Id been my sons familys unpaid nanny and cookuntil they spotted me at the airport with a one-way ticket.
“Nina, hi! Am I interrupting?” My daughter-in-law Kates voice chirped through the phone with forced cheerfulness.
I stirred the long-cold soup in silence. Interrupting? I was never too busy when they needed something.
“Listening, Kate.”
“Weve got newstotal bombshell! Leo and I booked tickets to Turkey for two weeks! All-inclusive, can you believe it? Spontaneous deal!”
I could imagine it. Sun, sea, Leo and Kate. And somewhere off-screentheir five-year-old son, Max. My grandson.
“Congratulations. Thrilled for you,” I said flatly, like reading a medicine leaflet.
“Great! So youll take Max, yeah? He cant go to nursery right nowtheres chickenpox going round.”
Oh, and swimming lessonscant miss those. Plus his speech therapys next week. Ill text you the full schedule.
She spoke fast, not letting me get a word in, as if afraid I might actually think and refuse. Not that I ever did.
“Kate, I was thinking of going to the cottage for a few days while the weathers nice” I began, already doubting my own weak attempt.
“The cottage?” She sounded genuinely baffled, as if Id announced a trip to Mars. “Mum, seriously? Max needs you, and youre on about gardening? This isnt a holiday for usits for our health! Sea air, vitamins!”
I stared out the window at the grey courtyard. My sea air. My vitamins.
“Oh, and” she barrelled on, “the cat foods being delivered Wednesday. Premium stuff, twelve kilos. Couriers between ten and six, so dont go anywhere, yeah? And water the plantsespecially the orchid. Its fussy.”
She listed my duties like it was the most natural thing. I wasnt a personjust a function. A convenient, free app for their comfortable lives.
“Fine, Kate. Of course.”
“Brilliant! Knew we could count on you!” she trilled, as if shed granted me the greatest favour. “Right, kisses, gotta pack!”
The line went dead.
I set the phone down slowly.
My eyes landed on the wall calendar. A red circle marked next Saturdaythe day of my long-awaited reunion with friends I hadnt seen in almost a year.
I grabbed a damp cloth and wiped the mark away in one swift motion. Erasing yet another tiny piece of my unlived life.
No anger, no resentment. Just sticky, hollow emptiness and one quiet, clear question: when would they realise I wasnt just a free app, but a living person?
Probably only when they saw me at the airport with a one-way ticket.
Max arrived the next day. My son, Leo, lugged in an enormous suitcase, a sports bag of swimming gear, and three carrier bags of toys. He wouldnt meet my eyes.
“Mum, weve got to dashairport traffic,” he muttered, dumping the suitcase in the hallway.
Kate fluttered in next, already in full holiday modefloral dress, floppy hat. She scanned my modest flat with a quick, assessing glance.
“Nina, dont let Max watch too much telly, read to him instead. And go easy on sweetshes a nightmare when hes hyper.”
She thrust a neatly folded A4 sheet at me. “Heres the schedule. Meal plan, therapist numbers, allergy meds. Everything.”
She spoke as if Id never met my own grandson. As if I hadnt raised him since birth while they climbed the career ladder.
“Kate, I know what he likes,” I said quietly.
“Knowing isnt the same as following the plan,” she snapped. “Right, Maxie, be good for Granny! Well bring you a massive toy jeep!”
They left in a cloud of expensive perfume and a lingering draught.
Max, realising hed been left behind, wailed. The first three days were a blur of meltdowns, swimming lessons across town, and endless “I want Mummy!” nights. I was exhausted.
On day four, I dared to call Leo. Theyd just checked into their hotel.
“Mum? Everything okay? Max alright?” His voice was tense.
“Max is fine. Leo, I need to talk Its too much. I cant keep up.”
Maybe you could hire a part-time nanny? Ill pay half.
Silence. Then a heavy sigh.
“Mum, dont start. We just got here. Kates been stressed enough. A nanny? Whod we trust? Youre his grandmother. This should be a joy.”
“Joy doesnt cancel exhaustion. Im not getting younger.”
“Youre just out of practice,” he soothed, firm. “Youll adjust. Lets not ruin each others break, yeah? We hardly ever get away. Right, MumKates calling.”
He hung up. I stared at the phone, something inside me turning cold and hard. Not anger. Clarity.
To him, I wasnt a mother who might struggle. I was a resource. Reliable, tested, andcruciallyfree.
On Wednesday, as promised, the cat food arrived. A disinterested courier dumped the enormous sack on my doorstep and muttered something about “doorstep delivery.”
It took ten minutes of straining my back to drag the twelve-kilo monstrosity inside. When I finally managed, I sat on the floor beside the fishy-smelling sack and laugheda silent, hollow laugh.
That evening, Kate called. Waves and music in the background.
“Nina, hi! Hows my orchid? Only use filtered water, remember? And at the roots, not the leaves!”
She didnt ask about Max. Didnt ask about me. Just the plant.
“Remember, Kate. All under control,” I replied, eyeing the damned cat food.
That night, I barely slept. Not thinking of the cottage or my cancelled plans. I opened my wardrobe, pulled out my old savings book and passport. Just stared at them, tracing the covers with my fingers.
The thought that had flickered to life days ago no longer felt like a fantasy. It had shape now. A plan.
The breaking point came on day ten of their “break.” Leo called after lunch, just as Id got Max to nap.
“Mum, hi! Hows our little champ?”
“Asleep,” I said shortly.
“Listen, thing is” He hesitated, and I knewa favour was coming. “Were loving it here. Proper paradise. Hotels offering a discount if we stay another week. Lucky, right?”
I stayed silent. I knew what was next.
“Anyway, were staying. But were a bit short” He adopted that wheedling tone I hated. “Mum, could you?”
Long story short, Kate remembered Dads sapphire earrings. You never wear them.
“What do you want, Leo?” My voice was eerily calm.
“Pawn them, yeah?” he blurted. “Theyll fetch a decent sumjust enough for us. Well buy them back straight after! Scouts honour! Whats the point of them sitting in a drawer? This is living!”
Kates voice piped up in the background: “Leo, stop dithering! Nina, theyre just things! We deserve a proper break!”
Just things. My memories. My family. My life. Just collateral for their “living.”
Something inside me froze solid. Not shatteredjust hardened into ice.
The emptiness filled with cold, crystalline resolve.
“Fine,” I said evenly. “How much?”
“Fifty grand should do it. Just snap the receipt so we know how much to pay back.”
“Of course, Leo. Dont worry. Enjoy yourselves.”
I hung up. Peeked into Maxs room. He was sprawled, lips smacking in sleep. My sweet, unwanted boy.
The ice in my chest cracked. I couldnt abandon him. But I couldnt go on like this either.
I texted Leo: “Not pawning the earrings. Your holiday ends in four days, as per your tickets. If youre not back by Sunday, Im contacting social services on Monday. No discussion.”
The reply was instant: “Are you THREATENING us?!” I didnt answer. I opened the airline app and booked a ticket. Antalya. Departing next Tuesday. No return.
They stormed in on Sunday evening. Sunburnt, frazzled, and furious.
“Happy now?” Kate seethed. “Ruined our best holiday ever! Manipulative cow!”
Leo wordlessly marched to Maxs room. My grandson flung himself into his arms.
I emerged from the kitchen, holding my passport with the ticket tucked inside. Utterly calm.
“Glad youre back for your son,” I said quietly. “Now listen. Both of you.”
They faltered, startled by my tone.
“Five years, Leo. Five whole years Ive lived as your shadow.”
I collected Max from nursery when Kate was getting her nails done. Stayed up with him through teething nights so you could sleep. Cancelled plans, trips, my own lifebecause “Mum, we need help.”
Ive spent more time with your son than both of you combined. I was your free function.
I turned to Kate.
“Not once did you ask how I was. But you never forgot your orchid. You thought this would last forever. That I had nowhere to go.”
I laid the passport and ticket on the table.
“You were wrong. I love Max. Thats why I waitedwhy I didnt turn your lives into an official nightmare. But my roles over. I want to see the sea too.”
Leo picked up the ticket, incredulous.
“Turkey? Mum for how long?”
“Havent decided,” I shrugged, grabbing my pre-packed suitcase. “Im living for me now. And you? Youre parents. Fully. No help, no shortcuts, no sacrifices. Learn.”
I kissed Maxs forehead.
“Granny will be back soon,” I lied, forcing a smile.
And I walked out. Left them in my little flatwith twelve kilos of cat food, a fussy orchid, and full responsibility for their own lives.
For the first time in years, I didnt feel empty. I felt possibility.
