**Diary Entry 10th May**
“You dont get to decide who stays in our house,” my husband snapped when my niece arrived.
“Margaret, love, have you got any milk to spare?” asked our neighbour, Karen, poking her head through the half-open door. “My granddaughters visiting, and I need to make tea.”
“Of course,” Maggie said, setting aside her knitting and heading to the kitchen. “Take the whole bottleIve another in the fridge.”
Karen thanked her and turned to leave when my husbands voice growled from the living room, “Whos this coming round every day? Dont they have their own home?”
Maggie flushed. Lately, George had been unbearablegrumbling about the neighbours, the children playing too loudly, even the way she made his tea.
“Sorry, Karen,” Maggie murmured. “George has been under a lot of pressure at work.”
“Oh, dont you worry, dear,” Karen waved her off. “Men, eh? Cheers for the milk.”
When Karen left, Maggie returned to find George buried in his newspaper, pretending nothing had happened.
“Why must you be so rude?” she asked. “Karens a good woman. Weve been friends for years.”
“Youre friends, not me,” George grumbled. “And whys she always after somethingmilk, sugar, butter? Cant she stock her own kitchen?”
“Its hardly a hardship for us.”
“Its not about the cost. Its the principle. Give em an inch, theyll take a mile.”
Maggie stayed silent. Arguing with George was pointless. He hadnt always been like thismaybe age or work had hardened him.
The phone rang sharply. Maggie picked up.
“Hello?”
“Aunt Maggie? Its Emily.”
“Emily, love! Hows university?”
“Aunt Maggie, Im in trouble,” Emilys voice trembled. “Can I stay with you? Just for a few days?”
“Of course, darling. Whats happened?”
“Mum and Dad theyve split. Dads moved some woman in, and Mums gone to Nans. Theres no room for me there, and Ive got exams coming up”
Maggies heart ached. Emily was her brothers girlbright, studying economics at Leeds. Just last Christmas, theyd all been happy.
“You come straight here. Well make do.”
“Thank you, Aunt Maggie. Ill be there tomorrow.”
Maggie hung up and faced George, who scowled.
“What now?”
“Emilys coming. Her parents have divorcedshes got nowhere else.”
“So? Thats her parents mess, not ours.”
“Shes family!”
“Your family,” George snapped. “I come home to rest, not play host.”
“Shes a good girl. Just until she sorts herself out.”
“A week? A month? A year?” Georges temper flared. “Guests like that never leave.”
Maggie barely recognised him. Thirty years ago, hed been kindthe sort whod help anyone. Now?
“Please, George,” she begged. “Shes desperate.”
“Not my problem. This is my house. I decide who stays.”
Maggies eyes burned. Hed never spoken to her like this before.
“Fine,” she whispered. “Ill tell her no.”
“Good.” George picked up his paper.
Maggie stood by the kitchen window, watching children play in the square. Somewhere, Emily was packing, hoping for sanctuary.
She dialled.
“Emily?”
“Yes, Aunt Maggie?”
“Love, its just we havent the space. Maybe you could stay with a friend?”
Silence.
“I see,” Emily finally said. “Thanks anyway.”
Maggie clutched the phone, tears falling.
The next day, George left for work as usuala kiss on the cheek, as if yesterday hadnt happened.
At lunch, Karen called.
“Maggie, what was all that shouting last night? I heard George carrying on.”
“Just work stress,” Maggie lied.
“Sounded like he was on about Emily. Your brothers girl?”
Maggie sighed. Karen missed nothing.
“Theyve divorced. Emily wanted to stay here while she sorts things out. George refused.”
“And wheres the poor girl to go?”
“I dont know.”
“Why dyou let him rule you? The house is half yours. Shes your niece, not his.”
“Were a family.”
“Family?” Karen snorted. “Family helps each other, not crushes each other.”
Maggie turned the words over. When had she lost her say in her own home?
That evening, George stormed in.
“No bloody bonus,” he growled. “Boss says I missed targets. How can I hit targets when they cut support?”
“Dinners ready,” Maggie offered.
“What is it?”
“Shepherds pie.”
“Again? Cant you make something else?”
Maggie dished up in silence. He used to love her shepherds pie.
“George what if we took Emily in? She wouldnt be any trouble.”
His glare silenced her.
“Were done talking about this.”
Maggie nodded but seethed inside. Would she spend her life biting her tongue?
The next day, the doorbell rang. Emily stood on the step, suitcase in hand.
“Aunt Maggie, Ive got nowhere else.”
Maggie waveredhappy to see her, dreading Georges reaction.
“Come in, love.”
Over tea, Emily explained: Dads new girlfriend had taken over; Mums place was cramped; student housing had a waiting list.
“Stay as long as you need,” Maggie said.
“But Uncle George”
“Hell understand.”
Emily hugged her. “Ill help with everythingcooking, cleaning”
Maggie smiled, then braced herself.
George came home, spotted the suitcase, and scowled.
“Whats this?”
“Emilys here. Shes got no choice.”
“I said no!”
Emily stepped forward, pale. “Uncle George, I wont stay long.”
“How longs not long?”
“A few weeks?”
“Or a few years?” George turned on Maggie. “You let her in without asking?”
“Shes my niece. Ive a right to help her.”
“You dont decide who lives here!”
Emily edged toward the door. “Ill go.”
“No,” Maggie blocked her. “George, shes just a girl.”
“Not my problem!”
“Shes family!” Maggie shouted. “Family helps each other!”
Silence. George stared, stunned.
“Fine,” he said coldly. “Choose her over me.”
He packed a bag.
“Where are you going?”
“To Mums. At least there, Im respected.”
The door slammed. Maggie stood numb.
“Aunt Maggie,” Emily whispered, “I didnt mean to break things.”
“You didnt,” Maggie hugged her. “He did, by forgetting what family means.”
That night, they drank tea, talking till late. The flat felt alive again.
George called daily, demanding Maggie send Emily away.
“Come to your senses,” he said. “Dont wreck us over some girl.”
“You wrecked us by having no heart.”
Eventually, he gave in. “Fine. But not forever.”
A month later, Emily burst in, thrilledshed landed a marketing job and found a flatshare with friends.
Maggies heart squeezed. Shed miss her.
“You should go, love. Start your life.”
“Really?”
“Always here if you need me.”
On moving day, George helped with the bags.
“Back to normal,” he said as Emily left.
“Normal?” Maggie said. “Our ideas of normal differ.”
“Meaning?”
“Youd have thrown a helpless girl onto the street.”
“Practical, not cruel.”
“Same thing, lately.”
George looked stricken.
Maggie softened. “Just try to be the man you were.”
He nodded. Maybe he *had* lost himself.
Maggie smiledfirst time in ages.
**Lesson:** A house isnt a home without kindness. And sometimes, standing up for whats right means standing against those you love.
