“What do you mean, we’re through?” the man asked his wife, baffled. “Because I gave money to my mother?”
“Nineteen thousand pounds!” Enid flung the bank statement onto the table, watching the white sheets scatter across the surface. “Rodney, wheres the money?”
Her husband didnt even bother to look up from the television, flicking through channels.
“What money?” he muttered indifferently.
“The money weve been saving for three years towards our deposit! Yesterday there was twenty-two thousand five hundred, today theres thirty-five hundred!”
Rodney finally glanced up, shrugging as if it were nothing.
“Oh, that Mum and Jane needed help. Was I supposed to turn them away?”
“Did you even ask me? That was our shared savings!”
“Stop making a fuss. Ill pay it back.”
“When? In how many years?” Enid leaned over the table, hands pressed flat. “Rodney, we agreedno spending from that account without discussing it first. Not a single penny!”
“We agreed, we agreed But when your own mother asks, what was I supposed to do, say no?”
“And what about your wife working twelve-hour days for three years? That means nothing? Thats my money too!”
Rodney grimaced and turned back to the screen.
“Dont exaggerate. Its just a normal job.”
Six months earlier, Enid had sat in her travel agency office, meticulously calculating her commission from the latest holiday package sale. The numbers pleased herthe group had been large and well-paying.
Her colleague, Margaret, peered over the monitor.
“Crunching numbers again? Still saving for that dream flat?”
“Another year, maybe eighteen months, and well have our own place,” Enid said, smiling as she set her pen down. “Rodneys been picking up extra shifts at the garage on weekends too.”
“Youre lucky with him. Mine just keeps promising, but nothing ever changes.”
“Yes, I suppose I am lucky,” Enid agreed, though a nagging voice whispered unease.
Margaret pulled her chair closer.
“How much have you saved, if you dont mind me asking?”
“Twenty-one thousand. Only a little more to go before we hit twenty-five.”
“Brilliant! Where are you keeping it? In a savings account?”
“Of coursefixed-term deposit. The interest isnt much, but every bit helps.”
“Smart. The main thing is not to dip into it for something silly.”
Enid nodded but didnt mention how Rodney had lately been complaining of exhaustion and skipping his extra shifts.
That same evening, she found him sprawled on the sofa, watching an action film.
“Rod, werent you supposed to be at the garage today?” she asked, slipping off her shoes in the hallway.
“Going tomorrow. My backs been playing up.”
“Maybe see a doctor?”
“Stop fussing. Itll pass.” He changed the channel. “Mum called, by the way. Jane needs money for her beauty course.”
Enid froze, her hand still gripping her bag.
“How much?”
“Just fifteen hundred. Barely anything.”
“Just?!” Her voice rose. “Rodney, thats my monthly bonus!”
“No need to shout. Im not touching the savings. Ill cover it from next months wages.”
“And if your wages dont cover it?”
“They will. Stop worrying.”
Enid went to heat dinner, but her appetite had vanished. Unpleasant thoughts circledhow many times had Rodneys family asked for money like this?
***
Two weeks later, it happened again with eerie precision. Claudia, Rodneys mother, called during dinner.
“Youre on speaker, Mum,” Rodney said, still eating. “Whats wrong?… Leaking badly?… Seven hundred fifty? Fine, Ill drop it off tomorrow.”
Enid slowly set her fork down.
“Rodney, we agreedmortgage first, everything else after.”
“What, youd rather let my mums flat flood? How heartless can you be?”
“Im not heartless,” she said, forcing calm. “But your brother Paul lives next door. Why cant he help?”
“Pauls out of work, you know that.”
“How? Everywheres hiring!”
Rodney finally looked up from his plate.
“Dont start. Shes my mother. Ill help her, end of.”
“And Im your wife,” Enid said quietly. “Does that mean anything?”
“Of course it does. But Mums got a leak”
“And what about our future?”
“Futures not going anywhere. We wont starve over seven hundred fifty quid.”
***
A month after that argument, Enids boss, Leonard, called her into his office. He sat behind his desk, shuffling papers.
“Enid, take a seat. You handled that Chinese tour group excellently. The bonus will be substantialtwenty-five hundred.”
“Thank you,” she said, genuinely pleased.
“But Ive noticed a trendyoure taking all the overtime, working weekends. Arent you burning out?”
“No, Im fine. Rodney and I are saving for a flat. Every penny counts.”
“Admirable, of course. But healths worth more than any property.”
Enid nodded but privately thoughtwithout her overtime, theyd never save enough. Rodney kept “lending” to his family.
“Leonard, any extra tasks going? Maybe someones handing off holiday cover?”
He studied her.
“There is but youre already stretched.”
“Ill manage.”
At home, she found Rodney with his mate Victor. Both sat at the kitchen table with beers, laughing at some joke.
“Oh, Enids back!” Victor raised his bottle. “Join us!”
“Thanks, but Im knackered,” she said, heading for the fridge.
“Rodney told me about your flat savings. Proper dedicated, you two. I keep meaning to start.”
“Because you keep dumping cash into crypto,” Rodney chuckled. “Think youll get rich overnight.”
“Long-term investment! Couple years, Ill be loaded!”
“Yeah, right. How many times have you struck it rich now?”
Enid retreated to the bedroom, tired of their talk of easy money. An hour later, Victor finally left, and Rodney followed her in.
“Whats the face for?”
“I worked twelve hours today, Rodney. Youve been drinking with your mate.”
“Sorry my friend dropped by. Not allowed to relax now?”
“You can. Id just prefer if you relaxed after work, not instead of it.”
“Here we go again.”
“When was the last time you went to the garage?”
Rodney turned to the window.
“Last week.”
“Last week you were hungover after Pauls birthday.”
“Listen, stop monitoring me! Dont like it? Leave!”
***
Jane, Rodneys sister, showed up unannounced a week later. Enid was cooking when she burst in.
“Hi, sis! Rod in?”
“On the sofa,” Enid said flatly, not turning from the stove.
“Rod!” Jane flounced into the living room. “I need money, urgent!”
“Again? Jane, I gave you cash for those courses last week.”
“Different thing! Theres this incredible deal on professional makeup kitscant miss it!”
“How much?” Rodney sighed.
“Just twenty-five hundred! But its an investment in my future!”
“Twenty-five hundred?!” Enid stepped out, furious. “Jane, thats insane!”
“Nobody asked you!” Jane snapped. “Rod, please! Ill pay you back with interest once I get clients!”
“Jane, were tight right now”
“Always tight! Saving like misers for your flat, but cant help family!”
“Were not misers,” Enid said coldly. “Weve scrimped for three years.”
“Spare me! Both working, rolling in it, but too stingy to share!”
“Stingy? Our future”
“Future? A flats not a future, its greed!”
After she left, silence settled. Rodney went to smoke on the balcony; Enid returned to dinner.
An hour later, Claudia called.
“Rodney, how could you refuse your own sister? Shes trying to better herself!”
“Mum, we really dont have spare cash right now.”
“Spare? For family? Enids turning you against us!”
“Mum, dont drag Enid into”
“Exactly! Married five minutes and shes calling the shots! Forgotten who raised you?”
Enid listened from the kitchen. Shed poured everything into those savings, worked herself raggedonly to be painted as a selfish villain.
***
Next morning, Enid ran into their neighbor, Edward, in the hallway.
“Morning, Enid! Hows the flat fund going?” he asked cheerfully.
“Getting there,” she said, adjusting her bag.
