“Im not cooking for everyone anymore! Just for me and Annie.” “Why on earth not?” snapped Nicholas. “Because in this family, as Ive realised, its every man for himself. So go on, live like that!”
“Mum, wheres my breakfast?” Emily burst into the bedroom without knocking. “Im going to be late for school!”
Nina tried to sit up, but her head was spinning. The thermometer read thirty-eight point seven. Her throat burned, and her chest rattled with every breath.
“Emily, Im poorly Grab something from the fridge.”
“Theres nothing in there! Just yoghurts for the little one!” Her daughter stood in the doorway, arms crossed. “You only ever think about her!”
A cry echoed from the nursery. Annie had woken up. Nina forced herself to stand, legs wobbling, spots dancing in her vision.
“Nina, wheres my shirt?” Nicholas poked his head out of the bathroom. “The blue striped one?”
“Should be in the wardrobe”
“Its not there! Did you iron it yesterday?”
Nina leaned against the wall. Shed spent all day yesterday with a fever, trying to care for the baby.
“No, didnt get round to it.”
“Brilliant! Ive got a meeting!” He slammed the bathroom door in frustration.
Annies cries grew louder. Nina shuffled to the nursery, scooped her up, and held her close as she hiccuped into her shoulder.
“Mum!” Emily shouted from the kitchen. “Theres literally nothing here! Not even bread!”
“Moneys on the table. Buy something on your way.”
“Im not stopping at the shop! Ive got a test! And anyway, its your job to feed us!”
Nina wordlessly walked to the kitchen, Annie in her arms. She pulled frozen burgers from the freezer and slapped them onto the pan.
“And make pasta!” Emily ordered, eyes glued to her phone.
While breakfast cooked, Nicholas emerged from the bedroom in a crumpled shirt.
“Had to wear this one. Look like a right mess. Cheers for that!”
Nina stayed silent. Talking was agony, and she had no energy left for explanations.
“Sophies birthdays today,” Emily announced, heaping pasta onto her plate. “Im going over after school. Back late.”
“Emily, I feel awful. Could you stay and help with your sister?”
“Yeah, right! Ive been waiting months for this party! And anyway, I didnt ask for a sister! Thats your problem!”
She grabbed her bag and slammed the door behind her.
Nicholas scrolled through his phone as he finished breakfast.
“Nick, could you come home early today? Im really not well.”
“Cant. Work do after hours. You know how it is.”
“But Im ill”
“Just take something. Paracetamol or whatever. Youre not bedridden. Sort yourself out.”
He pecked her sweaty forehead and left.
Nina was alone with the toddler. Annie demanded attention, food, playtime. Nina went through the motions, feeling her strength drain.
By lunch, her fever hit thirty-nine. She managed to feed Annie, put her down for a nap, and collapsed onto the sofa. Her head pounded; her heart raced.
Her phone buzzed. A message from Emily: *”Mum, send money for Sophies present. NOW!”*
Nina didnt reply. She couldnt even lift the phone.
Nicholas was the first home that evening. Tipsy, grinning, clutching a Tesco bag.
“Got some beers and crisps! Match is on!” He flopped onto the sofa and turned on the telly.
“Nick, feed Annie, please. I cant move.”
“That bad?” He finally looked at her. “Whyre you so red?”
“High fever. All day”
“Well, call an ambulance if its that serious. Wheres Annie?”
“In her cot. Shell wake soon.”
“Fine, Ill feed her. When shes up.”
Annie woke half an hour later, crying for Mum. Nicholas reluctantly paused the telly and picked her up.
“Whatre you crying for? Come to Dad!”
But the toddler squirmed, wailing louder. Nicholas floundered.
“Nina, she wants you!”
“Give her a biscuit from the cupboard. And juice.”
“Where? I cant find anything!”
She forced herself up. The room spun; she gripped the wall. Nina fetched the biscuit, poured juice. Annie calmed slightly.
Emily came back past midnight. Nina was still awakefever keeping her up.
“Why didnt you reply?” Emily snapped. “I had to borrow money from Sophies mum! So embarrassing!”
“Emily, Ive had a fever all day”
“And? Couldnt pick up your phone?”
The next morning, Nina woke to Nicholas shaking her.
“Nina, get up! Ive got work, and Annies screaming!”
Her fever had broken, but the weakness remained. She dressed Annie.
“What about breakfast?” Nicholas asked.
“Make it yourself. Im taking Annie to nursery.”
“Myself? I cant cook! And Im late!”
“Youll learn.”
Something in her voice silenced him. He grumbled and stomped to the kitchen.
When Nina returned, the house was a tip: dirty dishes, clothes everywhere, unmade bed. Normally, shed clean immediately. Not today.
She showered, drank tea, and went back to bed.
That evening, the family gatherednot for dinner, but around an empty table.
“Mum, whats for tea?” Emily asked.
“Dunno. Whatever you make.”
“What?”
“Exactly that. Im not cooking for everyone anymore. Just me and Annie.”
“Why the hell not?” Nicholas glared.
“Because in this family, Ive realised its every man for himself. So crack on!”
“Nina, whats got into you?” He reached for her, but she stepped back.
“Im tired of being your maid! Yesterday proved Im just unpaid staff to you lot.”
“Mum, I said sorry!” Emily lied.
“No, you didnt. Neither did Dad. No one even asked how I was.”
“Fine, sorry!” Emily huffed. “What, we starve now?”
“Fridge is full. Youve got hands. Cook.”
The first week was chaos. Emily threw tantrums; Nicholas slammed doors. Nina held firmcooking only for herself and Annie, washing only their clothes.
“Mum, my jeans are filthy! Everythings dirty!” Emily wailed.
“Washing machines there. Detergents under the sink.”
“I dont know how!”
“Youll learn. Instructions are on the lid.”
Nicholas wore crumpled shirts to work, ate at cafés. Money vanished fast.
“Nina, this is ridiculous! Eating out every day!”
“Cook at home. Cheaper.”
“I cant!”
“YouTubes got a million recipes.”
The house descended into squalordirty dishes, dusty floors. Nina saw it but didnt intervene. Only the nursery stayed tidy.
After two weeks, Emily attempted pasta. Forgot salt, overcooked itended up with mush.
“Mum, help!”
“No. Learn.”
“Youre the mum! Youre supposed to!”
“My jobs to care for minors. Cooking you gourmet meals isnt in the contract. Bread, milk, cerealyou wont starve.”
Nicholas tried scrambled eggs. Burnt them. Tried againedible this time.
“Look, Nina! I made eggs!”
She nodded and went back to her book. No praise, no fuss.
By week three, the flat was a dump. Emily sobbed over a mountain of laundry.
“Mum, please! Just this once! Ive got nothing to wear to school!”
“You were home all yesterday. Couldve washed them.”
“I was doing homework!”
“And I work from home, cook, clean for Annie, take her to the park. Still manage.”
“Youre the adult!”
“And you want adult privileges? Late nights, spending money? Then act like one.”
By months end, they cracked. Emily learned to wash, cook basics, tidy. Nicholas mastered eggs, pasta,
