I turned my head to Jack. He was sleeping peacefully, unaware that things were about to change.
I smiled. Tomorrow they would find out everything.
At dawn, I slipped out of bed without waking Jack and called.
‘Hi, I need to change the locks,’ I told the locksmith. ‘Today.’
‘Sure. What’s the address?’
I gave him all the details. Then I made the next call.
‘Good morning, this is the law firm of Carter & Lane. How can we help you?’
‘Hello, I want to file for divorce.’
By noon, the locksmith had finished the job. My house was truly mine again.
Jack was still asleep while I packed up his things. He only stirred when I started dragging his gaming chair into the garage.
‘What are you doing?’ – He muttered, wiping his eyes.
‘Packing,’ I replied, tossing the box of tangled controllers into a pile.
‘For what?’
I ignored him and continued my work.
He yawned, stretching lazily. ‘Mum called? She said they’re coming over today with their stuff.’
I smiled. ‘Oh, I know.’
Jack didn’t even pay attention to my tone. He just hummed and trotted off to the bathroom.
By the time I left for the school event, the house was quiet. Peaceful.
I was sitting in the auditorium, half-listening to the principal talk about school spirit, when my phone buzzed pitifully in my pocket. I looked at the screen and grinned.
IN-LAUS.
I walked out, sat down on a bench, and answered in my nicest voice. ‘Hello?’
‘WHAT DID YOU DO?!’ shrieked Diana.
I took the phone away from my ear, continuing to smile. ‘I’m sorry, what was that?’
‘You locked us out!’ – She shouted. ‘We can’t get in! We have bags! Where’s Jack!’
Jack’s voice came next, harsh and angry. ‘Emily, open the damn door!’
I leaned back, crossing one leg over the other. ‘Oh, Jack. You really haven’t thought this through, have you?’
Silence.
Then Harold hissed: ‘You ungrateful little…’
‘Ah, ah, ah, ah,’ I interrupted. ‘Let me get one thing straight.’
I took a deep breath, savouring the moment.
‘This is my house. I paid for it. Not Jack. Not you. Я. And I’m sick of being treated like an endless bank account.’
Jack’s voice had changed – it was softer now. ‘Emily, come on. Let’s talk this over.’
‘Oh, we’ll talk,’ I said. ‘In court.’
Diana sighed. ‘In court?! You’re divorcing him over this?!’
I laughed. ‘No, Diana. I’m divorcing him because I refuse to be the one making an effort while he does nothing. I’m sick of being treated like I owe you all something.’
Jack made one last attempt. ‘Emily, please. We can fix this.’
I smirked. ‘Jack, your things are in the garage. Feel free to take them. But you’re not coming back to the house as my husband.’
Diana was freaking out. ‘You can’t do that! You’re his wife!’
‘Not for long,’ I said and ended the conversation.
That night I lay in bed, in my house, with no one demanding anything of me. Not my lazy husband. Not my mother-in-law, who acted entitled.
Just silence. Just peace. I exhaled deeply, feeling lighter than I had in years.
For the first time in a long time, I wasn’t someone’s wife.
I was just me. And I was free.