Youre a real gem, you know that, Emma? Again? Listen, Emma, who did you even have that baby for? For yourself or for us? I come home from the office, want a dinner, a bit of peace, some time with you, and instead Im stuck looking after someone elses child!
Hes not exactly a stranger, Emma shivered and sighed. Honestly, Im not into this either, she admitted. But Lucy needs a manicure, and you cant take a kid into the salon.
George fidgeted, unbuttoned his jacket and tossed it onto the chair. Hed have to feed his nephew, and its far easier in loungewear. The chance of spilling baby puree was a certainty.
I get it, love, but you cant skip the nail job, can you? Are you the only one for her? Why does our family feel like a nursery? I protested.
Theres Mom, too, Emma retorted, but she cant be on call every day. She pulled a packet of spaghetti from the cupboard.
And you, apparently, can, George cut in. You can do everything for everyone except yourself and me.
He frowned, then exhaled and relaxed a touch. His expression softened: his wife wasnt an enemy, just relentless.
Emma, if you dont pull her off your neck, shell keep hanging around, and thatll be on you. The driver decides the route, after all.
Emma pretended to be buried in cooking, but inside she knew George was right. She didnt know how to live with it: she didnt want to be a second mother to her nephew, yet she didnt want a family fight.
It all began innocently.
Emma, Ive got a cold and baby Charlie is in my arms. I need to hit the pharmacy, but I cant leave the little one alone. I cant do it by myself. Help, please?
Emma rushed in without a second thought, ignoring the delivery. Her sister was ill, perhaps badly, and needed rescuing.
Saving became second nature.
Need to collect the phone from the repair shop? Lucys calling. Ran out of groceries? Emmas on it again. Package arrived at the collection point? Emma darts off like a courier.
Emma could manage those feats because she worked remotely with a flexible schedule, so she could break away. That didnt mean it was convenient. A fifteenminute drive to Lucys flat, roundtrip plus a queue, waiting and the little lifesnags, ate at least an hour.
Now Emma works mostly evenings and sometimes nights, when the flat is quiet. Her husband isnt thrilled, and neither is she. She tried to talk to her sister.
Lucy, how are things with Paul? He doesnt help at all? Emma asked gently, handing over another parcel from Tesco Express.
He does help, Lucy replied. He just works, comes home exhausted. God willing hell sit with the baby while I have a shower, the rest is on me.
Lucy looked after her own husband, but she never thought about yours, Emma. Emma grunted and fell silent.
And his mother? She lives nearby.
Dont bring her up! Lucy rolled her eyes. Ive had enough of that toad. Whenever she shows up, I get a headache that lasts all evening. Shes not a woman, shes a well of unwanted advice. Id rather starve than ask her for anything.
Is there really no one else? Oxana also has a baby, about the same age as yours. You could team up: one watches, the other runs errands. Or Christina, who doesnt work at all.
It feels wrong to lean on strangers, Lucy admitted. They arent obliged.
Leaning on our own is easier, Emma sighed.
After that, Emma decided to turn her sister down. Even before George could weigh in, she knew this wasnt right.
The chance came straight away: the next day Lucy called, saying shed booked a salon appointment.
Emma, come over, look after the baby for an hour.
Lucys tone had switched to a command. She wasnt asking any more, she was demanding. That infuriated Emma: why should she scrap her plans just so Lucy could get her nails done?
No, Lucy, I cant today. Sorry.
What do you mean you cant?
I cant solve all your problems. I have a life too.
I get it, but what am I to do? Ive got nobody without you. Ive already booked, I cant let someone down. Youre stubborn, you wont forgive me.
Lucy, you didnt even run it by me before you booked. Im not a teenage runaway or a motherbear. Sort yourself out.
Fine, Lucy replied, hurt. Its easy for you to say, you dont have kids. You dont know how hard it is.
She knew the nephew was gradually becoming like a son to her, but Emma stayed silent. She avoided conflict, and even that refusal felt like a triumph.
Lucy didnt give up and called Mom.
Emma, how can you? Mom began. Your own sister has a child and you refuse! Shes alone! Who will help her if not us?
Mom, when she asked me to pick up medicine I went because it was important. Now she calls every day about trivialities. Today she even booked a salon! Does it have to be that urgent? She just wants to look pretty, like any woman. Understand her.
Emma lifted her eyebrows. No one had ever been in her shoes.
Mom, since youre so clever, help her.
I? Mom was taken aback. I can barely get around on my feet! Youre young, you can manage it easier.
Young, childless, still at homeI hear that all the time and Im tired of it. That day Emma held her ground and didnt help her sister.
In retaliation they gave her the silent treatment: a week passed with Mom and Lucy acting as if she didnt exist. Others might have taken it calmly, but not Emma. She couldt find a place for herself and kept wondering how to make peace with the family.
A week later Lucy called again, asking Emma to watch the baby while she got a manicure. Emma agreed, even though she despised herself for it. She was choosing between being cast out of the family or enduring.
Emma, youre soft one minute, harsh the next, George said after listening. Be careful, or shell never back off.
Emma sighed and nodded. Late that night she thought over how to refuse without sounding demanding.
In the morning the phone rang, predictably.
Emma, I cant any longer. The babys got a fever, hes been crying since dawn, and Im running around like a hamster! I cant even sit down or use the loo. Come over, well manage together, even if there are four of us.
I cant, Ive got work. Were under strict monitoring now: programmes track our activity, even lunch cant be skipped. Its like being in an office.
Silence on the line. Lucy seemed to be searching for a weak spot.
Please! Just once, the last time! Ask someone to cover for you or take a day off.
Emma had no choice. She pretended to concede.
Alright, Ill think of something.
She hung up and texted Paul, asking for his mothers number. Paul didnt refuse, and his mother agreed to pop over to Lucys.
Emma knew exactly when the mother would arrive because of the messages she kept sending.
Whats wrong with you, youve gone off the rails?! Lucy texted. Why did you get her onto me?
You needed help. I called her, Emma replied, acting as if nothing had happened. I cant come myself, you know that.
Lucy read it and didnt answer. Emma felt a small victory, hers. Lucy would whine, Mom would probably be disgruntled again, but now her sister would have to manage on her own or learn to find help from those who truly want to help.
