“I warned youwherever you took the money, thats where youll have dinner! Breakfast too, for that matter,” declared his wife, settling into her armchair with her knitting.
“Lucy! You home?” called Basil as he stepped into the flat.
“Im in the kitchen,” replied Lucy.
Shed come home early today and had started preparing supper. Basil took off his coat, washed his hands, and joined her.
“So, why arent you bragging?” he asked.
“Brag? About what?” she said, puzzled.
“Well, I ran into Rita from your department on the way home. She told me you lot got your quarterly bonus today. A decent one.”
“We did, yes. And why should that make you happy?”
“Why? I told you yesterdayMum rang, asking if we could help Zoe with her mortgage. You said we had no money. Well, now we do. Lets send Zoe a few hundred quid,” Basil suggested.
“On what grounds?” Lucy arched a brow.
“Dont play dense. You know Zoes struggling with the mortgage alone. Ill ring Mum right now and tell her well transfer the money,” he said, grabbing his phone.
“Hold it! Did I say I was willing to pay your sisters mortgage?” Lucy snapped.
“Why not help if we can afford it?”
“First off, *we* dont have the money*I* do. That bonus came from three months of backbreaking work! Do you think I slogged dawn till dusk just to make Zoe happy? Was that my grand plan?”
“Lu, shes got kids!”
“So do I, Basil. *Our* daughter, Vickyremember her? Second year at uni, living in halls in another city. I send her money every month. Have you ever given her a single penny in two years?”
“You already send her enough!”
“Wouldnt it be nice if her own father slipped her twenty quid for tights? And as for Zoemaybe she shouldve thought twice before signing up for a mortgage she cant handle.”
“But the bank approved her!”
“Exactly. Clever people work at banksthey can do maths. They decided Zoe *can* afford it. If she cant, shes spending wrongsalons and cafés instead of paying her debt. I wont foot the bill for her whims!”
That evening, Basil overheard Lucy telling her mother shed just transferred eight hundred quid.
“Funny how theres nothing for Zoe, but Mum gets whatever she wants,” he grumbled.
“Right. Mums denture brokeshe needs a dentist. Her pensions tight. Besides, shes *my* mother. Zoes a stranger to me.”
“Zoes my *sister*!”
“Yours, not mine. Why should I care?”
“Fine, Ill send Zoe my wages come payday,” Basil muttered.
“Go ahead. Just transfer the usual grand to the household account first.”
“Lu, a grands a bit steep. Cant it be less?”
“It can. Then supperll be pasta with ketchup, not homemade cutlets. Or skip the bills and detergentyour choice.”
“Cant we budget better, so theres enough for everything?”
“Try it. If you manage, Ill take notes.”
The conversation ended there. But Basil assumed Lucy wouldnt follow throughso he sent nearly his entire wage to Zoe.
He was wrong. The next evening, he found the kitchen spotlessno supper in sight.
“Lu, whats for dinner?”
“Check the fridge.”
Inside: a lone ketchup bottle and two shrivelled apples.
“Lu, theres nothing here.”
“Really? Why would there be? Did *you* put anything in?” she said sweetly. “You do know fridges dont magically fill themselves?”
“Im *starving*.”
“Id imagine. But I warned you: follow the money for your meals. Breakfast too,” she said, picking up her knitting.
Basil had to go to his mothers.
The next day, his mumNinacame to lecture Lucy. After a lengthy rant, Lucy sighed.
“You wasted your breath, Nina. I already know Im a terrible wife. Maybe Basil should move in with you. Whats the point of me?”
“Dont be daft! You married himlive with him!”
“Right. *Im* the problem. Not the lovely flat, the decent salary, the bonus. The real issue? I wont share with you or Zoe.”
“So youll bleed my son dry? Fineyou feed him this month. Mind you, he wont eat sausages. Turns his nose up at chicken. Suppers cutlets, roast potatoes, salad. Or stuffed cabbageextra meat. Oh, and do his laundry.”
“Have you lost your mind? You managed before!”
“We did. Until you stuck your nose in. Split Zoe and Greg up, now its our turn?”
“*What* nonsense are you spouting?”
“Who else dripped poison in Zoes ear? Gregs useless, earns peanuts, tiny flat? Drove him offleft Zoe with two kids and a crushing mortgage. Happy now?”
“Bored, were you? Needed a new project? Well, Im not Greg. I wont put up with ittake Basil back. Wholl care for him better than his own mother?”
“Lucy, no! Id never leave you! Mum just suggested helping Zoe”
“Help all you like. Live with Mum or Zoe till paydaytheir problem. Ill think things over.”
Basil knew she meant it. He spent the month at his mothers.
On payday, he returned.
“Lu, I transferred my wages. Sent Vicky three hundred too.”
The kitchen smelled heavenlypork in sweet-sour sauce.
“Wash up. Suppers ready,” Lucy smiled. “Or shall I call your mum?”
Basil paled, shaking his head. Too terrified to speak.
Lucy smirked. No need for words. Some lessons stuck. And if he forgot? Shed *delight* in reminding him. Theyd picked the wrong woman to cross.
