You wont believe what I had to do, mate. I ended up buying myself a separate fridge and sticking it in my bedroom, just so Mum wouldnt nick my groceries.
Honestly, it sounds ridiculous, but I had no other choice. Ive got no issue with selling the flat and splitting the cash, but Mums completely against it.
So, Im Emily, and Ive just turned 24. Got my degree, found myself a job, but Im still living at homehavent tied the knot yet. I own half the flat. It used to belong to my dad, but when he passed away ten years ago, Mum and I inherited it fifty-fifty. I was only 14 at the time.
Things were really tough for us after Dad was gone. Mum had quit her job ages ago, when I was just a kid. She never bothered going back after maternity leave, not that they needed her salary back thenDad earned enough, and she became a full-time homemaker. But after losing Dad, she was in bits, Whos going to hire a forty-year-old woman? The local school cleaning job?
Anyway, I got this monthly family allowance, but Mum couldnt resist splashing out at the shops, even though we were struggling. At first, her brother helped us out, but he got fed up pretty quickly.
My uncle told Mum, Linda, that she had to sort herself out and get a job. Hes got two kids of his own and couldnt keep footing the bill for all of us. After about a year, Linda brought home this bloke called Colin and announced hed be moving in. Her idea was to solve the money problem by remarrying. Colin did earn a decent wage, but we never got on.
Colins words stuck with me: You just eat all the time. Youd be better off doing the laundry or cleaning. Why are you always doing homework? University? What foryou should be working now. Or do you think Ill be feeding you forever?
I couldnt really say much. Sure, I got a family allowance, but Mum had control of the cash. She never stuck up for me with Colinshe was scared to lose the breadwinner.
How will we manage without him? shed ask. Just keep your head down and do what he says, hes keeping us going.
So I powered through, got myself into university, found a job, even though everyone kept treating me like a burden. Colin constantly moaned about how much I cost him.
Six months into my job, I managed to buy myself a fridge. Plonked it right in my room since Colin had the kitchen one basically on lockdown.
He told me, Got a job now? Good, feed yourself, and that was that.
Mum just clammed up, even when Colin started waving bills around in my face and demanding I pay him back for what hed spent on me over the years. Eventually, Colin lost his job. Suddenly, both he and Mum were raiding my fridge, and all the bills landed on my lap. First I paid, but Colin didnt work for nearly a year. I snappedput a padlock on my fridge. Mum kicked off, saying Colin had supported us all that time.
I told them, If you want me to help, pitch in yourself. Im not the only one sharing things in this house. Go out and find some work.
Colins finally moved outMum got sick of a bloke who didnt bring in any money. But Im still keeping my fridge locked, and I reckon Mum should get herself a job as well. What do you thinkam I being unreasonable?
