Emma had dreamed of celebrating her anniversary at their flat and demanded it be cleared out.
“Katie, has Thomas already told you?” her mother-in-law chirped. “Listen! Therell be at least twenty guests. We’ll start prepping in the eveningIll come around six.”
“Evening?” Katie repeated skeptically. “No. I never agreed to that.”
“Oh, hold on, I wasnt finished. Thomas has the shopping list alreadyhe promised to get everything.”
Thomas had always bent over backward for his older sister, Lucy. By thirty, shed married twice, divorced twice, and both times, naturally, it was the mans fault”just not the right one.” Their mother, Margaret, had drilled it into him since childhood:
“Your sister needs you.”
So Thomas helped. With money when Lucy was “temporarily” unemployed, with repairs in her rented flat, with hauling boxes after yet another messy split.
Then he married Katie.
At first, she endured it. But when Lucy askedfor the fifth time that yearto borrow their car “just for a couple of days” because hers had “let her down again,” Katie spoke softly but firmly.
“Thomas, honestlyenough. We need the car this weekend. I thought we had plans?”
“Cant you just walk?”
“No. You cant walk to my parents’ cottage. Theyve got two buckets of cucumbers waiting for us. Did you even hear me the first time?”
“Wellsort of. But Lucys got an emergency.”
“Again? What kind?”
“I dont know the details,” he hedged, “but she needs it more.”
“No, Thomas. Not this time. Either you say no, or buy me my own car. Im sick of the bus when my own husband could drive me.”
For the first time, Thomas hesitated. He was about to call Lucy to refuse when Margaret swooped in like a storm.
“Youd abandon your sister for your wife? Shes got no one else! Wholl help her if not you?”
So Thomas cavedagaindespite the fights. Once, they didnt speak for days until he snapped:
“Why the silent treatment? Are you sulking?”
“Took you three days to notice?” Katie scoffed.
“I just dont get what the problem is!”
She laugheda sharp, disbelieving sound.
“Really? You dont see it? Your darling sister stole you the whole weekend because she needed a lift to her friends country house. I thought youd just drop her off, but noyou stayed two days. Nothing about that bothers you?”
“Why would it? We had a few drinks. Her ex was there, and we got on fine. It was a celebration. Was I supposed to leave like some idiot? Rude.”
“You couldve called.”
“You couldve too,” he shot back.
“I did! Your phone was off. What was I supposed to think? Worried sick, not knowing where my husband was, and you were justtaking a break from me.”
“Youre imagining things,” he muttered, then stiffened as his phone buzzed.
Thomas stepped onto the balcony before answering. He knew Katie wouldnt appreciate another Lucy call.
“Hello, brother!” Lucy trilled. “My thirtieths in two weeks! You get what that means, right?”
Thomas glanced warily at Katie, ladling soup in the kitchen.
“…What do you want?”
“You always know!” Lucy giggled. “I want to celebrate at your place! Your lounge is huge. Mines cramped, and the landladys a nightmare. A restaurants too pricey.”
“What about a pub? Ill chip in.”
“Are you mad? Its my thirtieth! Why should I pay for a venue when youve got a flat? And youll chip in anywayits not like Im loaded.”
“Let me talk to Katie first. Its her home too. She might have plans.”
“Too late!” His sister cut in. “Ive already told everyone its at yours. Clear the flat for the day, yeah? Mums handling the food.”
Thomas sighed, rubbing his face. As he scrambled for an excuse, another message buzzedMargaret.
“Lucys sent the menu. Heres the shopping list. Tell Katie to help. And shed better pitch in with cooking too.”
Meanwhile, Katie, oblivious, curled up with her phone, ready to binge her favourite show. When Thomas shuffled in, avoiding her eyes, she knew instantly.
“So. What is it this time?” she asked flatly, pausing the screen.
“Katie, listen Lucys turning thirty. Its a big one. She wants a party.”
Katie tilted her head.
“Great. Whos stopping her?”
Thomas scratched his neck.
“Well she wants it here.”
“What? In our flat?” Katie stood. “And you agreed?”
“I said Id ask you first! Butshes already invited everyone. Mums sorting the menu”
Katie closed her eyes, inhaling slowly.
“Thomas. Are you actually a grown man? Or just Lucys errand boy?”
“Dont start”
“Im starting?” She waved her phone. “Did anyone even call me? This is my home, not a pit stop for your family. Lucy wants a party here, Im expected to cook, cater to your motherand I wasnt even asked?”
Her phone rang.
“Ah. The cherry on top,” she hissed. “Your mum.” She thrust the screen at him.
“Katie, has Thomas told you?” Margaret barrelled on. “Twenty guests. Well prep from six the night before.”
“Six? Evening?” Katies voice was icy. “No. That wasnt the deal.”
“Oh, hush. Thomas has the list. Hell buy everything.”
“Fine,” Katie bit out. “Whos paying?”
“Thomas is covering it,” Margaret clipped.
“Let me get this straight. Youre turning my home into a banquet hall, and were footing the bill?”
“Lucys family! Cant you help for one day? Just chop some salad, make canapésyoure the woman of the house!”
“Margaret,” Katie cut in, “I just found out about this. I never agreed to host Lucys party.”
“Stop with my flat! Youre marriedwhats yours is his!”
“Funny. If this were Thomass flat, you wouldnt say that. Then Id just be the freeloader.”
“Dont be absurd. Shoppings done by Friday. End of discussion.” The line went dead.
“What was that?” Katie asked, hearing the dial tone.
“Enough with the victim act!” Thomas finally snapped. “Youve been told youre wrong. Admit it and drop the attitude.”
Katie stared. Then, wordlessly, she fetched a duffel bag from the closet. She marched to the bedroom, yanked open drawers, and began stuffing Thomass clothes inside.
Meanwhile, Thomas, smug, cracked open a beer and flopped onto the sofa, flicking on the football. He assumed shed cool offgrumble, then cave. Any minute now, shed call him to dinner.
He was wrong.
Half an hour later, Katie stood in the hallway, a packed duffel at her feet. Thomas wandered out for another beer and froze.
“Whats this? Some kind of stunt?”
Katie met his eyes, cold.
“No stunt. This is over. Im done being a shadow in my own life, a servant in my own home, a backdrop for your familys whims. Be the perfect son and brothergo back to Mum. Prep for the party. Im sure shell lend you her sofa.”
“Youre serious?” He stepped closer. “I wont come back.”
“Dead serious,” she nodded. “I dont want you back. Ive tolerated too much already. If three years didnt teach you to respect me, more wont.”
“Katieyou cant just wreck everything like this!”
“You cant wreck whats already broken.”
Thomas scoffed, still not grasping it was final.
“All your shirts and jeans are here. No need to thank me. Leave now.”
He sputtered, but Katie swung the door open. Thomas stood, fists clenched, face burning. He willed her to back down, but her calm enraged him further.
“Youll regret this!” he spat, snatching the bag. “Youll come crawling back when you realise no one else will have you!”
“If no one means a woman with her own flat, her own job, and no patience for entitled in-lawsthen I love being no one.”
Thomas stormed out. Katie exhaled, pulling back the curtain to watch him kick his bag into a taxis boot.
Months passed.
The divorce was ugly. Thomas painted Katie as greedy, especially
