Im fed up with carrying you all on my back! Not a single penny leftgo sort yourselves out however you like! Emily shouts, blocking the cards.
Emily pushes the flats door open and immediately hears voices from the kitchen. Her husband James is talking with his mother, Margaret. The woman arrived this morning and has settled in the kitchen, as usual.
So whats happening with the telly? James asks.
Its ancient, the motherinlaw complains. The picture is awful, the sound drops out. It should have been replaced ages ago.
Emily slips off her shoes and steps into the kitchen. Margaret sits at the table with a mug of tea; James fiddles with his phone.
Ah, Emilys here, James says cheerily. We were just discussing Mums TV.
Whats wrong with it? Emily asks wearily.
Its completely broken. We need a new one, Margaret replies.
James puts his phone down and looks at his wife.
You always foot the bill for things like this. Buy Mum a TV. We dont feel like spending our own money.
Emily freezes as she takes off her coat. He says it as matteroffact, as if he were talking about buying a loaf of bread.
I dont feel like it either. And you? Emily asks.
Well, youve got a good job, you earn decent money, James explains. And my salary is modest.
Emily frowns, checking whether hes serious. He is. Jamess face radiates confidence in the righteousness of his words.
James, Im not a bank, Emily says slowly.
Oh, come on, he waves her off. Its just one TV.
Emily sits at the table and runs through the past few months in her mind. Who paid for the flat? Emily. Who bought the groceries? Emily. Who covered the utilities? Emily again. And the medicines for Margaret, who constantly moans about her blood pressure and joints. And the loan Margaret took out for renovationsshe stopped paying after three months, and Emily took it over too.
Remember anything? James asks.
I remember whos been paying for everything in this family for the last two years.
Margaret steps into the conversation:
Emily, youre the lady of the house; the responsibility falls on you. Is it really that hard to buy Jamess mother a TV? Its a family purchase.
For the family? Emily repeats. And where is this family when money has to be spent?
Its not like we do nothing, James objects. I work, and Mum helps around the house.
What help around the house? Emily asks, surprised. Margaret comes over for tea and to talk about her ailments.
Margaret takes offense.
What do you mean just to talk? I give you advice on how to run a household properly.
Advice about how Im supposed to support everyone?
Well, who else would? James asks genuinely. You have a steady job and a good income.
Emily looks closely at her husband. He truly believes its normal for his wife to carry the entire family financially.
And what do you do with your money? Emily asks.
I save it, James replies. Just in case.
For what case?
You never know. A crisis, a layoff. You need a safety cushion.
And wheres my safety cushion?
You have a reliable job; they wont sack you.
Emily says calmly, Maybe its time for you and your mother to decide for yourselves what to buy and with what money.
James smirks. Why talk like that? You manage money so well. And we already try not to burden you with extra costs.
Not burden me? Blood rushes to Emilys face. James, do you really think youre not burdening me?
Well, its not like we ask you to buy something every day, Margaret defends him. Only when its truly needed.
Is a TV truly needed?
Of course! How can you live without a TV? The news, the shows.
You can watch everything online.
I dont understand the internet, Margaret cuts in. I need a proper TV.
Emily sees the conversation looping. In their minds, both Margaret and James genuinely believe Emily is obliged to provide for everyone while they pinch every penny for themselves.
Alright, Emily says. Tell me how much the TV you want costs.
Well, you can find a decent one for about four hundred pounds, James brightens. A big one with internet.
Four hundred pounds, Emily repeats.
Yes. Not that much.
James, do you know how much I spend on our family each month?
James shrugs. A lot, probably.
About seven hundred pounds a monthflat, groceries, utilities, Mums medicines, her loan.
James shrugs again. Its family. Thats normal.
And how much do you spend on the family?
Sometimes I buy milk. Bread.
James, you spend at most fiftyfive pounds a month on the family, Emily calculates. And not even every month.
But Im saving for a rainy day.
Whose rainy day? Yours?
Ours, of course.
Then why is the money sitting in your personal account and not in a joint one?
James goes silent. Margaret quiets too.
Emily, youre saying the wrong things, Margaret finally ventures. My son provides for the family.
With what? Emily asks, astonished. The last time James bought groceries was six months ago, and only because I was ill and asked him to go to the shop.
But he works!
And I work. For some reason my salary goes to everyone, and his goes only to him.
Thats just how its done, James says uncertainly. The woman manages the household.
Managing the household doesnt mean carrying everyone on your back, Emily retorts.
And what do you suggest? Margaret asks.
I suggest everyone supports themselves.
Hows that supposed to work? Margaret cries. What about family?
What about family? Family means everyone contributes equally, not when one person drags everyone else along.
James looks at his wife in bewilderment. Emily, thats a strange way to think. Were husband and wife, we have a joint budget.
Joint? Emily laughs. A joint budget is when both people put money into one pot and spend it together. And what do we have? I put money in, and you keep yours for yourself.
Not for myselfIm saving it.
For yourself. Because when money is needed, youll spend it on your own needs, not shared ones.
How do you know?
I just do. Right now your mother needs a TV. You have four hundred pounds set aside. Will you buy it for her?
James hesitates. Well thats my savings.
Exactly. Yours.
Margaret tries to turn the tide:
Emily, you shouldnt talk to your husband like that. A man should feel like the head of the family.
And the head of the family should support the family, not live off his wife.
James does not live off you! Margaret protests.
He does. For the past two years Ive paid for the flat, food, utilities, your medicines, and your loan. And James has been saving money for his personal needs.
Its only temporary, James tries to justify. Theres a crisis, times are tough.
James, weve been in a crisis for three years now. And each month you shift more expenses onto me.
Im not shifting them; Im asking for help.
Help? Emily lets out a short laugh. Did you pay the rent at any point in the last six months?
No, but
Did you buy groceries?
Sometimes.
James, buying milk once a month does not count as buying groceries.
Well, okay, I didnt. But I work and bring money into the family.
You bring it in and immediately stash it in your personal account.
Im not hiding it; Im saving it for the future.
For your future.
Margaret jumps back in:
Whats gotten into you? You never used to complain.
I used to think it was temporary. That my husband would soon start pulling his weight with family expenses.
And now?
Now I understand Im being used like a cash cow.
How can you say that! James bursts out.
What else am I supposed to call it when one person supports everyone else and they still demand gifts?
What gifts? The TV is something Mum needs!
James, if your mother needs a TV, then your mother should buy it. Or you can buy it for her out of your savings.
But her pension is small!
And is my salary made of rubberstretchable without limit?
Well, you can afford it.
I can. But I dont want to.
Silence falls. James and Margaret exchange glances.
What do you mean you dont want to? James asks quietly.
It means Im tired of supporting the family alone.
But were a family; were supposed to help each other.
Exactly. Each other. Not one person helping everyone else.
Emily stands up from the table. She realises they see her as a cash machine that should dispense money on demand.
Where are you going? James asks.
To take care of things.
Without another word, Emily pulls out her phone and opens her banking app right there at the table. Her fingers move quicklyshe blocks the joint card James had access to. Then she goes to transfers and begins moving all her savings to a new account she opened a month earlier, just in case.
What are you doing? James asks warily.
Taking care of financial matters, Emily says curtly.
James tries to peek at her phone, but Emily angles the screen away. Five minutes later, all the money has been moved to her personal account, to which neither her husband nor her motherinlaw has access.
Emily, whats happening? James asks, alarmed.
What should have happened a long time ago is happening now.
Emily goes into the card settings and permanently revokes access for everyone but herself. James stares at his wife, bewildered, not grasping the scale of whats unfolding.
Sensing trouble, Margaret jumps up from her chair.
What have you done? Well be left without money!
Youll be left with the money you earn yourselves, Emily replies calmly.
What do you mean, ourselves? What about family? What about the joint budget? Margaret screams.
We never had a joint budget. There was only my budget, which everyone fed off.
Youve lost your mind! Margaret shouts. Were a family!
In a steady voice, Emily says clearly:
From today on, we live separately. I am not obligated to pay for your whims.
What whims? James objects. These are necessary expenses!
A fourhundredpound TV is a necessary expense?
For Mum, yes!
Then let Mum buy it with her pension. Or you buy it with your savings.
Margaret rushes to her son:
Why are you staying quiet? Put her in her place! Shes your wife!
James mumbles something unintelligible, avoiding Emilys eyes. He knows shes right but wont admit it out loud.
James, Emily says quietly, do you really think I should support your whole family?
Well were husband and wife.
Husband and wife means a partnership. Not a situation where one person supports all the others.
But my salary is smaller!
Your salary is smaller, but your savings are biggerbecause you dont spend them on anything but yourself.
James falls silent again. Realising his son wont pressure his wife, Margaret decides to act herself:
Emily, return the money immediately! Im running out of medicine!
Buy it with your own money.
My pension is small!
Ask your son. He has savings.
James, give me money for medicine! Margaret demands.
James falters. Mum, Im saving that for the family.
I am the family! she shouts.
But those are my savings.
You see? Emily notes. When it comes to spending, everyones money suddenly becomes personal.
Realising how serious things are, Margaret changes tactics.
Emily, lets talk calmly. Youre a kind woman; youve always helped.
I helped until I realised I was being used.
Youre not being usedyoure appreciated!
Appreciated for what? For paying all the bills?
For supporting the family.
Im not supporting a family. Im supporting two adults who can work and earn their own money.
The next morning Emily goes to the bank and opens a separate account in her name. She also prints statements for the last two years to show that all the money had been spent only on her husband and his mothergroceries, rent, utilities, medicines, and the loan. Its all on Emily.
When she gets home, Emily pulls out a large suitcase and starts packing Jamess thingsshirts, trousers, socksfolding everything neatly.
What are you doing? James asks when he comes home from work.
Packing your things.
Why?
Because you dont live here anymore.
What do you mean, I dont? This is my flat too!
The flat is in my name. I decide who lives in it.
But were husband and wife!
For now, yes. But not for long.
Emily rolls the suitcase into the hallway and holds out her hand.
The keys.
What keys?
To the flat. All sets.
Emily, are you serious?
Absolutely.
Reluctantly, James hands over the keys. Emily checksmain set and spare.
Does your mother have keys?
Yes, she drops by sometimes.
Call her. Have her return them.
Why?
Because Margaret no longer has the right to enter my flat.
An hour later Margaret arrives. She realises the seriousness when she sees the suitcase in the hallway.
What does this mean? she asks sternly.
It means your son is moving out.
Moving out where? This is his home!
This is my home. And I no longer want to support freeloaders.
How dare you! Margaret explodes.
I dare. Hand over the keys.
What keys?
To the flat. I know you have a duplicate.
I wont give them back!
Then Ill call the police.
Margaret raises a real ruckus, screaming that Emily is destroying the family, that you dont treat relatives like this, that she always thought her daughterinlaw was a good girl.
The good girl is gone, Emily says calmly and dials the police.
Hello, we need assistance. Former relatives refuse to return the keys to my flat and to leave the premises.
Half an hour later two officers arrive. They clarify the situation and check the documents for the flat.
Maam, they say to Margaret, return the keys and leave the flat.
But my son lives here!
Your son is not the owner and has no right to dispose of the property.
With witnesses present, Margaret reluctantly takes the keys from her purse and tosses them on the floor.
Youll regret this! she shouts as she leaves. Youll end up alone!
Ill be alone, but with my own money, Emily replies.
James silently picks up the suitcase and follows his mother out. At the door he turns back.
Emily, maybe youll reconsider?
Theres nothing left to reconsider.
A week later Emily files for divorce. There is almost no joint property to splitthe flat belonged to Emily from the start, and the car was bought with her own money. Nothing remains to divide.
James tries calling, asks to meet and talk. He promises everything will change, that he will pay all the expenses himself.
Too late, Emily answers. Trust doesnt come back.
But I love you!
Do you love meor my wallet?
You, of course!
Then why did you live off me for three years without a shred of remorse?
James has no answer.
The divorce goes through quicklyJames doesnt contest it, understanding how pointless it is. The court declares the marriage dissolved.
For another month Margaret keeps calling Emilycrying into the phone, then threatening, then asking for money for medicine. Emily listens silently and hangs up.
My blood pressure is up because of you! her motherinlaw complains.
Ask your son to treat you; he has savings.
He says hes sorry to spend the money!
Wonderful. Now you understand how I felt for three years.
Six months later Emily runs into James at the supermarket. Her exhusband looks tired; his clothes have lost their former crispness.
Hi, James greets her awkwardly.
Hello.
How are you?
Great. And you?
Fine Im living with Mum for now.
I see.
You know, I realised I was wrong. I really did dump too much on you.
You realized?
Yes. Now I pay for all of Mums expenses myself, and I see how hard it is.
But youve got savings.
I had. I spent them on Mums medicine and repairs to her flat.
And? Does it hurt to spend it?
James pauses, then answers honestly, It does. A lot.
Now imagine doing that for three years straight.
It hurts. Forgive me.
I already have. But that changes nothing.
What if I make it right? Become a different man?
James, you only became different when you were left without my money. Thats not changethats being forced by circumstances.
But Ive realised my mistake!
You realised it only when you had to pay yourself. If I had kept supporting everyone, youd never have realised anything.
James nods. He knows Emily is right.
I have to go, Emily says, heading for the checkout.
At home Emily brews tea and sits by the window with a book. The flat is quietno one demanding money for TVs, medicines, or anything else. The money in her account belongs to Emily alone. No one tells her how to spend it.
When she closed the door behind her exhusband six months earlier, Emily felt truly light for the first time in years. It turns out that freedom fromShe finally embraced the quiet, knowing at last that her peace was worth every sacrifice she had made.
