Its all because of your friend, the exhusband had snarled.
Hold onstop, stop, stop. I dont understand a word of this.
Of course you dont! Youre playing the part of the clueless, wellmeaning soul who pretends not to see a thing. Do you think Ill just look the other way?
Sometimes life runs smoothly. You have a comfortable income, a loving family, a decent circle of friends, and even a young man who truly cares for you.
Then, in the midst of that pictureperfect existence, a tiny pebble appears. Its so small you might not notice it at first, but the longer it stays, the more it gnaws at you, urging you to push it far awayaway from the awful colour, the taste, the voice that grates on your nerves.
For Mary Thompson, that pebble was a person, and a very near one at that.
Her best friend, Emma Clarke, had been at her side since they were toddlers in the nursery. Everything seemed fine, until after university, when the two women stepped into adult life and, as if by a switch, Emma changed.
Perhaps their social circles drifted apart, or maybe Emmas prospects were less bright than Marys, sparking a quiet envy that found a strange outlet.
Honestly, the first year, two years, even five, passed without incident. But thenwhat they say about water wearing away stonethings began to chip away.
Mary, that dress isnt suitable for a postbaby figure, Emma remarked. You could buy it, sure, but until you get yourself in order itll be out of fashion three hundred times over. Youd be better off taking the little suit we looked at earlier.
Mary, stepping out of the fitting room, felt a heat rise inside as she stared at Emma.
Listen, could you stop slinging me these insults? she said.
What insults? Emma snapped, eyes wide.
Things like not for a postbaby figure, until you straighten yourself out Are you some sort of fashion police?
Mary, you invited me to help you pick an outfit. Im telling you straight. If you only wanted me to say yes, it looks good, take it, you should have said so from the start.
And what should I have said? That you shouldnt bother people with your toxicity? That you have to stay within some imagined normality?
Hold onstop, stop, stop. Im lost here.
Exactlyyouve got it wrong. You act the clueless, kindhearted fool who pretends not to understand anything. Do you think Ill just stand by and let you dump all this negativity on me? Do you think Ill remain a naïve girl for you to vent on?
I wont. Thats enough. Dont call me again, dont even bother to greet me. Ill take the dress anyway, Mary declared, snatching the gown and hurrying away from the columnlike Emma.
Emma seemed more concerned about the onlookers noticing their row than about the fact that her friend had been tripped up by a petty spite. She lingered a moment, contemplating, then, as if nothing had happened, walked toward the exit of the shopping centre.
From that day on Mary never rang Emma, never tried to mend things, because she understood where the sudden animosity had its roots. Either Mary would get through to Emma, or notthere was no point in trying to sway someone who had already closed the door.
Mary went on living as she saw fit, enjoying the life she believed was her best. The snide remarks about her motherinlaws need for help, about her husbands involvement in family matters, and, most of all, about her little girl Vickys entry into nursery, faded away.
When Marys motherinlaw learned of the quarrel, she sighed and muttered something about eventually having to shake off parasites from her neck. Marys own mother said the same. Then the oddities began.
At Vickys nursery, a new caregiverwho, oddly enough, sounded just like Emmamentioned that Vicky showed behavioural signs that might hint at an unwelcome diagnosis. She suggested taking the child to a neurologist and psychiatrist, preferably privately, to catch any problem early.
My, they just want to label the child, the motherinlaw sighed at home when Mary recounted the caregivers words. Weve never had an autistic or any other such case in the family. Yet the young woman, wanting to ease her conscience, agreed to have Vicky examined.
The doctor told them, Its good youve come while shes still small; we can intervene with minimal disruption and help her adjust to a normal life. The words that Emma had whispered months earlier suddenly resurfaced in Marys mind: Emma had once suggested a neurologist and psychiatrist, saying Vicky seemed a bit odd.
Mary had dismissed Emma then as toxic and bad and paid no heed to her remark, which turned out to be prescient.
Further unsettling calls came from Marys mother and motherinlaw. Emma would constantly claim that the grandmothers didnt truly need a granddaughter; they only wanted Marys purse. As soon as extra expenses for Vicky arose, the grandmothers vanished one by one, offering the same rehearsed excuse: Wed love to help, but were swamped, the routine wont let us.
Then Marys husband announced he was filing for divorce.
Understand, Mary. I promised to stand by you in joy and sorrow, but these endless Vicky diagnoses and the constant fuss leave you no time for the rest of the family. I cant live like this.
In a few short months the oncehappy family fell apart.
Mary took Vicky and moved into a flat left to her by her grandmother. That forced a fresh clash with her own mother, who was accustomed to using that flat when hosting numerous relatives.
Mary, you do realise itll be terribly inconvenient if you move in there! Family should support each other in hard times, and you
Enough, Mary thought, recalling that Emma, watching from the sidelines, had claimed she was only giving onesided help. Emma hadnt been releasing toxic comments; she had tried, within her power, to open Marys eyes to the familys reality.
Now, once again, Marys mother tried to spin an old tune, after having repeatedly refused to help her daughter in hard times. She worried not about where Vicky and the granddaughter would live, but where to lodge visiting relatives without causing extra fuss.
Emma was rightshe had been right about everything. And Mary, well, she had simply been outwitted.
Had Mary listened to her friend and seen things from the same distance, perhaps things would have turned out differently.
With the final break from her mother and settled into the grandmothers flat, Mary gathered flowers, a bottle of champagne and a box of sweets, hoping the gifts wouldnt be thrown back at her at the doorstep, and set off to reconcile with Emma.
Emma, please hear me out, dont shut the door right away, she pleaded as the friend opened the door, letting Mary in with her gentlemans parcel.
Tears were shed, vows of friendship renewed, and promises made that Mary would never again suspect her dear friend of any ulterior motive.
Now Mary understood who truly wished her well and who only thought of themselves, fleeing as soon as hardship struck.
The two friends eventually mended, though Emma warned Mary that any repeat of the past would not be forgiven. Mary, for her part, vowed never to let it happen again.
The exhusband later tried to make peace, but Mary flatout refused to rebuild what he had shattered.
This is all your friends doing! Shes turned you against the family, the ex declared. The same accusation echoed from Marys mother and former motherinlaw, oblivious that the very crib they blamed on each other had been laid by their own hands, and Emma had nothing to do with it.
