When will dinner be ready? I asked.
Whenever you cook it, then itll be ready, my motherinlaw replied, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose. Michael, does your wife want me to stand at the stove? Is she just going to lie there?
Emma, ignoring us, grabbed a few things and slipped into the hallway, motherinlaw close behind.
Whats this about? Where are you off to? she demanded.
On holiday! Bye! Emma said, setting her heavy bags down with a sigh of relief.
Im home! she called from the bedroom.
A low muttering drifted from the room, and the man who had been mumbling stepped into view. He was about forty, give or take, dressed in a tracksuit and slippers.
Emma, why are you shouting? This isnt your village. Behave yourself, he scolded.
Honestly, you could have met me earlier. You know my salarys come in, I need to buy groceries, she shot back.
He let out a dramatic sigh. Good heavens! What groceries?
He turned and stalked back to his room. Emma exhaled heavily. She was fed up.
She worked two jobs just to keep the house running, while her husband, buoyed by his mothers support, had been slogging away on a socalled novel for a year now. The first draft had been dismissed; no one seemed to understand his art.
She stripped off her coat, carried the bags into the kitchen, and reminded herself that tomorrow marked the start of her holiday. Shed have to clean the whole flat, wash, iron and put everything back in order, all under the watchful eye of her motherinlaw. She was exhausted.
Margaret, Emmas motherinlaw, peeked into the kitchen. Emma, what are you doing? Planning or feeding the husband? Hes worked all day; now he expects us to wait!
Did he earn a lot? Margaret asked, eyes narrowed.
Emma couldnt quite grasp how the conversation had drifted. Once, shed looked at the budding writer with awe, believing hed become famous. Now a single glance from Margaret made her tremble, and she tried to please her at every turn. Guilt weighed on her, remembering how, while she was on maternity leave, Margaret had shouldered the familys bills.
Margaret, about to leave, snapped, What did you say?
I asked if he earned much. Usually people bring money home when they work, Emma replied calmly.
Dont you dare! Michael spends all day plotting the next chapter! How could you understand the work of a mind? Margaret snapped, storming out.
Emma paused, thinking, What am I doing here? The boy in the village has been making noise for ages, and it only distracts Michael from his worthless scribbles.
She gathered herself, started restocking the fridge, this time shoving everything into a large sack. Shed received her salary and holiday pay, and planned to bring home tasty provisions and a little gift for the boy on the roadtrip.
She stepped into the hallway, placed the sack down, and went to fetch something else. Michael, not looking away from the telly, asked again, When will dinner be ready?
Well, whenever you cook it, then itll be ready, she answered.
Motherinlaw pushed her glasses up again. Michael, does your wife want me at the stove? Is she just going to lie there?
Emma, ignoring the chatter, grabbed a few items and marched down the stairs, motherinlaw trailing. Whats happening? Where are you off to? she asked.
On holiday! Bye! Emma shouted, slinging the heavy sack over her shoulder and sprinting down the stairs, hailing a cab. Sixty miles isnt farone times fine.
Jack, their son, was already in bed when Emma arrived at his grandparents house. He woke, ran to his mother, and gave her a tight hug. She held him close, missing him dearly.
Their motherinlaw, Margaret, scrutinised Emma. Whats wrong? Why did you leave Michael? Who will look after him?
Shed always kept a proper distance from her soninlaw. After the weddingweek visits, shed quickly put him in his place, waking him at six in the morning to work the garden or the yard, draining any desire he had for leisure.
Enough, Mum! Im on holiday for a whole month! Emma snapped.
Mum smiled. Well, thank heavens youll get some rest and spend time with the boy.
Emma lay down with Jack, staring at his sleeping face in the moonlight, unable to drift off. In the morning a fragrant smell of fresh pastries drifted in. Jack was already up, munching happily. Grandma baked a ton of pies! A whole tray!
After breakfast Emma asked her mother, So, whats next?
Are you still on holiday? her mother replied.
Just for a bit of fun, Ive got another job waiting, Emma said.
Head to the garden. The cabbages overgrown, the carrots need weeding. Ive got no time left.
On the third row of seedlings Emma felt a genuine pleasure in the work. She glanced at the neat, weedfree beds and smiled. Its lovely, she thought.
First time Ive seen someone weed with such a happy face! she muttered.
Evan! The neighbours popping in, she called.
Evan, whod been her crush since she was ten, stepped over the fence. Hed been fifteen then, already a lanky lad, tossing her sweets and looking after her. Hed gone off to the forces, returned to find Emma a young woman, and theyd drifted apart for ten years.
What brings you here? she asked.
Oh, you wont believe it. Im back visiting my mum after a divorce, he said.
Later that evening Evan and his mother invited everyone over for a barbecue. They grilled sausages, chatted, and Emma felt a warm contentment shed never wanted to explain. No need to hold back, no need to listen to anyones complaints. Life could simply be lived.
Two weeks later, her mother sat beside her. Emma, love, what are you thinking? Going back?
I dont know, Mum. I have a job, but no roof, Emma replied.
Maybe rent somewhere? Or stay here. Well find you work. And what about Evan? Have you noticed how he looks at you?
Mum, its just a childhood echo, Emma said.
Evans a good bloke, reliable. Hes got a proper job in the city, her mother hinted.
Emma stared, Mum, are you trying to set us up?
The woman blushed. Whats wrong with that? I can see you two would be good together.
Emma laughed. Well, mum does what she can.
Evan left for a week of work, and Emma missed him terribly, even scolding herself for it. Michael kept calling, texting, first chastising her for being ungrateful, then threatening to evict her and the boy from the flat. Emma laughed at his melodrama. He never actually managed to get her off the lease.
The last few days grew quiet, oddly soothing. One evening Evan drove back, bringing a huge crate for Jack. He invited them over again, and Emma sensed his excitement, wanting to leap with joy.
As the grill sizzled, a car pulled up in front of the house. A young woman leapt out, hurrying toward Evan.
Darling, how long will you keep hiding from me? Lets go to the city, she urged.
Oxana, why are you here? Evan asked.
Emma recognised her instantlyEvans former wife, now an unwanted guest. She took Jacks hand, and they headed toward the house, but a taxi screeched to a halt beside them.
Out stepped Michael and his mother.
Look at her, strolling about, as if she cares, Margaret sneered. What are you doing here?
Emma tightened her lips. She finally understood how unpleasant these people had become.
Just on holiday? Get home quickly! A man needs to work, not loiter! Margaret ranted.
You know Im writing a book, Michael retorted. Its not the same as shuffling bricks in a factory.
Michael, youre a failure, youve done nothing for your family. No money, no teaching, just sitting on my shoulder with your mother, Margaret shouted. Im taking everything you bought in the last ten years!
Emma walked to her front door, surprised to find Evan waiting with a grin.
Evenings turned out fine, isnt it? he said. You handled it well.
They watched as Michael and his mother argued with Oxana, gesturing wildly.
Emma stayed in the village. After she and Evan signed the papers, she and Jack moved to the city with her new husband, who urged her to quit the factory and take an office job. The pay was modest, and she felt embarrassed at first, but Evan was genuinely surprised.
Your wage is yours. Buttons and pins. The man should provide, he joked.
Michael soon remarried Oxana, leaving his mother to support two freeloaders. Rumour had it Emmas son had been coaxed away from the book and sent to a factory.
In the end, everything shifted for the better. One door closed, another opened.
Give a like and leave your thoughts in the comments.
