I had to get my own fridge, says Grace. Honestly, its ridiculous, but really, what else could I do? I dont mind selling the flat and splitting the money, but Mum flatly refuses.
Grace recently celebrated her 24th birthday. She slogged her way through university, landed herself a job, but shes still single and living at homea combination that isnt exactly the dream. Grace owns half the flat. It used to belong to her dad. She and her mum, Margaret, inherited equal shares when Grace was just 14.
Back then, things were tough. Theyd lost the family breadwinner. Margaret had left her job while Grace was a child, thinking Why bother with maternity leave? My husband earns plenty, were sorted! So she focused on domestic life. After Dad passed, Margaret sobbed, Whos going to hire a woman in her forties? What would I do, scrub floors?
Grace goes on: I got a survivors pension, but Mum couldnt resist popping into shops and salons for essential purchases, even when we were scraping by. Early on, my uncle helped out. But soon, hed had enough.
My uncle, Charlie, told Margaret, You need to find a job, love. Ive got my own brood to feedI cant bankroll the lot of you. About a year later, Margaret brought home a man called Derek. She announced he was moving in, clearly aiming to solve the cash crisis by finding herself another provider. Derek earned well, but he and I didnt exactly hit it off.
His words? All you do is eat. Shouldnt you be doing laundry or cleaning? Why do your homeworkyou think youre going to uni? Get a job instead! Or do you expect me to keep feeding you forever?
Grace, with all her teenage fury, couldnt get a word in. She did get a pension, but Mum handled all the money anyway. And Margaret refused to defend her daughter. She was terrified of losing her new meal ticket.
How would we survive without him? shed ask Grace. Just dont argue. Do whatever he says. He pays the bills.
Against all odds, Grace made it to university and eventually found a job. But the constant family refrain was that she was another mouth to feed, sponging off Derek. He meticulously calculated every penny wasted on her.
Six months after starting work, I finally bought myself a fridge, says Grace. Put it in my bedroom, because Derek had taken to padlocking the one in the kitchen.
Got a job, have you? Good, feed yourself then, Derek grumbled.
Margaret was struck dumb. She didnt say a word, even when Derek started handing Grace the utility bills and demanding she pay back everything hed invested in her. After a while, Derek lost his job. Thats when he and Margaret began raiding Graces fridge in earnest. Suddenly, all the household bills fell on Grace. At first, she paid up. But after almost a year of Derek lounging around unemployed, shed had enoughand fitted a padlock to her fridge. Naturally, Margaret was outraged, insisting Derek had fed them for years.
Grace finally snapped: If you want, help me out! Im not the first person to start keeping things separate around here. Get a job.
Recently, Derek moved out. Margarets fed up with a man who doesnt contribute. But Graces fridge remains firmly padlocked; she reckons Margaret should be looking for work, too. Sowhat do you think? Has she got it right?
