Does it make any difference to you? Emily asked, eyes downcast.
Victor sat on the sofa, eyebrows raised, the silence in the room thick enough to cut with a knife. The whole situation seemed absurd to him.
What do you mean, took it? he repeated, bewildered. Explain.
She just asked if she could try it on. Then she said it looked good on her, and I didnt feel right keeping it. Shes my mother, after all Emilys voice trembled.
Victor stared at his wife as if he were seeing her for the first time. He knew Emily was gentlehearted, but he hadnt expected it to be this extreme.
So she just walked off with your bracelet? Emily, how could she? Tell me everything, step by step, he demanded, a hint of irony in his tone.
Victor had always wanted his wife to never need anything. Now he could finally afford a little freedom, while Emily seemed stuck.
They had met in their first year at university through mutual friends. Back then Victor was naïve and dreamy. He grew up in a modest family and promised himself that his future wife and children would always have the best. He didnt know how he would achieve it, but his enthusiasm was boundless.
Emily had no grand ambitions, but she possessed a warm heart. Victor knew hed fallen for her when she once showed up at his flat, a cold, with a thermos of steaming soup.
Sergey told me you were ill. I thought Id drop by, she whispered, slipping off her shoes.
You shouldnt have. Youll catch it too, Victor replied, but he didnt send her away.
If were both sick we can keep each other warm, she smiled. Im not made of sugar, I wont melt away.
In Emily Victor saw the woman who could stand by his side without keeping score, simply because she liked him and wanted to care for him.
A year later they lived together in a rented flat, starting with a tiny kitchen that rattled with an old fridge, a leaky tap and the occasional cockroach. They pulled allnighters before exams, worked sidebyside in parttime jobsVictor hauling boxes at a supermarket, Emily serving tables.
They endured everything. They learned that instant noodles werent cheap after all. Emily was terrified when Victor ended up in hospital with gallstones and they could barely afford his medication. Frequently they borrowed from parents or friends.
Victors circle was generous, often tossing him odd jobs: a builder needed an assistant, a neighbour wanted a fence painted for a token fee. Victor took almost any work, while he tried not to overburden Emily.
I want to help! she offered one afternoon before he left for another gig.
Right. And what will you do? Carry coal? Youll tire yourself out and our medical bills will skyrocket, Victor grumbled.
He appreciated her earnestness, and never left her despite the looming expenses.
Step by step he chased his goal. First they earned their degrees. After wandering through a few firms, Victor landed a junior post at a large company through a friend. The schedule was brutallate nights and weekend shifts were common.
Emily kept the home running, despite her own job. She cooked his favourite meals, tidied the flat alone, and looked after their ageing Labrador even when it could no longer walk.
Itll pass, love, Emily would say during the toughest spells.
When Victor rose to head of logistics, responsibilities multiplied, yet he felt the love waiting at home. That certainty made him willing to sacrifice much.
Their life entered a new phase. They moved into a flat they owned, bought a modest car and a countryside cottage. No longer did they scour Gumtree for secondhand furniture; they bought brandnew pieces from highstreet stores. Clothes werent only replaced when worn out, they were bought because they liked them. Holidays shifted from staying with relatives in the Lake District to short trips abroad.
Victors gifts evolved from chocolate bars to coats, handbags and jewelleryno special occasion required, just a Friday evening or a good mood. Emily still blushed at price tags, but she appreciated being drawn out of her frugal routine.
At first everything glittered. She thanked him with tight embraces, delighted in a new perfume, strutted in designer outfits, and cooked with a multicooker that boasted a dozen functions.
Then things changed. Emily reverted to an old cooker, carried a cracked handbag, and hid her perfume somewhere out of sight. Victor first thought she simply disliked the scent, then blamed old habits. Yet it didnt add upwhy keep wearing shoes that gave her blisters when a comfortable pair sat in the cupboard?
Victor wanted to test the waters, and soon the chance arrived. When his colleague Simon invited them to his birthday, Victor bought Emily a gold bracelet and sapphire earrings, hoping everyone would see the woman he adored.
Wear the dress we bought on Friday, and the jewellery I gave you last week, Victor instructed. They go together nicely.
Emily stammered, claiming the bracelet was broken, that shed given it to a jeweller but couldnt recall which one. Then she blurted out that her mother had taken the goldalong with other things.
So everything Ive given you ends up with your mother? Victors lips pressed together. Emily, seriously? Cant you push back?
She looked away.
I tried. She says she raised me, that I owe her everything, that no one will ever give me gifts again, and that youll just keep buying for me. She says it wont cost you anything.
Victor covered his face with his hands, feeling robbednot of material goods, but of his pride.
Fine, I get it, he sighed. From now on Ill only give you things that wont disappear to your mum within a week.
Emily fell silent; she had nothing to say. Shed been too easily swayed by manipulation. Victor tried to jolt her awake, but realised it was pointless. He resigned himself to accept her as she was.
He understood that to keep the warmth in the house, he needed to address the leaknot Emily, but the source of the leak, his motherinlaw, Vera.
Vera was loud, meddlesome and clingy. Victor had met her almost as soon as he started dating Emily.
I dont mean to intrude, but shed begin, then launch into a torrent of unsolicited advice.
Vera worked as an accountant; her husband held an undefined job, content to stay out of the way. Their income was modest, fitting the role.
From day one Vera tried to insert herself into their marriage, dropping by unannounced, sometimes at eight in the morning. Once, when her visit coincided with a romantic evening, Victor simply refused to let her in. Emily paled, whispered Its my mum, but Victor held his ground.
Yes, Mum, he nodded politely. But we werent expecting you. Please let us know before you turn up.
Veras intrusion shifted from the front door to a psychological one, planting guilt in Emily.
Oh, what lovely perfume you have! No one ever gives me that. May I borrow it for a week? Lucys birthday is coming up; I want to dazzle everyone. You wouldnt mind, would you, dear? Ive given you everything.
How to fight that? Prevent the theft in the first place. Emilys birthday was looming, and Victor decided to try a new tactic.
When the family gathered around the table, he rose and handed Emily a small envelope.
Sunshine, this is for you. I know youve always wanted to visit Italy. Take a proper holiday, on me.
Veras eyes lit up.
Oh, how lovely! Ive always wanted to soak up the sun there, see the monuments!
Wanting isnt a crime, but Vera, the second ticket is mine. Youll be travelling with me, and Im not the most pleasant companion I snore loudly, play music at night, and wander the room naked. Are you prepared?
Laughter erupted around the table. Emily blushed, smiled shyly. Vera flushed, pursed her lips and turned away, staying silent for the rest of the evening before leaving early. Victor smirked; hed received two gifts that night: his wifes genuine smile and his motherinlaws quiet departure.
The lesson he took home was simple: a marriage thrives not when you try to change the person you love, but when you plug the leaks that threaten the roof, even if those leaks wear a familiar face.
