Your loves not going to grow on its own, Stan shook his head.
Do I have to earn love after twenty years of marriage? Milly retorted, eyebrows raised. How fascinating!
Youre a clever woman, Stan grimaced. Is it really that hard to see what I meant?
When a woman is called clever, Milly said, people usually mean the opposite!
And there you go againmisreading everything! Your manipulations dont count. In this case youre the one whos wrong, not me! Stan declared.
Oh, in this particular situation, Milly continued, how interesting it becomes!
So after work youre exhausted and want to relax, and I, as the understanding wife, shouldnt just stand in your way but also bring dinner to the sofa?
Stan, youre sounding like a tyrant! Stan pursed his lips. But as a reasonable man, can you see Im tired?
I get that youre tired, Milly nodded. But you can still get to the kitchenno need to act like a cripple or a dying man!
So youll only serve me food if Im a cripple? Stan snapped. Or perhaps you hope Ill become one, God forbid?
Less talk, more action, Milly replied, pointing toward the kitchen. Its right over there.
Come on, Milly! Stan whined. Dont you understand? Im just exhausted!
Enough pleading, Stan! Milly raised her voice. Im knackered from work too, and I dont feel like ferrying trays back and forth. Youll ask me for salt, ketchup, sour cream, mayo, bread, a sideeverythings within arms reach in the kitchen. Grab it, be happy!
Stan shook his head. With that attitude you wont win my love! He shuffled toward the kitchen like a dying swan.
Drama queen! Milly snorted, settling into the armchair more comfortably.
She waitedreally waitedanticipating and waited.
Stan! Whats that? his voice echoed from the kitchen.
Milly didnt move a muscle.
Stan! he rushed into the room. Whats that over there?
The pots in the fridge, the plates are drying, the microwaves still there, Milly said calmly.
Honestly! Stan muttered through his teeth. Thats the last straw!
For the record, Milly smiled sweetly, Im exhausted from work too. So what?
Stan stared at his wife for a minute, cursed, then trudged back to the kitchen.
It could have sparked a fullblown marital disaster, but the next day a family visit was on the calendar.
Millys mother, Mrs. Margaret Whitaker, wanted to get the clan together because, Its been ages!a flimsy excuse people rarely use, but theyd postponed this gathering dozens of times before.
Mrs. Whitaker simply wanted the family to chat, no agenda required.
Stan, feeling the need to vent, thought, Let the motherinlaw try to straighten her daughter out!
He waited for the desserttime lull, then blurted out, I understand, Mrs. Whitaker, but somethings off with your daughter!
Ill say it straight: things are heading toward a divorcefile situation! Youd better step in, because life throws all sorts of curveballs!
Oh dear, whats happened? Margaret clutched her chest.
Yesterday I got home from workexhausted beyond words! Im the breadwinner, the week was brutally stressful. They drained me dry! I asked Milly to feed the hunter, and she just pointed at the fridge without moving an inch!
Margarets eyes widenedshock, outrage, desperation, terror.
Milly held that gaze with calm detachment.
Sorry to intrude, Millys brother Colin interjected, but somethings definitely off with the two of them! Im a Sundaydad, you know. My exgirlfriend Anya had no shame or conscience. She only sees me on weekends, and Im getting child support for my daughter. I barely have time to clean! I asked Milly for help and she never refused because she knew where I was and where the chores were!
And then she handed me a broom, tossed a rag under my feet, and told me not to be a pig!
They fell ill, apparently, their son chimed in. I politely asked her to iron my shirt for a date. She handed me an iron, played a tutorial on her tablet, and that was that!
Milly absorbed both complaints without a flicker of nerves.
Her mother, however, was beyond thrilled.
Darling, whats this? Margaret exclaimed, exasperated. You were such a good girlkind, polite, helpful! Im ashamed of you!
Im not ashamed of myself! Milly replied firmly.
—
Even sunshine has spots. Patience, once a virtue, now seems less charming, often met with sarcasm. People ask, Why endure? Why suffer so long? I wouldnt have put up with it! I wouldnt have tolerated it! Frustration multiplies when someone shows patience, as if it were a flaw. Yet burning bridges at the first opportunity is hailed as the perfect solution. Still, dialoguesolving problems with words, not wreckageis praised.
Delicacy was Millys hallmark. She grew up believing each person is a world of their own, and imposing your standards is either foolish or disastrous. To understand someone, you must stand in their shoes, see through their eyes, think as they think, then only judge.
Applying this, Milly grasped why her friend stole her boyfriend. She felt the sting of first love, but put herself in the boyfriends place: He wanted more, and I wasnt ready. Ksenia was ready and wanted it. If Kirill were ten years older, his hormones would be tamer. His actions made sense. Then she saw the friends angle: She comes from a large family, moneys always tight, parents force her to watch younger siblings. Kirills wealthy, onlychild background made him a ticket out of a familial hell.
Thats just one of many examples. Milly never threw in the towel at the first hiccup; she always tried to see what drove peoples actions. At work, she could spot when colleagues set her up. She often proved herself right and restored fairnesswithout ever blaming the offender, just finding the cause. Any cause, unless madness, has a legitimate right to exist and can justify behaviour.
For Stan, Milly became a treasurea pearl, a priceless diamond. Most of his flaws were forgiven, reclassified as harmless quirks. Not every man can compliment or woo properly, Milly mused. So I wont berate him for not bringing flowers or opening doors. Ill just pull my own chair at the restaurant if needed.
She accepted his lack of housekeepinghis mother always did it. He couldnt cook, couldnt work the washing machine, basically knew nothing about domestic life. Milly realised not all men are handy. She asked, taught, and explained things, but most of the time she did it herself.
When Stan showed little fatherly flair for little Denis, science was on his side: men typically become interested in a child around age three, when they can actually interact. Babies that scream and squirm are a mystery, often feared. Hence Stans irritation when Denis cried, or when Milly spent more time with the lad than with himjealousy and fear, plain as day.
After ten years of marriage, Milly accepted Stans coolness. Habit works! Were not youths with raging hormones any more!
She understood his need for mates gatheringsworkhome, homework, a change of scenery.
A strange thought crossed her mind: what if Stan had a mistress? Could she accept it? No answer was needed; Stan never looked left, so there was no such flaw to accommodate.
Millys life wasnt just about her husband. Their son Denis followed his fathers footsteps, preferring videogame battles over chores. Thats where fatherson bonding finally clicked.
Milly also had a younger brother, Colin, a noisy, conflictloving type who thrived on drama. As a child shed often cry from his antics, later realising it was his jealousy and need to control emotions. His marriage sputtered, ending in divorce, leaving little Zina, his daughter, without a full family.
Colin turned into a Sundaydad, utterly clueless about household tasksjust like Stan. Before taking Zina for a weekend, hed ask Milly to tidy his flat and cook something decent because he survived on takeaways. Zinas exwife only dropped her off once a month, so Millys help was infrequent.
Then there was Mom. People say mums sacred, and theyre right. When a mother asks for help, you cant refuseunless it becomes an extreme burden. Margaret Whitaker never overstepped; she could clean and cook herself, but she invited Milly for company, not chores. Millys no was firm, but the visit turned into conversation over pots and pans.
Eventually Milly said, Im not ashamed, Im sad for myself. I was foolish to think I could accommodate everyones faults forever. She realised shed been trying to please everyone, thinking theyd reciprocate love, respect, and gratitudenone of which shed sensed over the years.
The room fell silent; they were used to Millys quiet. Then she spoke up, Im not a girl anymore, and its too late to rewrite my whole life. From now on Ill do only what I want.
Want me to feed you after work? Ill cook, set the table, wash the dishes. Dont want to? Stan, you know where the fridge is! She added, Youre not five years old, you can feed yourself! Same with Denisat seventeen you can handle cooking, cleaning, ironing if you want a crisp shirt.
She turned to Colin: If I feel like seeing my niece, Ill swing by and tidy up for you. If not, youll manage on your own or hire a cleaner. Not my job!
And you, dear Mum, can welcome your daughter in a tidy flat and treat her to something nice without making me do it for you!
Milly saw the sour faces around the table. She didnt like being everyones convenience. She wanted to be convenient for herself.
Im heading home, Milly announced, standing. If you dont like the new rules, I wont drag anyone with me, and I wont answer your calls.
Stan and Denis returned only for their belongings. Colin stopped calling. Mom phoned just to accuse Milly of selfishness.
Selfishness isnt just thinking of yourself, Milky retorted. Its demanding everyone think of you first, then yourself later. Ponder that!
Maybe Milly didnt plan such a radical shift, but life unfolded that way. A new life for a new Millyhappy, because she finally said No.
