‘What are you saying, Mum?’
‘I’m saying that as of today, your allowance stops and you won’t be receiving it anymore. If you need the money, go outside and work.’
With those words Debra hung up the phone and went in search of a beauty parlour where she had her hair coloured and then had a nice haircut, manicure and a host of other treatments.
She switched off the phone to enjoy what was a new experience for her and afterwards went to the shopping centre and bought herself some beautiful dresses, one of which she decided to go home in. Her old clothes did not leave the mall with her.
When she got home, her husband, who had taken a call from her boss that had been forwarded to their landline, asked where she had been.
‘Your two bosses said you didn’t show up for your shift,’ Austin said, sitting on the couch. When he turned to look at Debra, he coughed from the chips he had just swallowed.
‘Debs, is that you?’ – He asked, eyes wide.
‘Yeah, it’s me,’ she replied stiffly.
‘Have you been out shopping for clothes and stuff when you’re supposed to be working?’ – He asked angrily.
She gave him a vague answer, but he started berating her for how much money she wasted buying herself all those pretty things.
They were just having a conversation about it when Kayla walked in with all the confidence of a righteous man caught in the middle. ‘Why did you cut my allowance?’ – She asked, not taking her eyes off the room.
After a moment, she appreciated her mother’s new look and noted how convenient it was for her to spend so much on herself while refusing to help her.
Debra took a while to calm down before explaining to her daughter what had happened. The girl was still trying to contain her shock when her mother turned to her father and announced her desire for a divorce.
‘I’m tired of cleaning up after you, Austin,’ she said. The man was shocked. He couldn’t understand why she was suddenly turning against them, but Debra wouldn’t back down.
‘For the past two decades, I’ve carried the financial burden of this family. But now I am tired and would like to put that energy into myself,’ Debra said with tears in her eyes. It felt like an admission of defeat, but what choice did she have? Those she had fought for had long since given up.
‘I want you to leave,’ she said.
‘What, you can’t mean that,’ Austin said.
‘Yes,’ she said and walked past him to get to their room. After that night, Austin’s wounded pride caused him to move out of their house without trying to beg forgiveness, and Kayla stopped asking Debra for money.
A month later, Debra quit her hard and unloved job and took a job that actually brought her passion. She lived her life, travelled the world and helped her daughter care for her grandson when she could.
Debra never regretted her decision to divorce her husband, although he begged her to come back after he found a job. ‘I’ll keep your offer in mind,’ she told him, and he hasn’t stopped trying to earn it since.
What can we learn from this story?
Self-love is non-negotiable. Debra sacrificed herself for her family without thinking about herself until her unwed children pointed out to her how much it was affecting her. Her awakening brought about change and she was able to start living for herself again.
Never stop trying. Kayla and Austin gave up so easily because they were getting everything they needed thanks to Debra, who never complained. They forgot that the only way to move forward was to try, but luckily Debra was there to remind them of that.
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