“Your family isn’t our problem,” snapped Daniel, tossing shirts into a suitcase.
“Lily, did you send them money again?” He stood in the bedroom doorway, gripping a bank statement, his face tight with irritation.
“Mum needed medicine, and her pension barely covers anything,” Lily replied quietly, her iron gliding over one of Daniels white shirts. Her hands trembled slightly.
“How much longer is this going to go on? Every month, its the same thingmedicine for your mum, repairs for your sister, tuition for your nephew!” He flung the statement onto the dresser. “Were barely getting by ourselves, and youre bankrolling half your family!”
Lily set the iron down and turned to face him. Tears prickled at her eyes, but she kept her voice steady.
“Dan, shes my mum. She raised me alone after Dad left. Worked two jobs just so I could finish uni. How can I not help her now?”
“Helping is one thing, but this” He jabbed a finger at the statement. “This is too much. Three hundred quid in a month! We couldve used that for a proper holiday, not another weekend at your sisters cramped flat!”
Lily hung the shirt silently. Three years of marriage, and the same argument kept resurfacing. At first, Daniel had been understanding, even supportive. But something had shifted.
She remembered last year, when her mum needed an emergency operationwaiting lists stretched for months, but going private cost two grand. Lily had sold her old jewellery, the pieces shed saved for before marriage, and taken out a loan. When Daniel found out, hed erupted.
“You didnt even discuss it with me!” hed shouted. “Am I not your husband? Does my opinion mean nothing?”
“She couldve died,” was all Lily had managed to say.
“Your family isnt our problem,” hed declared then, just as he was now, packing his suitcase. “If youd rather prioritise them over me, go live with them.”
Back then, hed left for a week, staying with his parents. When he returned, apologetic but firm, hed begged her not to make such decisions without him again.
“Lily, are you even listening?” Daniels voice snapped her back to the present.
“I am,” she said softly. “What do you want from me?”
“I want you to realisewere the family now. You and me. Not you, your mum, your sister, and the whole lot of them. I have plans too, dreams. A new car, a house in the countryside. But every penny vanishes into your relatives pockets.”
Lily sank onto the bed, hands folded in her lap. Daniel was handsome, successfula manager at a top firm with a good salary. When theyd met, hed been her fairytale princeroses, fancy dinners, sweet words. And most importantly, hed seemed to accept her, family obligations and all.
“You used to say family was sacred when we were dating,” she murmured.
“I did. Our family. Not” He waved a hand dismissively. “this endless parade of emergencies.”
Her phone buzzedher sister, Emma, calling.
“Hello?” Lily answered cautiously, watching Daniels expression darken.
“Lil, its awful,” Emmas voice wobbled. “Jacks had a crash. Hes fine, thank God, but the cars written off. Only just bought it on finance, too. Now hes got no car and still owes the bank.”
“Christ,” Lily whispered, paling. “Hes really alright?”
“Just shaken up, a few bruises. But hes devastatedtalking about joining the army, says hes cursed.”
“Em, dont panic. Well figure it out. At least hes safe.”
“Lil, could you… you know. If you lent us a bit, he could cover some of the payments, buy time…”
Lily felt Daniels stare burning into her. She turned toward the window.
“Lets talk tomorrow, alright? I cant think straight right now.”
“Of course. Sorry for calling so late. Hes just beside himself.”
Lily hung up and slowly faced Daniel. He stood arms crossed, his expression icy.
“Dont even think about it,” he said flatly. “I mean it, Lily. Not a penny.”
“Dan, hes my nephew. I practically raised him when Emma was working.”
“I dont care. Enough is enough. Every week, its someones crisisdentist bills, roof repairs, tuition fees. When do we get to live? When do we spend on us?”
Lily walked to the window. Children laughed in the courtyard below. Once, life had been simplebefore her mums health failed, before Emmas divorce left her struggling with two kids.
“Remember our first visit to Mums?” she asked softly, not turning around. “She cooked all dayroast beef, Yorkshire puddings, treacle tart. You said youd never had potatoes that good.”
“Lily, dont change the subject.”
“Im not. Just remembering. Mum was so happy Id found a good man. Said, Lily love, he looks at you like youre gold. Hold onto each other. And when we left, she tucked a jar of her strawberry jam in your coatthe one you loved.”
“That was years ago,” he muttered.
“Three. Is that so long?”
She turned to him. He avoided her gaze, studying the wall.
“Dan, what changed? Why are you so different now?”
“Im not. I just see things clearly now. Your mum, your sisterthey know you wont say no. They take advantage.”
“Take advantage?” Her voice cracked. “Mum raised me alone for twenty years. Worked herself to the bone so Id never go without. When I had pneumonia at uni, she took unpaid leave to stay with me in hospital. Is that exploitation?”
“Lily”
“And Emma? When her husband left, who helped with the kids? Who gave her money to keep afloat? Me. And Mum. We held her up when she was falling apart. Is that using me?”
Daniel said nothing. Lily picked up the bank statement hed thrown down.
“Three hundred quid,” she said quietly. “Know what it was for? Mum needed a private ECGNHS wait was six weeks, and her chest pains wouldnt wait. That was fifty. Her prescriptionsanother hundred. The rest went to Emmaher youngest was ill, she missed work, lost pay.”
“Stop,” Daniel sighed. “It always comes back to me being the villain. The greedy one who doesnt understand. Maybe I just want a normal life? A life where we come first.”
“Dont we have that?”
“No!” he burst out. “Every weekend at your mums. Every holiday at your sisters. Half my salary vanishes into their pockets. When do we get to live for ourselves?”
Lily sat back down. He wasnt wrong. They did spend most of their time with her family. The money did drain away. But how could she turn her back on them?
“I cant abandon Mum,” she whispered. “Shes alone, ill, getting older. Shes only got me and Emma.”
“And youve got a husband. Or at least, you did.”
The words hit like a sentence. Lily looked up. Daniel was emptying drawers into his suitcase.
“Youre leaving?”
“Thinking about it. Seriously. Im tired of feeling like an outsider in my own marriage.”
“Dan, we can compromise. Find a middle ground.”
He paused. “What middle ground, Lily? You help them every other week? We see them half as often? Thats not compromiseits delay. The problem stays.”
“Then what do you suggest?”
“I suggest we live our lives. Were young, healthy. We couldve had kids, a home, plans. Instead, were funding other peoples crises.”
“Other people?” Her voice broke. “Theyre my family, Dan. My mum, sister, nephew. Theyre not strangers.”
“They are to me. Your family isnt our problem,” he repeated.
Lily stood, walked to the window. The hollowness in her chest ached. She loved himbut how could she betray those whod stood by her forever? And he couldntwouldntunderstand.
“Mum asked yesterday when were visiting,” she said to the glass. “Said she misses us. Also said shes grateful youve never stopped me helping her. She thinks youre a good man.”
Daniel stilled briefly, then resumed packing.
“Good men are rare,” Lily continued. “Mum always said family means standing together. The strong helping the weak. Maybe shes wrong. Maybe times have changed.”
“They have,” Daniel agreed. “And so have people.”
He zipped the suitcase, lifted it.
“Where are you going?”
“My parents. Need to think. You should too. About us. About what matters.”
“Dan, wait. Lets talk more. Maybe”
“Whats left to say, Lily? You wont change. Neither will I. Were just different people.”
At the door, he hesitated.
“If you decide were the familyjust uscall me.”
The door shut. Seconds later, his car engine roared to life, then faded. Silence settled.
Lily picked up her phone. A text from Emma glowed: “Lil, any news? Jacks a wreck. Maybe well pop over tomorrow?”
She didnt reply. Instead, she walked to the kitchen, filled the kettle. Dusk painted the room in shadows.
She thought of her mum, waiting for a visit. Of Emma, drowning in bills. Of Jack, terrified hed amount to nothing. Of Daniel, who wanted only to live for himself.
She didnt know what was right. Her heart splitone half tethered to the family whod loved her forever, the other to the man she adored.
The kettle whistled. Lily made tea, sat at the table. Another message arrivedMum this time: “Lily love, how are you? Its been ages. Miss you.”
Lily dialled.
“Mum, hi. How are you feeling?”
