A good friend of mine, Thomas, always had a knack for living comfortably at someone elses expense. He put in a great deal of effort to impress Emily, a girl from an affluent family. I could tell he didnt truly love her, and nothing good could ever come out of such a marriage built on convenience. Still, Thomas was convinced that a wealthy wife was the gateway to an easy, carefree life. To be fair, it might have made sense if Emily herself was skilled at earning money, but it turned out her familys fortune came from her mother, who owned several large shops in Oxford.
I tried to reason with Thomas one afternoon:
You dont really believe theyll keep supporting someone who doesnt pull his weight, do you? Its respectable to have your own work and be independent.
Oh, come on, he laughed, with that self-assured smile of his, Emilys pregnant. Her family trusts me completely!
I just couldnt get behind it. It felt so wrong to do that to someone who genuinely cared about you. A man should work and support his own family; its just the proper thing to do.
A while later, my curiosity got the better of me and I checked in on Thomas. I asked where he was working these days. Turned out, neither he nor Emily worked at allthey stayed at home all day, playing video games, watching telly, or napping. Emilys mother was the one footing the bill for everything. Ill admit, there was a faint twinge of envy; Thomas had, in a way, succeeded in his plan.
My mother-in-laws got plenty of money. Well never need jobs, Thomas grinned, boasting about his comfortable life.
But as it often happens, things didnt stay rosy for longthe business hit a rough patch and the familys income took a nosedive. Emilys mother eventually insisted that Thomas and Emily start working in the family shops.
It had been about a month since Id last seen him, when I got a call. Thomas, sounding anxious for once, asked if I could lend him four thousand pounds for a couple of weeks.
Im searching for a proper job. As soon as I pass my interview and get an advance, Ill pay you back. Honestly, were absolutely skint, he confessed, sounding defeated.
So, that was the end of his carefree lifestyle. From then on, both Thomas and Emily started working hard, and he did pay back the money he owed me. Thats the reality of marrying into a wealthy family. You cant rely on others forever; independence and self-reliance are the only ways to feel secure and truly content.
