Where Are We Headed? And Who’s Going to Cook for Us?

“Where are you off to? And who’s going to cook for us?”

“What on earth are you doing? Where are you going? Whos going to make dinner now?” her husband asked, bewildered, as he watched what Antonia was doing after the argument with his mother.

Antonia glanced out the window. A dull, gloomy atmosphere despite it being early spring. In their little northern town, sunny days were rareperhaps that was why the locals always seemed so dour and unfriendly.

Shed noticed herself latelyher smile had faded, and the permanent frown on her forehead made her look older than she was.

“Mum! I’m going out!” called her daughter, Lucy.

“Fine,” Antonia nodded.

“Fine? Give me some money, then.”

“Since when do walks cost anything?” Antonia sighed.

“Mum! What kind of question is that?!” Lucy snapped, losing patience. “They’re waiting for mecome on! And why so little?”

“Its enough for ice cream.”

“Youre so stingy,” Lucy muttered, already halfway out the door before her mother could reply.

Antonia shook her head, remembering how sweet Lucy had been before she hit her teens.

“Toni, I’m starving! Whens dinner?” her husband, Thomas, barked impatiently.

“Go and eat, then,” she replied flatly, setting a plate on the table.

“And serve me, will you?”

Antonia nearly dropped the saucepan. What was he playing at?

“You eat in the kitchen, Tom. Take it or leave it,” she said, sitting down without him.

Fifteen minutes later, Thomas finally appeared.

“Its cold gross.”

“Next time, dont take so long.”

“I asked you nicely! Not a shred of care or affection! You know Im watching the match!” He shoved a piece of chicken into his mouth. “Tastes rubbish.”

Antonia rolled her eyes. Football turned him into a strangerbets, kits, expensive tickets. He was obsessed, though hed never cared for sports when they were younger.

Without sitting down once, Thomas grabbed a beer to “cheer up” and crisps “for hunger,” then marched back to the telly. Meanwhile, Toni was left scrubbing the dirty dishes in the kitchen.

No one ever thanked her.

She was exhausted after her shiftshe worked as a senior nurse at the hospital. Every day, she faced stress at work, only to come home to another full-time jobfetch, serve, clean.

“Any drinks left?” Thomas rummaged through the fridge. “Whys there nothing?”

“You drank it all! Should I buy more? Have some shame, Tom!” she finally snapped.

“Someones touchy,” he scoffed, slamming the door as he stormed out to restock for the next match.

Antonia decided to sleep earlyshe had another long day ahead. But she couldnt drift off. She worried about Lucywhere was she? Who was she with? It was dark now, and still no sign of her. She didnt dare callthat only led to shouting.

“Are you trying to embarrass me in front of my friends? Stop calling!” Lucy would yell. After a few such calls, Antonia gave up, telling herself Lucy had just turned eighteen. She didnt want to work or studyjust “find herself” after finishing school.

Shed barely dozed off when Thomass triumphant shouts woke hersomeone mustve scored. Then he started loudly discussing the match with the neighbour, whod dropped by and stayed. The neighbour even brought his girlfriend over, and soon the three of them were “cheering” together. Around midnight, Lucy clattered inplates clanged, doors bangedthen she stomped upstairs. Just as silence finally settled, the cat started yowling for food.

“Can someone else in this house feed the cat?!” Antonia snapped, her head pounding from exhaustion. But Lucy had her headphones on and just tapped her forehead mockingly, while Thomas snored in front of the telly, beer can in hand.

“Ive had enough I cant take this anymore,” Antonia thought.

The next morning, her mother-in-law called.

“Antonia, darling, you remember weve got to plant the veg, dont you? And the cottage needs tidying.”

“I remember,” Antonia sighed.

“Well go tomorrow.”

Her only day off was spent at the allotment under her mother-in-laws watchful eye.

“Thats not how you sweep! Hold the broom properly!” her mother-in-law ordered from her perch on the bench.

“Im nearly fifty, Vera. I think I can manage,” Antonia dared to reply.

“My Thomas would never do it like that.”

“And where is your precious son? Why isnt he here? Driving you to the allotment? Why do we have to take a three-hour bus ride? Its always Thomas this, Thomas that”

“Hes exhausted.”

“And I?m not?”

And then it began. Antonia instantly regretted speaking. Vera loved a fair discussionso long as fairness only applied to her side. Her whole life, shed doted on Thomas, while Antonia was just the workhorse she tolerated.

They rode home at opposite ends of the bus. The next day, Vera complained to her son, and Thomas erupted.

“How dare you raise your voice at my mother?!” he fumed. “If it werent for me”

“What?” Antonia crossed her arms. She knew she couldnt take this anymore.

“Youd still be at the clinic!” he shot back, reminding her that Vera had pulled strings to get her the hospital job. The pay was better, but the stress had aged her. More than once, Antonia had regretted leaving the quiet clinic for this chaos. “What are you doing?” Thomas fell silent, stunned by what she did next.

For the first time ever, Antonia did something Thomas never saw coming.