David nodded at the dish with pies. «Are those Mom’s pies?» Emily shrugged. «Sorry, but that’s our food.
You wanted separate budgets yourself.» She calmly took a pie and went to her room. David stood there, staring at the dish from which the aroma of childhood wafted.
«Olivia!» he called again, without his previous enthusiasm. «Can we have dinner together?» «Sorry, dear,» her even voice came from the bedroom. «Emily and I already ate.
I’m so tired after fitness.» David plopped down at the table. There was nothing to eat at home, ordering was expensive, going to the store—he had no energy.
He pulled out his phone to at least check the news, but the screen flashed a message. «Internet service payment required.» «Olivia, they’re cutting off our internet!» he shouted.
«Oh, right!» she replied. «Now I only pay for mobile. The home one was in your name, remember?» David sat in the dimly lit kitchen, listening to Emily laughing in her room, chatting with a friend, while soft music played in the bedroom.
Olivia was probably doing evening yoga. After lingering another half hour, he gave up and trudged to the bedroom. «Olivia…» he began cautiously.
«Maybe we can discuss our budget?» «Of course, dear.» She didn’t even look up from her tablet. «Tomorrow.
I’ve just put together a spending plan for the month. When you start counting everything, a lot becomes clear.» Something in her tone made him fall silent.
He lay down on his side of the bed, staring at the ceiling. In the kitchen, the old clock ticked. The very ones he kept meaning to replace.
Only now did he realize he didn’t even know how much new ones cost. Sunday turned out cloudy. David sat at the kitchen table, thoughtfully stirring instant coffee.
After all, he couldn’t afford the usual expensive one anymore. The last week had been hard. He had to give up lunches in restaurants, his favorite cappuccino, freeze his gym membership.
But the most unpleasant part was something else—the alienation that now reigned in the family. Olivia entered the kitchen in a new lounge set. Where did she get the money for that? She smelled of expensive perfume.
«We need to talk,» David began resolutely. «Yes.» She sat opposite, crossing her arms.
«Is this all?» he gestured around the kitchen. «It’s not working. Let’s go back…
To how it was?» «How it was?» Olivia raised an eyebrow. «You want a shared budget again?» «Yes,» he exhaled with relief. «I realize I got carried away.»
«Funny.» She stood up and walked to the window. «And I think everything is set up now as it should be.»
She turned, and something new appeared in her gaze. «David, when we got married, I believed that family is… a team. Then Emily was born, I stayed home.
And you? You started taking it for granted.» «But I always provided for you.» «Provided?» she laughed…
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