Alright, dear guestshad your fill? Had enough drink? Did I serve you right? Julia asked, standing at the head of the long oak table.
Absolutely, sis, said Brian, with a satisfied grin. Youre always on point!
Spot on! added Emma, backing up her brother. We learned to cook together with Mum, but Ive never whipped up anything this tasty! No wonder I always ask you to cater my parties.
Mum, Ive just dragged myself out of the gym again, and I cant stop, said Lucy, sighing. But I couldnt pull the brakes!
Darling, Ill send you a wife so you can teach her a thing or two about cooking, Andrew chimed in.
Thats why I married you! Victor declared, letting out a burp and apologising politely. Pardon me!
Consider yourself served, then! Julia beamed. She paused, the smile fading from her face, and said, Now, all of you, get out of my house!
It was the last dinner shed ever prepared for the lot of them. She was done with the endless catering, with hearing their voices, with even remembering their faces.
She snatched the massive, heavy salad bowl from the table and, with a wild look in her eyes, hurled it onto the floor.
Enough, you little brats! The dancings over, she declared with a sour grin. Im not going to let anyone ride me any longerespecially not you lot!
A heavy silence settled over the room, the guests frozen in shock. No one expected such a move from Julia, the everhelpful, everobedient, eversmiling hostess.
Did you lose your mind? Victor asked, only to receive an instant slap from his wife.
Call an ambulance, shes having a fit! Emma shouted.
Julia lifted the empty decanter of juice, holding it like a weapon. Whoever reaches for the phone gets a taste of this, she said sweetly. Now, why are you all standing still? Get up and scram! Youre my insatiable little gremlins!
Julia! Brian said sternly. Im your older brothercalm down and pull yourself together!
No! Julia replied, smiling. Im done being your servant. I wont cater to you any more, I wont run around like a headless chicken because you cant do anything yourself! Enough!
Whats the matter, a fly bite? Victor asked, rubbing his reddening cheek. Everything was fine, wasnt it?
I didnt gather you all for nothing, Julia said, leaning back in her chair. Your nerve has gone way past the lineactually, its been there for ages. Your lastminute demands showed just how bold youve become, and Im done with you.
Nothing we did, really, Andrew muttered. Exactly, son!
***
People always say you should live life the right way, and you cant argue with that. But what does right actually mean? Ask anyone and youll get a different answer.
Julia had spent fortyfive years convinced shed done everything properly. At worst she could only blame herself. She was the third child in a family of five, with an older brother and a younger sister. Her parents were pleased, she adored her brother, and she never bothered her sister. She got a decent education, went to work, never reached for the stars but never settled for the gutter either.
She married, had two children, was a loyal and loving wife, never raised her voice for no reason, and a good mother. She raised her kids, taught them, and sent them off into the world. Even as an adult she kept in touch with her brother and sisterhelping, celebrating, sharing troubles, sharing joys.
Friends called her kind, responsive, smart, and understanding. So she felt shed lived correctlyuntil, at fortyfive, she found herself abandoned and alone at the worst possible moment.
***
Julia Whitfield, the doctor said after lunch, all your tests are back, nothing contraindicates surgery. Shall we schedule it?
Of course, Doctor, Julia replied sadly. The decisions already made.
I understand, the doctor said, noticing her downcast look, but you never know
Go ahead, Julia waved her hand. The sooner we start, the sooner its over.
Alright, the doctor noted in her chart. Youll have dinner tonight, nothing tomorrow, and surgery the day after.
He turned to the woman in the next bed. Karen, your results arent great. Well need to sort that out.
Okay, Mr. OLeary, Karen said.
When the doctor left, he asked Julia, Whats with you, all quiet? Scared of the operation?
Partly, Julia admitted, glancing at her phone. My husband
Karen laughed. My husband left me with a playlist of songs. Im sure the kids will run to Mum, and hell throw a party! No big deal, hell sort it out. Maybe hes off on a spree?
Well, judging by his last voice message, hes already out partying fulltilt, Julia said, pursing her lips. He knows Ive got an operation, yet hes out having drinks with his mates.
Honestly, theyre all the same, Karen waved a hand. Cats at home, mice dancing around!
Its still a wound, Julia replied. Removing a uterus is serious business. A little support would have meant the world. I told him I was terrified and needed his support, and all he did was send two short texts after I left and then go silent!
Karen, ten years younger and with less life experience, didnt have the right words, so the conversation dwindled.
Julia didnt go for dinner, and she deliberately took nothing with hershe knew shed have to fast before the operation. She lay quietly, staring at the ceiling, remembering the time Steve broke his leg at work in two places. Shed visited him daily, bringing homecooked meals, clean clothes, staying until midnight, then driving home on the night bus. When he was released, she took a break to help, like a hamster on a wheelno complaints, no hesitation.
She fetched water, fed him with a spoon, washed, shaven, even scratched his back. Why does he treat me like this? Julia asked when Karen returned from her own dinner.
Not just yours, Karen giggled. Theyre all the sameconsumers! Do they teach them at school how to sit on a ladys neck?
Ive been pushing my husband for three years, picking jobs through acquaintances, finding the best spots, and he never likes any of it. He wouldnt work until I threatened divorce and alimony!
My man works, Julia replied.
Your blokes a different animal, Karen gestured. All the sameexploiter! If you dont tie him down, hell hop on your neck and run off with the spare change!
Julia began to realise her husband was like cheese in butter, then in creamshe was just a paw at his back.
Maybe Im overreacting? she asked. Im nervous about the surgery, maybe Im just getting worked up?
Those two things dont cancel each other out, Karen said. And the fact you hear no kind word from him is obvious. My man, even if hes a bit of a mess, calls daily with fruit juices, sends heart emojis.
Julia turned away, pulling the blanket over her head.
***
Going a day without food, even when you need it, is hard. Julia tried to distract herself with chatter, but the nurses kept sending her for tests, and Karen would pop in for brief visits.
Phone in hand: Family will talk to pass the time, Julia thought.
Her son Andrew didnt answer, only sent a message promising to call back. Her daughter Lucy tried twice, then her number became unavailable.
Good kids, Julia muttered, bewildered.
Theyre not picking up? Karen asked, catching her breath.
Can you imagine? Is it that hard to answer your mother?
Adults?
Theyve moved out.
Fine, forget them. Youll only see them when you need something. Theyve flown the nest, now the wind will carry them wherever.
My sixteenyearold son already treats me like a spare change. If they live apart, parents become useless. At least theyll show up for a funeral!
No, we have a wonderful relationship! Julia insisted.
Then why dont they pick up?
Karen jogged off, leaving Julia to ponder.
Is it really that hard to find a minute to talk to mum? All their recent visits have been about moneyno loans, just how much they can spare, Julia thought.
It was terribly sad, but Karen summed it up nicely: The chicks have flown. They live their own lives now. Parents are only remembered when needed.
She dialled her husband again. No answer. Her text stayed unread.
Ah, SteveSteve! she muttered. If only hed stop shirking.
By evening he finally replied: Where are our savings? Pays run out, weve got nothing to live on!
His wages had actually arrived three days earlier.
Anyway! Julia mused, A feast on a hill, wine by the river! She didnt answer him. If hed even hinted he was worried, she might have said something. Instead she let him sort it out on his own.
***
Brian answered his phone, but said he was busy and hung up.
Typical, Julia said.
Karen wasnt there to hear the retort, and Julia recalled the halfyear shed lived in two houses after Brians wife dumped him, leaving the kids behind. Julia had stepped incaring for the children, the mother, the cook, the cleaner, everythinguntil Brian found a new partner.
Shed also had to smooth over conflicts because Brian demanded love for his kids while she wanted love for hers, and the others kept getting in the way.
I spent a year and a half patching things up and never got a word of thanks. And now hes busy again, she thought. When she called him back that evening, all she got were short beeps and a hangup.
Thanks for the blacklist, brother! she muttered. He also knew about her upcoming surgery. When he asked to take the kids for a month, Julia finally refused, citing the operation.
***
Nurse Emma gave Julia just five minutes of attention, barely asking about her health:
Youll be able to work soon? My husbands sidefamily is arrivingabout ten people. Well put them up in a hotel, but well need to feed them at home. Youre our only hope!
I dont know, Emma, Julia replied. The operations tough. Two or three weeks in hospital, then a recovery period. Doctors say about fifty days.
No, no, sister! Things dont work like that! Youll be back in three weeks, fit as a fiddle! Its my husbands relativesmore important than anything else! Emma pressed.
It scares me, Julia admitted.
Come on, stop being a drama queen! Chirpchirp and off you go! Ive got to run! Emma snapped.
Its fine if the operation has complications, Julia said, staring at her phone. I still need a cook! Im almost fifty and still cant manage a proper roast!
Emma constantly called on the younger sister to cater her own guestscolleagues, her husbands friends, any celebration. Julia hadnt set foot near the stove for days, and no one ever invited her to the table.
Youre mad, Emma shouted. Its a foreign crowd!
Julia had prepared that foreign crowd, but no one cared.
The operation went smoothly, though she stayed two extra weeks in the ward. She didnt call anyone. She waited, hoping someone would remember her, but nobody didno husband, no kids, no brother, no sister.
She thought a lot until she made a decisive choice.
***
Julia, what nonsense are you spouting? Brian blurted. Did they really take a piece of your brain with the uterus?
You remembered! Julia exclaimed, delighted. I thought no one would ever think of me again!
She stood again at the head of the table.
Listen up, my dear relatives! Ive been in hospital for two weeks, and not a single soul bothered to check on me or ask how Im doing! No brother who loves me more than his new mum, no sister whos used me as a free chef all my life, no loving husband who blew not only his salary but also every penny we saved for a cottage, no dear children I gave life tonone of them even called!
A murmur of outrage rose over the table.
Ive spent my whole life ready to do anything for you. And at the one moment I needed even a tiny bit of help or a simple word, you were nowhere!
She thought, if I survived this alone, I can manage on my own. Im done being the errandrunner for you all.
She addressed each in turn:
Stevedivorce, no discussions! Youre out of my flat!
Childrenlive your own lives! If you need help, go to dad! Youve lost your mother!
Boris and EmmaI’m done with you. Hire nannies and chefs elsewhere! Enough!
Youre all out of your mindshow can this be? relatives shouted.
Everyone stood up together! Julia commanded. Form a line and march straight to the door! Im finally going to live for myself, not for you!
Boom!
Alone in her flat, Julia sat at the nowempty table and said, I may have overreacted, but look at these shattered salad bowls. Ill start my new life with a brandnew bowl!
