Dont expect love that way, I said, shaking my head at James.
Do I even need to earn love after twenty years of marriage? Emily shot back, eyebrows raised. How fascinating.
Youre a clever woman, James muttered, frowning. Is it really that hard to see what I meant?
Emily replied, When a woman is called clever, people usually mean the opposite trait.
See? Youve got it wrong again, and your attempt at manipulation doesnt count. In this case youre the one at fault, not me! James declared.
Ah, in that particular situation! Emily continued, smiling mischievously. And what an interesting situation it turns out to be.
So after a long day at work youre exhausted and need a break, and I, as an understanding wife, should not only stay out of your way but also bring dinner to the sofa?
Emily, youre talking to me as if Im a tyrant! James pressed his lips together. But, honestly, you know Im tired, dont you?
I understand youre tired, Emily nodded. But you can still make it to the kitchen youre not crippled or on your deathbed.
So youll only bring me food if Im physically unable to get it yourself? James snapped. Do you want me to become an invalid, orGod forbidsomething worse?
Less talk, more action, Emily said, pointing toward the kitchen. Its right there.
Come on, Emily! Cant you see Im exhausted? James whined.
Enough pleading, James! Emily raised her voice. Im beat from work too. I dont want to be running back and forth with trays. Youll be asking me for salt, ketchup, sour cream, mayo, extra bread, or whatever else, while everythings right there in the kitchen! I get up, grab it, and Im happy.
James shook his head. That attitude wont win any love, he muttered, shuffling toward the kitchen like a swan about to drown.
Actor! Emily snorted, settling more comfortably into the armchair.
She waited, eyes bright with anticipation, and waited some more.
Emily! Whats that supposed to mean? James called from the kitchen.
Emily didnt bother getting up. Not a muscle twitched.
Emily! James burst into the room. Whats that about?
The pots in the fridge, the plates in the cupboard, the microwave is where it belongs, Emily replied calmly.
Well, thats just it! James snarled through his teeth. Its a dead end!
For the record, Emily smiled sweetly, Im tired from work too. Whats your conclusion?
James stared at her for a minute, cursed under his breath, and trudged back to the kitchen.
It could have escalated into a fullblown family showdown, but the next day a visit to the relatives was already on the calendar.
Emilys mother, Margaret, had called a family gathering, claiming Its been ages since weve all been together. The excuse was weak, and theyd postponed this meeting a dozen times before. Margaret simply wanted everyone under one roof to catch up.
James decided that the best way to vent was to complain to his motherinlaw.
Let your daughter have a word with her own mother! he muttered.
When the formal part of the dinner ended and the desserts were being passed, James seized his moment.
I understand everything, Margaret, but something strange is happening with your daughter! he announced. Things are moving in a direction that could lead to a divorce. You could intervene, you knowlife has a way of throwing curveballs.
Lord, whats happened? Margaret gasped, clutching her chest.
Yesterday I got home from a grueling shift. Im exhausted beyond words. Im the one bringing home the money for the family, and the week was brutally stressful. I was drained! I asked Emily to feed the man of the house, and she just pointed at the fridge without moving a muscle!
Margarets eyes widened with surprise, outrage, and dread. Emily met her gaze coolly, almost detached.
I didnt mean to start a scene, interjected Charlie, Emilys brother, but somethings off between us. Im a Sunday dad, you know. You remember my exwife Anneno shame, no conscience! She only visits on weekends, once a month. Im on my own, paying child support, so I have no time to tidy up. I asked Emily for help, and she never refused because she knew where I was and that Id need a clean house.
Then she told me to grab a broom, tossed a rag at my feet, and warned me not to make a mess! Charlie added.
She even got sick, apparently, Jamess son, Dennis, chimed in. I just asked her to iron my shirt for a date, and she handed me a tutorial video on how to press a shirt. She listened to both my complaints without a flicker of irritation.
Emily took both complaints on the chin, unruffled.
Their mother, Margaret, was not so calm.
Emily, what does that mean? she demanded, agitated. You were always such a good girlkind, polite, helpful! Im ashamed of you!
Im not ashamed of myself, Emily replied firmly.
—
Just as sunlight spots a wall, patience is no longer seen as a virtue. People tend to denounce it now, asking why we even endure. Why put up with it for so long? they say. Id never have tolerated it.
The outrage multiplies whenever someone shows patience, as if it were a flaw, while burning bridges at the first convenience is praised as the proper course of action. Yet dialogue, solved with words rather than fists or charred bridges, is still lauded.
Delicacy has always been Emilys nature. She was raised to see each person as a separate world, making it foolish to impose your own standards on anothers soul. To truly understand someone, you must step into their shoes, see through their eyes, think as they think, and only then pass judgment.
Following that rule, Emily eventually understood the friend who had taken her boyfriend. It hurt; first love is always a tough pill. She put herself in the boyfriends shoes:
He wanted more, and I wasnt ready. Ksenia was ready and wanted it too. If Kirill had been ten years older, his hormones might have been tamer. His actions were, in fact, logical.
Then she saw it from her friends side:
She comes from a large family, always short on cash, with parents demanding she look after the younger siblings. Kirill, on the other hand, has wealthy parents and is an only child. To her, he was a ticket out of a family nightmare, a chance at a better life.
That was just one of many examples. She never gave up at the first sign of trouble; she always tried to grasp what drove people to act the way they did.
Emily even managed to see why some colleagues set her up at work. She often proved herself right and restored fairness, never blaming the offender, merely uncovering the motive. Any motive, unless its sheer madness, has a legitimate claim to exist and can explain behaviour.
For James, Emily became a treasurea priceless gem. Most of Jamess flaws were forgiven, brushed off as harmless quirks. It wasnt perfect, but it worked, and he barely noticed the imperfections.
Not every bloke knows how to give compliments or court a lady, Emily admitted. So I wont scold him for not bringing flowers or opening doors. Ill just pull my own chair at the restaurant if I need a comfortable seat.
She applied the same logic elsewhere. She understood that James wasnt a neatfreak; his mother always handled the tidying. He wasnt a chef for the same reason, and he couldnt work a washing machine. At home he knew nothing, and Emily realised that most men simply arent wired for those chores.
Sure, she asked James to do things, showed him how, taught him a bit, but the bulk of the work fell to her.
She also accepted that James didnt display overt paternal instincts toward their son, Dennis. Science backs him up: men typically start bonding with a child around the age of two or three, when they can actually interact, play, and teach. A screaming infant in a cot is a mystery to many dads, who often shy away from it.
That explained why James snapped when Dennis wails, or why Emily spent more time with their son than with James. It was fear, a touch of jealousy, all completely understandable.
When the marriage crossed the tenyear milestone, Emily recognised that James had grown colder.
Its just habit, and were no longer youngsters with raging hormones, she thought.
She also gave him leeway when he met up with his mates.
Workhome, homework. He needs a change of scenery, a break, a fresh picture, she reasoned.
A strange question crossed her mind: What if James ever took a lover? Could she accept and understand that? No answer was needed, because James never looked left; that flaw didnt exist for him to manage.
Emilys life wasnt just about a husband. Their son Dennis followed his fathers footsteps, but despite Emilys attempts to teach him household tasks, his mind stayed on videogame battles. Thats where he and James finally clickedgaming together bridged the gap.
Emily realised Dennis saw his dad as a role model, which was only natural.
She also had a brother, Charlie, younger but with a completely different temperament. He loved noise, drama, conflict, feeding off the energy of others. As a child, Emily had often wept at his mischief, later seeing it as jealousy and a need to control emotions.
Charlies marriage was a brief sprint. His wife, with a strong character, clashed with him for years before they split. Their little daughter, Zina, now lives without a full family.
Charlie became a Sunday dad, just like James, utterly clueless about household duties. Before taking Zina for the weekend, hed ask Emily to tidy his flat and whip up a decent meal because he was happy ordering takeaway.
Zinas exwife would drop her off once a month, so Charlies responsibilities were sporadic at best.
Then there was their mother, Margaret. People say Mum is sacred, and theyd be right. When a mother asks for help, a child cant refuse. Yet if the request becomes extreme, saying no becomes acceptable.
Margaret never overstepped. She could clean and cook if she wanted; she had plenty of strength. She invited Emily precisely for that reason.
Emily took her mothers pleas with understanding. It wasnt the chores she needed help with, but the companyjust sitting, talking. If Margaret only wanted a chat, Emily wouldnt linger. While she cleaned and cooked, they conversed, and nothing ominous loomed.
Eventually Emily drew a firm line.
Im not ashamed of myself, Im just sad, she confessed. I was foolish to keep tolerating every shortcoming and odd behaviour.
The foolishness was in trying to look after you, to do more, thinking youd appreciate it because you loved me, she continued. I never saw that youd think of me in return, not because I was doing something for you, but because you valued me. That never happened over the years.
The room fell silentpeople were used to Emilys quiet. She broke the spell.
Yes, Im no longer a girl, she said. Its too late to change everything, but Ill now only do what I want.
Want to feed the husband after work? Ill cook, set the table, wash the dishes. Dont want to? Then you know where the fridge is, James! she added.
Youre not a child any longer; you can feed yourself. That applies to Dennis toohes seventeen now. He can manage cooking, cleaning, even ironing if he wants a crisp shirt.
She turned to her brother.
If I feel like seeing my niece, Ill come over and tidy up for you. If not, youll learn the basics yourself or hire a cleaner. Dont expect me to do it all.
And you, dear Mum, can welcome your daughter in a tidy flat and offer a bite, rather than forcing me to handle everything.
Emily scanned the sour faces around her, realizing no one liked what shed just said. She didnt want to be everyones convenience any longer. She wanted to be convenient for herself.
Im heading home, she announced, standing. If you dont like the new rules, Im not calling anyone else, and I dont need your calls either.
James and Dennis returned only for their belongings. Charlie stopped phoning. Margaret called just to accuse Emily of selfishness.
Selfishness isnt thinking only of yourself; its demanding everyone think of you first, then yourself later, Emily replied. Think about that.
Perhaps Emily hadnt planned such a radical shift, but life unfolded that way. A new life for a new Emilyhappy, because she finally said No.
