You can call me Dad.
“Mum, are you really taking his side again?” Emily stood facing her mother, her lips trembling as tears welled up.
“Emily, what do you mean ‘again’? And besides, youre in the wrong here, love. You really are!” replied Irene, the girls mother.
“Mum, those were my groceries! We had an agreement, and Im not made of moneyI cant afford to feed some stranger!” Emily protested, barely holding back her tears.
“Ungrateful little madam! I raised you, fed you, and now youre begrudging a bit of cheese and ham?!” came the half-drunk shout from the living room. It was Nigel, Emilys stepfather.
“Exactly! Arent you ashamed?” Irene backed up her husband.
Emily covered her face with her hands. She couldnt hold the tears back anymore. Lately, her life had turned into a proper nightmare.
…Emilys father had left when she was barely three. As Irene later explained, she and Williamthat was his namehad never really loved each other. A brief fling led to Irene getting pregnant, and Williams parents pressured him into marriage. But the lack of love naturally took its toll. They somehow lasted two years before William packed his bags and walked out.
Irene devoted herself entirely to raising Emily. It was just the two of them until Emily turned twelve. One morning, Irene sat her daughter down for a serious talk.
“Emily, youre not a little girl anymore. You understand things now” Irene began carefully.
“Yeah” Emily replied uncertainly.
“Ive met a man. I love him, and weve decided to marry. Hell be moving in soon. I hope youre alright with that.”
Emily wasnt thrilled, but she wasnt devastated 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 straight away.
Emily nodded silently, but she never once called him “Dad.” From the start, Nigel made it clear: “I wasnt spoiled as a kid, and I wont be spoiling any child now.” Life became a struggle the moment he moved in.
“Mum, Im going to the library with Anna, then we might take a walk,” Emily said once.
“Who do you think you are, the queen herself? Irene, youre letting this brat walk all over you! Shell be sitting on your shoulders next!” Nigel cut in.
“Im not a brat!” Emily shot back, while Irene just kept washing dishes in silence.
“Dont you talk back to me! Youve got an hour for the librarybe home by three. Late, and youll be standing in the corner on peas. See how you like answering back then!” Nigel ranted, enjoying his so-called discipline.
“Mum, Im going out!” Emily insisted.
“Love, listen to your father. Hes the head of the house,” Irene replied.
From the moment Nigel arrived, Emily lived for one thinghis business trips. Then she could go out, invite friends over, and just breathe in peace.
…Six long years passed. Emily turned eighteen and got into university. She thought freedom was finally hersmaybe a dorm room, moving out, escaping the flat that had become unbearable.
But soon, reality hit hard.
“Dorms are only for out-of-town students. No spaces left,” they told her and the other hopefuls.
“Shouldve gone to uni in another city,” Emily muttered, trudging home.
By mid-September, shed befriended two classmates. They wanted to move out too and found a one-bed flat to split three ways.
“Mum, I want to live on my own. Its closer to uni, and”
“Over my dead body! You lot will turn it into a right den of sin! Probably bringing lads round instead of studying!” Nigel interrupted.
“Whats it to you?” Emily snapped.
“Whats it to me? Is that how you speak to your father? Your student loan wont cover rent! Your mums on part-time, my wages got cut, and here you are, playing grown-up! Not a penny from me!” Nigel roared.
“Ill earn it myself!” Emily yelled, slamming her bedroom door.
But evening jobs were scarce, and the dream of moving out faded fast.
One morning, loud voices woke Emily. In the hallway, Nigel was hugging some bloke.
“Emily, meet my son from my first marriageDanny. Lived with his mum in the countryside, but now hes moving in with us,” Nigel announced.
“Where? Weve only got two bedrooms,” Emily said flatly.
“No worries, Ill crash on a fold-out in the kitchen for now,” Danny said with a smirk.
Emily was horrified. She confronted her mum later.
“Mum, how are we supposed to fit four people in this tiny place?”
“Well manage, love. Theres always room for family.”
“Are you serious?” Emily pressed.
“Emily, were living off Nigels money. I wont argue with him. Danny stays.”
Now Danny slept in the kitchen. Breakfast was chaos. Emily often left hungry, only to return to Nigel and Danny already at the table.
“Oi, sis! Come sit with us!” Danny called once as she walked in.
“Piss off!” Emily snapped.
“Dont you dare speak to your elders like that!” 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 frowned.
“So its partly mine?”
“Well, legally its mine, but youre my daughter, so Why?”
“I dont want Nigel or Danny here! They should leave!”
“You ungrateful little! Not another penny from me! Buy your own food if youre so clever! Blowing your loan on clothes!” Nigel bellowed.
Emily started buying her own food, saving every pound. But Nigel and Danny kept helping themselves to her things, shamelessly. The final straw was the cheese and ham shed just boughtgone by morning.
“Mum, if Im so wrong, then buy your own food! Pay me back for what they took, and Ill leave!” Emily demanded.
“Now youve gone too far! Pack your bags and get out!”
Unable to take anymore, Emily shoved her things into a bag and left.
She crashed at her mate Lucys for a while, then switched to part-time uni, got a job, and cut ties with home.
Nearly a year later, Emily spotted her mum leaving a dorm building.
“Mum? What are you doing here?”
“Living here,” Irene said after a pause.
“What? What about the flat?”
“Oh, love Nigel convinced me to sign it over to himsaid itd stop you making claims. Like a fool, I agreed. Then Danny started bringing girls into your room. One day, I came home to some woman in my bed.”
“And?”
“What could I do? The flats his now. The police said I could stay since Im registered there, but the deeds done. I got this dorm room through work. Wanted to tell you, but well, here we are.” Irene burst into tears.
“Right” Emily sighed.
“Dont be angry, love. I lost us both a home. Got what I deserved.”
Emily tried to comfort her, then walked away. That evening, she returned to her rented two-bed, split with Lucy. It wasnt much, but it was clean, peaceful, and hers.
She still sees her mum, but keeps her distance. Irene talks about divorcing Nigel and fighting for half the flat. Emily listens but doesnt get involved. Shes done with the drama. Shes tired.
