“Your family isn’t our problem,” declared her husband, packing his suitcase.
“Lily, have you sent them money again?” James stood in the bedroom doorway, a bank receipt in his hand, his face tight with frustration.
“Mum needed medicine, and her pension isnt enough,” Lily replied quietly, not looking up from the ironing. The steam rose as she smoothed out the creases in his white shirt, but her hands trembled slightly.
“How much longer? Every month it’s the same! Medicine for your mum, repairs for your sister, tuition for your nephew!” James flung the receipt onto the dresser. “Were barely making ends meet ourselves, and youre supporting half your family!”
Lily set the iron down and turned to face him. Tears brimmed in her eyes, but she kept her voice steady.
“James, shes my mum. She raised me alone after Dad left. Worked two jobs just so I could finish university. Cant I help her now?”
“Helping is one thing, but this” he jabbed a finger at the receipt, “is too much. Fifteen hundred quid in one month! We couldve taken a proper holiday with that, instead of spending every break at your relatives house!”
Lily silently hung the shirt on the hanger. Theyd been married three years, and the same argument always circled back. At first, hed been kind to her family, even supportive. But something had shifted.
She remembered last year, when her mum had been hospitalised. The doctors said she needed an operationsix months on the waiting list, or ten thousand pounds privately. Lily had sold her gold jewellery, the set shed saved for before marriage, and taken out a loan. James only found out afterward, erupting in fury.
“You didnt even ask me!” hed shouted. “Am I not your husband? Does my opinion mean nothing?”
“She could have died,” was all Lily had managed to say.
“Your family isnt our problem,” he repeated now, snapping his suitcase shut. “If you’d rather live for them than for us, then go ahead.”
Back then, hed left for a week, staying with his parents. Hed returned when Lily had nearly given up hope, apologising, saying he understoodher mum meant everything to herbut begging her not to spend like that without talking to him first.
“Lily, are you even listening?” His voice snapped her back to the present.
“I hear you,” she said. “What do you want from me?”
“I want you to realisewere the family. Husband and wife. Not you, your mum, your sister, and the whole crowd of relatives. I have plans too, dreams. A new car, a house outside London. But all our money vanishes into thin air.”
She sank onto the edge of the bed, hands clasped in her lap. James was handsome, successfula manager at a top firm, earning well. When theyd met, hed seemed like a prince: flowers, fancy restaurants, endless compliments. And most importantly, hed accepted her as she was, ties and all.
“You used to say family was sacred,” she murmured.
“I did. But I meant *our* family. Not… this.” He waved a hand dismissively.
Just then, her phone rang. Her sister Emmas name flashed on the screen.
“Hello?” she answered cautiously, watching James.
“Lily, its awful,” Emmas voice trembled. “Jacks had an accident. Hes fine, just shaken, but the cars totaled. And hed only just bought it on finance! Now theres no car, and hes still got the debt.”
“God,” Lily paled. “Is he really alright?”
“Just bruises. But hes devastatedtalked about joining the army, says hes cursed.”
“Emma, dont panic. Well figure it out. At least hes safe.”
“Lil, could you… you know. If you lent him something, he could at least cover part of it?”
She felt Jamess stare burning into her. Turning toward the window, she swallowed.
“Lets talk tomorrow, alright? I cant think straight right now.”
“Of course. Sorry to call so late. Hes just beside himself.”
Hanging up, Lily turned slowly. James stood arms crossed, his expression grim.
“Dont even think about it,” he said, voice icy. “I mean it, Lily. Dont.”
“James, hes my nephew. I held him as a baby when Emma was working. Hes like a son to me.”
“I dont care. Im done. Every week its somethingdentist bills, roof repairs, tuition. When do *we* get to live? When do we spend on *us*?”
Lily moved to the window. Children laughed in the courtyard below. Once, shed been that carefreebefore her mum aged, before Emmas divorce left her raising two kids alone, before life grew complicated.
“Remember our first visit to Mums?” she asked softly. “She spent all day cooking. Roast, salad, apple pie. You said youd never had potatoes that good.”
“Lily, dont change the subject.”
“Im not. Im remembering. She was so happy Id found someone good. Said, Lily, he looks at you like youre gold. Take care of each other. And when we left, she gave me a jar of her strawberry jamthe one you lovedand said her door was always open to you.”
“That was years ago,” he muttered.
“Three. Is that so long?”
She turned. He avoided her gaze, studying the wall.
“James, what changed? Why are you different now?”
“Im not. Ive just realised were being used. Your mum, your sisterthey know you wont say no. They take advantage.”
“*Take advantage?*” Her chest tightened. “My mum raised me alone for twenty years. Worked herself to the bone so Id want for nothing. When I had pneumonia at uni, she took unpaid leave, stayed by my bed for weeks. Is that *taking advantage*?”
“Lily”
“And Emma? When her husband left her with two toddlers, who helped her back on her feet? Me. And Mum. We babysat, lent money, kept her from breaking. Is that *using* us?”
James said nothing. Lily picked up the receipt hed thrown.
“Fifteen hundred,” she said quietly. “Mum needed a heart scan. NHS wait was a month, but she was in pain *now*. Private? Three hundred. Her meds? Five hundred. And Emmaseven hundred for groceries when her youngest was ill, and her pay got docked for sick leave.”
“Enough,” he sighed. “It always comes back to me being the villain. Greedy, unsympathetic. Maybe I just want a normal life? One where we live for *us*?”
“Dont we have that?”
“No!” His voice rose. “Every weekend at your mums. Every holiday with your relatives. Half our wages gone each month. When do *we* get to live?”
She sat back down, hands on her knees. He wasnt wrong. They *did* spend most of their time with her family. The money *did* disappear. But how could she turn her back on them?
“I cant abandon her,” she whispered. “Shes alone, ill, getting older. Shes only got me and Emma.”
“And youve got a husband. Or you *did*.”
The words felt like a verdict. Lily looked up as James resumed packing.
“Youre leaving?”
“Thinking about it. Seriously. Im tired of feeling like a guest in my own marriage.”
“James, there must be a compromise.”
He paused. “What compromise, Lily? You help them *sometimes*? We see them *half* the weekends? Thats not a solutionits a half-measure.”
“Then what do you suggest?”
“I suggest we live *our* lives. Were young, healthy. We could have kids, a home, plans. Instead, were funding everyone elses crises.”
“*Everyone else?*” Her voice cracked. “Theyre my family, James. My mum, sister, nephew. Theyre not *strangers*.”
“They are to me. Your family isnt our problem,” he repeated.
Lily stood, returning to the window. Her heart ached. She loved himbut how could she betray those whod always been there?
“Mum asked yesterday when were visiting,” she said to the glass. “She misses us. Shes grateful you dont stop me helping. She thinks youre a good man.”
James stilled briefly, then resumed packing.
“Good men are rare,” Lily continued. “Mum always said family means standing by each other. That the strong help the weak. Maybe shes wrong. Maybe times have changed.”
“They have,” he agreed. “People too.”
He zipped the suitcase, lifted it.
“Where are you going?”
“To my parents. I need to think. So should you. About what matters.”
“James, wait. Lets talk”
“About what, Lily? You wont change. Neither will I. We just… want different things.”
At the door, he hesitated.
“If you decide *were* your familynot your entire clancall me.”
The door closed. The car engine started, faded. Silence.
Lily picked up her phone. A text from Emma glowed: *”Lil, how are you? Jacks still upset. Maybe visit tomorrow?”*
She didnt reply. Instead, she made tea, sat at the table. Another message arrivedher mum this time: *”Lily, love, youve been quiet. Miss you.”*
Lily dialled.
“Mum, hi. How are you feeling?”
