“You can call me Dad.”
“Mum, are you taking his side again?” Emily stood facing her mother, lips trembling as tears welled up.
“Emily, what do you mean ‘again’? And besides, you’re in the wrong herecompletely wrong!” replied Irene, the girls mother.
“Mum, that was my food! We had an agreement, and Im not made of moneyI cant afford to feed someone else!” Emily snapped, barely holding back her tears.
“Ungrateful! I raised you, fed you, and now youre begrudging a bit of cheese and ham?” came the half-drunk voice of Nigel, her stepfather, from the other room.
“Exactly! You should be ashamed!” Irene backed him up.
Emily covered her face with her hands. The tears broke free. Lately, her life had turned into a nightmare…
…Emilys father had left when she was barely three. As Irene later explained, she and Victorthe mans namehad never really loved each other. A brief fling led to pregnancy, and Victors parents pressured him into marriage. But without love, the relationship crumbled. They struggled on for about two years before Victor packed his bags and walked out.
Irene devoted herself to raising Emily. The two lived alone until Emily turned twelve. One morning, Irene sat her daughter down for a serious talk.
“Emily, youre not a little girl anymore, so youll understand…” Irene began carefully.
“Okay,” Emily replied hesitantly.
“Ive met a man. I love him, and were getting married. Hell be moving in soon. I hope you dont mind.”
Emily wasnt thrilled, but she wasnt upset either. Plenty of kids at school had stepdadsit wasnt the end of the world.
But when Nigel first stepped into their flat, Emily disliked him instantly. His looks, his mannereverything about him rubbed her the wrong way.
“You can call me Dad,” Nigel announced.
Emily nodded silently but never once used the word. From the start, Nigel made it clear: “I wasnt spoilt as a kid, so I wont be spoiling you.” Life under his roof became a trial.
“Mum, Im going to the library with Anna, then well hang out,” Emily said one day.
“Listen to her, giving orders! Irene, youre letting this brat walk all over you!” Nigel cut in.
“Im not a brat!” Emily shot back, while Irene silently washed the dishes.
“Dont backchat me! Youve got an hour at the library, then straight home. If youre late, youll stand in the corner with peas under your knees. See how you like disobeying your elders!” Nigel ranted.
“Mum, Im going out!” Emily declared.
“Listen to your father, love. Hes the head of this household,” Irene replied.
From then on, Emily lived for Nigels business tripsthe only time she could breathe, invite friends over, and just exist in peace.
…Six long years passed. Emily turned eighteen and got into university, dreaming of freedoma dorm room, finally escaping that flat.
But reality crushed her hopes:
“Dorms are only for out-of-town students. No spaces left,” they told her.
“Shouldve gone to a different city,” Emily muttered, trudging home.
By mid-September, shed befriended two classmates who also wanted to move out. They found a one-bed flat to share.
“Mum, I want to live on my own. Its closer to uni, and”
“Over my dead body! You lotll turn it into aGod knows what! Probably bringing boys over instead of studying!” Nigel interrupted.
“Whats it to you?” Emily snapped.
“Excuse me? Is that how you speak to your father? Your student loan wont cover rent! Your mums on half-pay, my wages got cut, and now you want a flat? Not a penny from us!” Nigel shouted.
“Ill earn it myself!” Emily yelled, slamming her bedroom door.
But evening jobs were scarce, and her dream of independence faded…
One morning, noise in the hallway woke her. She found Nigel hugging some guy.
“Emily, meet my son from my first marriageDanny. Lived with his mum in the countryside, but now hes moving in with us,” Nigel announced.
“And where exactly? Weve only got two bedrooms,” Emily said.
“Ill crash on the kitchen fold-out. Well manage,” Danny said shamelessly.
Emily was horrified. She confronted Irene:
“Mum, how are four of us supposed to live in this tiny flat?”
“Well make do. Theres comfort in closeness.”
“Are you serious?” Emily pressed.
“Emily, were living off Nigels money. I wont argue with him. Danny stays.”
Now Danny slept in the kitchen, making mornings chaotic. Emily left hungry, returning to find Nigel and Danny already at the table.
“Hey, sis, come sit with us!” Danny called one evening.
“Leave me alone!” Emily snapped.
“Is that how you talk to your elders, you little brat?” Nigel slurred.
“Dad, relax. Emily, come here.” Danny grabbed her shoulders.
“Get off me, creep!” Emily wrenched free and fled to her room in tears.
She cried all night. Next morning, she tried again with Irene:
“Mum, didnt Dad buy this flat for us?”
“Well… yes,” Irene said cautiously.
“So its partly mine?”
“Legally, its mine, but… Why?”
“I dont want Nigel or Danny here. They should leave!”
“Ungrateful wretch! Not another penny from me! Buy your own food!” Nigel roared.
Emily started eating separately, pinching every pound. Yet Nigel and Danny kept raiding her groceriesespecially her cheese and ham. That was the last straw.
“Mum, if Im wrong, then pay me back for what they took, and Ill leave!”
“Oh, now she wants money! Pack your stuff and get out!”
Unable to take more, Emily grabbed her things and left.
She crashed at her friend Lucys rented flat, then switched to part-time studies and found work. She never went home.
A year later, she bumped into Irene outside a dorm.
“Mum? What are you doing here?”
“Living here,” Irene said after a pause.
“What? What about the flat?”
“Oh, love… After you left, Nigel made me sign the flat over to himsaid itd stop you claiming anything. Stupid me agreed. Then Danny started bringing girls into your room. Once, I came home to find some woman in my bed. I tried to kick them out, but the flats his now. The police said I could stayIm still on the leasebut the deeds done. I got this dorm room through work. I wanted to tell you, but… well, here we are.” Irene wept.
“Wow,” Emily sighed.
“Dont hate me, love. I lost us both a home. Ive been punished enough.”
Emily comforted her mother but kept her distance. That evening, she returned to her own rented flatshared with Lucy, but peaceful. Clean, cosy, quiet.
She still sees Irene, but not often. Irene talks about divorcing Nigel and fighting for half the flat. Emily listens but doesnt get involved. Shes done with that mess. Shes too tired.
