«Where are you off to in such a hurry? Someones got to make dinner!» snapped the man, watching what Antonia did after arguing with his mother.
Antonia glanced out the window. Gloomy clouds loomed, even though it was early spring. In their little town up north in England, sunny days were rare. Maybe thats why the people here always seemed sullen and cold.
Antonia herself had noticed lately that shed stopped smiling altogether, and the permanent frown on her forehead made her look ten years older.
«Mum! Im going for a walk,» announced her daughter, Emily.
«Right,» Antonia muttered.
«Whats that supposed to mean? Give me some money.»
«Since when do walks cost anything?» she sighed.
«Mum! Why all the questions?!» Emily snapped. «Come on, hurry up! Is that all youre giving me?»
«Its enough for ice cream.»
«Cheapskate,» Emily shot back, but her mother didnt hear as the girl slammed the door behind her.
*Unbelievable* Antonia shook her head, remembering how sweet Emily had been before turning into a teenager.
«Toni, my stomachs growling! How much longer?!» grumbled her husband, Thomas.
«Make your own,» she said flatly, setting a plate on the table.
«Or you could bring it to me?»
Antonia nearly dropped the pot. Who did he think he was?
«Eat in the kitchen, Tom. Take it or leave it,» she said, sitting down alone.
Fifteen minutes later, Thomas wandered in.
«Its cold gross.»
«I left it out longer.»
«I asked you nicely! Not a shred of care or affection! You know Im watching the match!» He shoveled in the chicken, barely stopping to chew. «Tastes rubbish.»
Antonia just rolled her eyes. Football turned Thomas into a different manbetting, jerseys, expensive ticketseven though hed never cared about sports when they were younger.
Grabbing a can of lager and a bag of crisps without sitting down, he marched back to the telly. Antonia stayed behind to clean the mess.
*Waste of effort. No one appreciates it.*
She was exhausted after her shift as a senior nurse at the hospital. Patients came to her stressed, ill, desperate. And then at home? No warmth, no comfortjust another shift. Fetch, carry, wash, tidy.
«Any more in here?» Thomas rummaged in the fridge. «Whys there none left?»
«You drank it all! Am I supposed to buy that too? Have some sense, Tom!» Antonia finally snapped.
«Someones touchy,» he sneered before slamming the door and storming off to restock his «supplies» for the next match.
Antonia decided to sleepshe had work tomorrowbut she couldnt drift off. Worry gnawed at her. Where was Emily? Who was she with? It was dark outside, and still no sign of her. She didnt dare call; Emily would just scream at her.
«You embarrass me in front of my friends! Stop calling!» shed shout. After that, Antonia stopped trying, telling herself Emily was nearly eighteen. No job, no studiesjust a «gap year to find herself.»
Finally dozing off, Antonia was jolted awake by Thomas whoopingsomeone mustve scored. Then he started loudly debating the match with the neighbour whod dropped by. Later, the neighbour brought his girlfriend, and the three of them cheered like a rowdy pack.
Emily finally stumbled in late, clattering plates before disappearing to bed. Just as silence fell, the cat yowled for food.
«Can *anyone* in this house feed the cat besides me?!» Antonia stormed out, migraine pounding from lack of sleep. She wanted them to hear, but Emily had headphones in, lazily scrolling her phone. Thomas was already snoring in front of the telly, empty can in hand.
*Ive had enough bloody had enough.*
The next morning, her mother-in-laws call woke her.
«Antonia, love, you remember its time to plant the vegetables? And we need to sort the cottage.»
«I remember,» Antonia sighed.
«Well go tomorrow.»
Her only day off was spent labouring under her mother-in-laws orders at the countryside cottage.
«How are you sweeping?! Hold the broom properly!» Vera barked from her perch on the bench.
«Im nearly fifty, Vera. I can manage,» Antonia dared to reply.
«And Thomas»
«Where *is* Thomas? Why didnt *he* drive his mother? Why did we have to take a three-hour bus? All you ever do is fuss over him!»
«He gets tired.»
«And I dont?»
Then it started. Antonia instantly regretted speaking up. Vera loved a good lecture, but her fairness only ever went one wayThomas could do no wrong, while Antonia was just the glorified servant she tolerated.
They rode home in separate buses. Next day, Vera complained to her son, and Thomas blew up.
«How dare you talk back to my mother?!» he growled. «If it werent for her»
«What?» Antonia crossed her arms. Shed reached her limit.
«Youd still be at the clinic!» He played his trump cardVera had pulled strings to get Antonia the hospital job. Better pay, but it cost her nerves and grey hairs. More than once, she wished shed stayed at the quiet local clinic instead.
«Where do you think youre going?» Thomas was stunned by what Antonia did next.
What she did, he *never* saw coming.
