“Where are you off to? Who’s going to cook for us?”
“What on earth are you doing? Where are you going? And whos going to make dinner now?” asked her startled husband, watching as Emily packed her bags after yet another row with his mother.
Emily glanced out the window. A dreary, grey gloom hung in the air despite it being early spring. In their little northern town, sunny days were raremaybe thats why the locals always seemed so gloomy and unfriendly.
Shed noticed lately that her own face was rarely without a frown, the crease on her forehead making her look older than she was.
“Mum! Im going out!” called her daughter, Lily.
“Fine,” Emily nodded absently.
“Fine? Give me some money then.”
“Since when do walks cost money?” Emily sighed.
“Mum! What kind of question is that?!” Lily snapped, patience gone. “Theyre waiting for me! Hurry up! And why so little?”
“Its enough for ice cream.”
“Youre such a tightwad,” Lily muttered, already out the door before her mother could reply.
Emily shook her head, remembering what a sweet little girl Lily had been before the teenage years hit.
“Em, Im starving! Whens dinner?” her husband, Thomas, barked impatiently.
“Go and eat, then,” she replied flatly, slamming a plate on the table.
“Arent you going to serve me?”
Emily nearly dropped the pot. What was he on about now?
“We eat in the kitchen, Tom. Take it or leave it,” she said, sitting down herself.
Fifteen minutes later, Thomas finally appeared.
“Its cold gross.”
“Shouldve come sooner.”
“I *asked* you! No love, no care at all! You know Ive got the match on!” he grumbled, shoving a piece of chicken into his mouth. “Tastes rubbish.”
Emily just rolled her eyes. Football had turned him into a strangerbets, merch, pricey tickets An obsession, though hed never cared for sports when they were younger.
Without sitting down once, Thomas grabbed a can of lager, a bag of crisps “for the hunger,” and marched back to the telly. Meanwhile, Emily stayed behind to scrub the dirty dishes.
No one appreciated her work.
Exhausted after her shiftshe was a senior nurse at the hospitalshe came home to another full-time job: fetch, carry, clean.
“Any more drinks left?” Thomas was already rummaging through the fridge. “Whys there none?”
“You drank it all! Should I be buying you more? Have some shame, Tom!” she snapped.
“Someones touchy,” he scoffed, slamming the door as he left to restock for the next match.
Emily decided to turn in earlytomorrow was another long day. But sleep wouldnt come. She worried about Lily, out who-knows-where with who-knows-who. It was dark now, and still no sign of her. Calling always led to a row.
“Are you *trying* to embarrass me in front of my friends?! Stop calling!” Lily would shout. So Emily stopped, telling herself her daughter was eighteen now. No job, no studiesjust “finding herself” after finishing school.
Shed barely dozed off when Thomass cheers jolted her awake. Someone mustve scored. Then came the loud debate with the neighbour whod “popped round” and stayed to watch. Hed brought his girlfriend, and soon the three of them were “cheering” together. Around midnight, Lily clattered in, banging plates before stomping off to bed. Just as silence finally settled, the cat started yowling for food.
“Can *anyone* in this house feed the cat besides me?!” Emily stormed out, migraine pulsing. But Lily had her headphones on and just tapped her forehead mockingly. Thomas, meanwhile, snored in front of the telly, empty can in hand.
*Ive had enough I cant take this anymore!*
The next morning, her mother-in-law called.
“Emily, love, remember its planting season? And the cottage needs tidying.”
“I remember,” Emily sighed.
“Well go tomorrow.”
Her only day offspent gardening under her mother-in-laws watch.
“Thats not how you sweep! Hold the broom properly!” the older woman ordered from her perch on the bench.
“Im nearly fifty, Vera, I think I can manage,” Emily dared to reply.
“Thomas would never do it like that.”
“And where *is* your precious son? Why isnt *he* driving you? Why are we stuck on a three-hour bus ride? Its always Thomas this, Thomas that”
“Hes exhausted.”
“And Im not?”
Thats when it started. Emily instantly regretted speaking. Vera loved a good lectureher idea of fairness was one-sided, and Emily never got the better end of it. Her whole life, Vera had worshipped Thomas, while Emily was just the workhorse she grudgingly tolerated.
They rode home at opposite ends of the bus. The next day, Vera complained to her son, who erupted.
“How *dare* you raise your voice at my mother?!” Thomas roared. “If it werent for her”
“What?” Emily folded her arms. She knew she wouldnt take much more of this.
“Youd still be at the clinic!” he shot back, reminding her Vera had pulled strings to get her the hospital job. Better pay, but stress and grey hairs came with it. More than once, Emily regretted leaving the quiet clinic for the chaos of the ward.
“What are you doing?” Thomas fell silent, suddenly realising what Emily had done.
For once, Emily had done something he *never* expected.
