Setting the Table
“See you in three days, Ellie! And don’t forget to make your famous meat pie. It’s sooo delicious,” chirped Victor’s mother, Linda, down the phone.
Ellie, however, wasn’t in a cheerful mood. After ending the call, she sank heavily into her chair. Easter was just a few days away, and all of Victor’s family planned to gather at their place.
“You’ve got such a spacious flat, enough room for everyone. We were always cramped in our little rooms, but here there’s space for our big family to enjoy,” Linda had declared two years ago.
Now Ellie was beginning to hate the expansive three-bedroom flat that they still had a long way to pay off. Because of the flat, Victor’s whole loud family would come over, creating chaos and ruining her sleep.
Victor entered the kitchen and planted a kiss on his wife’s head.
“Did you discuss everything with Mum?” he asked.
“Yes, we’re hosting again. Please, Vic, could you talk to her?” Ellie pleaded.
Victor frowned.
“We’ve talked about this, Ellie. Mum is fond of you and loves your cooking! How can I tell her not to come? She’s retired now, too. You wouldn’t make her cook for everyone, would you? She raised four kids; she deserves a rest.”
Each time, Ellie would fall for her husband’s reasoning. But she thought to herself: “What about me? Why do I have to cater to a crowd on holidays?”
Yet, complaining was futile. Ellie didn’t want to argue with Victor and jeopardize their happiness. So, the next day, she went shopping for groceries. And on the eve of Easter, she was busy cooking all day.
Late into the night, Ellie was at the stove, preparing food for everyone. All of Victor’s siblings were coming with their families, more than ten people!
“Why am I doing this alone? Can’t anyone help? Maybe one of the sisters-in-law? Are they all ‘resting’ too?” she asked Victor, kneading pie dough.
Victor looked surprised.
“You know the brothers can’t cook, and neither can I. As for the sisters-in-law… They’re busy with work or the kids. I can’t just pull them away, Ellie. It isn’t fair.”
“But it’s okay to expect it of me? I work too, you know. Even if it’s from home, it’s no less tiring, Vic.”
“Don’t be upset,” he said, hugging her around the waist. “It’ll all be fine. When everyone praises your cooking, you’ll feel better.”
Once again, Ellie gave in. Though exhausted, she lay in bed unable to sleep. After such a busy day, she should have fallen asleep instantly, but her mind was restless.
“Why do I need their praise? I’d love to just turn up to a nicely set table without spending time, money, or energy on it.”
Early in the morning, just as Ellie managed to fall asleep, the phone rang. It was Linda, who wanted to be the first to wish the family a happy Easter. Then she announced:
“We’ll be there in an hour. I told everyone last night, so start setting the table,” her voice was chipper and lively.
Ellie couldn’t get out of bed. She simply didn’t have the energy to start the day. She imagined setting the table, running to and from the kitchen, and clearing up afterward.
“I don’t want to,” she groaned into her pillow.
“Ellie, why are you still in bed? Mum’s coming soon! And the guests,” Victor stated, looking disapprovingly at his wife from the doorway.
“I’m getting up,” Ellie reluctantly replied, sitting up. “You can do this; you’ve got this; you’re strong,” she whispered to herself as she headed to the bathroom.
Ellie tried to encourage herself. She managed to get everything ready and warmed in time.
…The table was a hive of activity. Families shared stories and plans. Linda sat beside Ellie, lavishly praising her:
“Our Ellie cooks so well! Everything turned out delicious, dear. I could never set a table like this,” Linda beamed, squeezing her daughter-in-law’s hand and looking approvingly into her eyes.
Ellie accepted the compliments half-heartedly, frequently excusing herself from the table. She would step out onto the balcony to escape the noise and evade questions about children. She and Victor had decided to wait a bit until they were more settled, but the relatives seemed uninterested in that.
“Ellie!” Linda’s voice called out. “Time for dessert! Where did you go?”
The balcony door opened, and Linda joined Ellie in the small space.
“Are you smoking?” she asked, surprised.
“What? No, of course not!” Ellie recoiled at the question. “Just wanted some fresh air. It’s stuffy inside.”
“Yes, with all the kids around, we can’t open the windows. I thought you might be sneaking a smoke… Don’t even think about it, you still owe me grandkids!” Linda wagged a playful finger at Ellie.
Ellie forced a smile, which Linda didn’t notice.
“Let’s get back inside; it’s time to clear up and serve dessert.”
“Coming…”
Back in the room, Linda took her seat, leaving Ellie to clear the dirty dishes, bring dessert, and set out new cutlery all on her own.
“Your cake is the best in the world,” Linda praised once more.
Ellie hurriedly retreated to the kitchen, busying herself with washing dishes. She regretted not having bought a dishwasher yet, an expense they kept postponing.
Two hours later, the guests began to leave.
“Victor, will you take me home?” Linda asked.
“Of course, Mum, just let me grab the keys.”
When Ellie was alone in the flat, she slumped onto the sofa, exhausted. The flat was in chaos. The crowd, and especially the children, had left a trail. Her cleaning efforts from the day before had all been undone.
“I should get up and finish tidying,” she told herself. “If I leave it, I’ll be even harder on myself tomorrow. Ugh…”
With a sigh, Ellie rose. She gathered the dirty dishes, sent the tablecloth and towels for washing, and returned the table to its place. First, she cleaned all the dishes, utensils, and glasses. Then she packed leftover food into containers. Afterward, she vacuumed every room and washed the floors.
“I deserve something good for all this labor…”
Ellie ran a bath, tossed in her favorite bath bomb, and played music. The hot water soothed her weary muscles. For what felt like the first time in ages, she picked up her phone. There was a message from Victor:
“Mum suggested I stay over. I’ll be back tomorrow.”
“I expected nothing less. As usual…”
Victor knew Ellie would spend the day cleaning. Yet, he opted to stay with his mother rather than help his wife.
“The way they treat me, I’ll treat them the same. Enough is enough!” she decided.
A month flew by, and another celebration was on the horizon. Linda’s call came swiftly:
“Ellie, set the table! We’re coming over on Friday for Victor’s younger brother’s birthday.”
“Of course, the table’s there. But someone else will need to do the cooking. I’m swamped with work and need to go to the office. I’m not sure when I’ll be free,” Ellie sighed with feigned disappointment. “I might not even make it to the party…”
“What? How is that…?”
“Work, what can you do?”
“Alright, I’ll sort something out. Such a shame…”
“Goodbye,” Ellie hung up with a smile.
She spent the festive evening at a friend’s house. The next morning, she made Victor tidy everything up since it was his brother’s celebration, not hers.
When Linda’s birthday approached, Ellie took time off to visit her parents in the neighboring town. She presented her gift in advance and shared her plans.
“Oh, but where will we celebrate?”
“Victor will host you, but I won’t be around.”
“What about the cooking?”
“You can order something or ask the other daughters-in-law to pitch in. You’ll manage!”
For subsequent gatherings, Ellie was home but limited the spread to cold cuts and a store-bought cake. She consistently remarked:
“I didn’t have time to cook. I’m swamped with work. You can order something if you like.”
However, nobody wanted to open their wallets. By Christmas, it was clear that Ellie wasn’t going to cater to everyone anymore. Suddenly, the family’s enthusiasm for celebrating together waned.
This New Year, Ellie and Victor spent the evening together, which suited her perfectly. Her plan had worked. As she raised a glass of champagne, she thought to herself, “I did well, and that calls for a toast!”
