«How could you leave my son hungry? Whats for lunch today?»
Charlotte flinched and spun around. There in the doorway stood a familiar figureAlfie, her husbands twelve-year-old nephew. The boy stared at her, his expression both demanding and pitiful at once. Over the past month, Charlotte had grown accustomed to that look. To the same question.
She set aside the jumper shed been foldingMatthews, of courseand forced a neutral tone. «Come on, lets see what weve got.»
Alfie trailed obediently into the kitchen. Charlotte opened the fridge and sighed. Her sister-in-law, as usual, had left nothing for her own son. She pulled out a Tupperware of souplast nights leftovers, meant for her and Matthewheated it in the microwave, and set it in front of the boy. Beside it, she added mashed potatoes and a beef patty, remnants of yesterdays dinner.
«Thanks, Auntie Charlie,» Alfie mumbled, not meeting her eyes.
As he ate, Charlotte returned to the bedroom, resuming folding laundry with stiff, frustrated motions. How had it come to this? Two months ago, her life had been entirely different…
She remembered the evening that changed everything. Matthew had come home grim-faced, sat beside her on the sofa, and taken her hands.
«Charlie, love,» hed begun carefully, «Ive got a favour to ask. Emma and Iantheyve been kicked out of their rental. Landlord kept the deposit. Theyve hit a rough patch. And our place has got the space…»
«My place has the space,» Charlotte had cut in sharply. «Matthew, I didnt sign up to live with strangers. Yes, its a big housebut that doesnt mean theres room for them.»
«I know, love.» His voice had been gentle, coaxing. «But theyre family. Emmas my sister, Alfies my nephew. Just a couple of months, till they find somewhere. Give em time to save up. Then theyll go.»
Hed spun tales of his sisters struggles, how the boy needed stability before school started.
«Matt, I work from home,» shed argued. «I need quiet. Focus.»
«Emmas quiet! Alfies a good lad, never any trouble. And Ians always at work anyway. Its just temporary.»
In the end, shed relented. The plea in his eyes had been too much.
Now, folding yet another T-shirt, Charlotte knew she only had herself to blame for not standing her ground.
The first week had been fine. Emma helped cook, cleaned up. Ian kept to himself. Alfie did his homework without fuss.
Then Emmas leave ended, and she went back to work.
Everything changed.
Suddenly, Emma cooked only once a daydinnerand only enough for her own family. The woman couldnt be bothered to ensure her son had a proper meal after school. So the boy came home and asked Charlotte the same question, every single day.
«Whats for lunch today?»
The words now sent waves of fury through her. She wanted to scream, to force a reckoning, to make them understand this wasnt right. But the boy wasnt to blame.
That evening, she tried again with Matthew, sitting beside him as he read in bed.
«Matt, we need to talk,» she said, firm. «This situation with Alfieits not normal. Emma only cooks dinner. He comes home starving, and I have to feed him.»
Matthew set his book down, frowning.
«Whats the problem, Charlie? Youre home. Its not hard to give the lad a meal.»
«I work from home, Matt. Its not about the effort. My salary isnt endlessI cant feed another child every day. And more than thathes not my son! His parents should be looking after him. This is about principle!»
Matthews frown deepened. «Charlie, were family. Emma and Ian are working hard. Youre here. Whats the harm in helping?»
«This isnt help!» Her voice rose. «Its disrespect! Emmas dumped her responsibilities on me!»
«Youre overreacting.»
She realised thenhe didnt see the problem. To him, it was natural for her to take on his familys burdens.
She didnt know how to fix it. Kicking them out wasnt an optionthey had nowhere to go. But tolerating it was becoming impossible.
Then, a miracle.
At breakfast in a café, her old uni friend, Hannah, grinned over her coffee.
«Charlie, come stay at my cottage. Two weeks. Peace, quiet, proper Wi-Fi. Escape the city. Matthew wont mind.»
Charlotte nearly wept with relief. Two weeks without that daily question. Two weeks without tension in her own home.
«Hannah, youre a lifesaver.»
She packed her bags the next morning. Matthew, buttoning his shirt, paused.
«Off somewhere?»
«Hannahs cottage. Two weeks. Work, relaxshes just had a rough breakup, needs the company. You dont mind?»
He kissed her goodbye. «Course not.»
By lunchtime, Charlotte was breathing deeply for the first time in months.
Then her phone rang. Emmas name flashed on the screen.
«Charlotte!» Her sister-in-laws voice was shrill. «How could you leave my son hungry? Hes home from school, and theres nothing for him!»
Charlotte kept her voice steady. «Emma, Im busy. Your sons meals arent my responsibility. Youre his mother.»
«How can you say that? We had an arrangement!»
«We never agreed to anything. You decided Id feed him.»
Emma eruptedshrieking about betrayal, selfishness, family duty. Charlotte hung up, exhaling.
Two blissful weeks passed. She returned home refreshed, full of plans with Hannah.
But her family was waiting.
Emma sat stone-faced on the sofa. Matthew hovered, guilt and confusion warring on his face.
«Finally!» Emma snapped. «Do you have any idea what these two weeks have been like? My son lived on frozen meals! You betrayed this family! Put yourself before a child!»
Charlotte set down her bag, removed her coat. She looked at them both.
«Whose child is he, exactly?» Her voice was cold. «Hes Matthews nephew, not mine. Im not obligated to feed him. Emma, I dont expect you to care for my relatives.»
«Were family!»
«Emma, reheating food for Alfie isnt hard. But I wont cook for him anymore. Ill buy my own food. I wont lift a finger in this house until Im shown some respect.»
The air thickened with tension.
From then on, Charlotte shopped only for herself and Matthewwho ate at work or cafés. Alfie stared at her mournfully, but she didnt relent. There was no food for him.
By the third day, Emma learned. She rose early, cooked meals, left them on the stove. She was furious, but it was done.
Before leaving for work, Emma gritted her teeth.
«Just heat up the stew and potatoes for Alfie at lunch.»
Charlotte smiled faintly. «Was that so hard?»
Emma stiffened but nodded.
Peacefragile, but peacesettled over the house. Charlotte breathed easy at last. Soon, theyd save enough to leave.
And shed make sure Matthew never forgotthis wasnt how you treated your wife.
