Ive always wished I were in my brothers shoesbut that changed sooner than I thought.
Mum fell pregnant with me at eighteen. Dad walked out the moment he found out. He wasnt after a family, just endless nights out with his mates. My grandparents were furious. In a small town near Manchester, having a child out of wedlock was a disgrace. My grandfather kicked her out, shouting, “I wont have such an irresponsible girl under my roof!” I cant imagine what she went throughso young, alone, with a baby in her arms. But she pushed through. She signed up for an Open University course, found work, and gave it all she had. We got a council flat, and thats how our life together began. I grew up faster than most kidsdoing the shopping, cleaning, heating up meals. Playing? No time for that. Early on, I became her rock, her only man.
I never complainedI took pride in it. Then Victor came into our lives. I liked him. He brought sweets, made Mum smile, looked after her. She glowed around him, and one day she told me, “Victor and I are getting married. Well move into a proper house.” I was thrilledId always wanted a real dad, and I hoped Victor would be that. At first, it was perfect. I had my own room, time to relax, music, books. Victor helped Mum, and her eyes shone with happiness.
Then she announced she was expecting. Soon after, Victor said, “Youll have to move into the box room. Its for the baby.” I didnt understandthe house was big, why me? The next day, my things were already piled into a cramped space barely fitting a bed. It wasnt fair, but I swallowed itused to keeping quiet.
When my little brother Oliver was born, the nightmare began. His crying kept me awake; I was a zombie at school. My grades dropped, teachers scolded me, and Mum snapped, “Youre the older brotherset an example! Stop embarrassing us, you lazy boy!” As Oliver grew, I was given new chorestaking him to the park, pushing his pram. Other kids laughed; I burned with shame but stayed silent. The best toys, clothes, everything went to Oliver. If I asked for anything, Victor would cut me off: “No money.” I took Oliver to nursery, picked him up, cooked, cleanedjust waiting for him to grow up so I could finally be free.
When Oliver started school, Mum ordered me to help with his homework. Spoilt and stubborn, he refused to work. If I tried to correct him, hed whine to Mum, and shed take his side every time: “Be patientyoure the eldest!” He bounced from school to school, failing everywhere, until Victor paid for a private one that turned a blind eye to his marks. I trained as a mechanicnot by choice, just to escape.
After that, it was night classes and worksaving every penny for my own place. I got married, found peace. And Oliver? Victor bought him a flat, but he still lives with them, rents it out, and wastes the money. He wont work, just lounges about watching telly. One New Years, we all gathered at Mums. His latest girlfriend, Lily, was there. I overheard her in the kitchen with my wife, Emily.
“Youre lucky with your husband,” she said. “James is hardworking, responsible. Why isnt Oliver? I want us to build a life, but hes glued to his mum. The rent moneys useless to us.”
Emily smiled. “James is wonderful. Leave Oliverhes not worth it. Hell never be a good husband.”
I stood frozen. Oliver cycled through girlfriendsMum chased them all off, saying none were good enough for her “golden boy.” And he? Never fought it, just lazed about in his cocoon. Thats when I realisedI dont envy him anymore. Everything Id wished for? Empty. Life tested me, but it rewarded me too. Ive got a family, a loving wife, a daughter, a home I built myself. Im proud of who I am. For the first time, Im glad Im not Oliver. My life is my ownhard-won, and real.
