each other any further and part before it’s too late.
Jeremy froze. He could not believe that he, so right, so perfect, was rejected by some simple girl. That was his opinion of her. Although he had such an opinion about all girls and women. Coming to his senses, he went to pack his things. And while he was packing, he kept saying:
– You will regret that I left. You can’t do anything, your hands come from the wrong place. How will you live without my advice…
– Don’t worry about me, I lived before you once and I will live again, – Maria answered him, rejoicing in her heart at the prospect of living as before.
– “Can I take the pilaf then?” Jeremy suddenly asked.
– Of course, take it, – she answered, barely holding back her laughter, – the pot is yours, and you cooked it yourself.
After Jeremy left, she immediately felt a sense of lightness and freedom. And she was glad that she managed to part in time with the man with whom her self-esteem was falling lower and lower. Well, nothing, negative experience is also experience. But she now knows that care is not about controlling your life, and a happy relationship requires not dependence on another person, but a feeling of lightness and freedom.
