I laughed, furious. "Why should I pay for his wedding?"
My mother-in-law shot me a glare and snapped, "Because you're a Fox wife, that's why!"
"We've fed and housed you all this time. You've eaten our food and drunk our water. What's wrong with you chipping in a little?"
"Besides, you already handed your premarital house over to Adrian. Covering a bit of the wedding costs is only right."
"When did I ever say I'd give my house to Adrian?" I said, my voice cold.
Her face twisted with displeasure and she raised her voice. "Once you married into this family, that house became ours!"
"What does a woman need with all these houses? It'll go to a son in the end anyway."
"You popped out a girl. The family property's going to Adrian to inherit no matter what. Sooner or later, what's the difference?"
I looked at that face, so certain it was in the right, and suddenly it struck me as ridiculous.
How could there be someone this unreasonable in the world?
"That house was paid for in full by my mother. It's premarital property," I said coldly. "It has nothing to do with the Fox family. Not a cent."
"You're squatting in my house, and now you want me to pay for your younger son's wedding? Where do you get the nerve?"
She shrieked, past all reason. "Before the marriage, after the marriage, what does it matter? The second you married in, you belonged to the Fox family!"
"You yourself belong to us. Never mind a house!"
"Then I'll divorce Homer," I said calmly.
She froze for a beat, then screeched. "What did you say? You want a divorce?"
"You give birth to a girl and you've got the gall to bring up divorce?"
"Let me tell you something, Rosemary. Fine, divorce. But the house stays, the baby stays, and you walk away with nothing!"
"Want a slice of the Fox family's money? Not a chance!"
She was working herself into a fury now, jabbing her voice at me. "And don't think a divorce comes that easy!"
"Adrian isn't married yet. You divorce now, and what will people say about the Fox family? Where does that leave our face?"
"Even if you want to divorce Homer, you'll wait until after Adrian's wedding!"
Homer walked in just then. He caught the word "divorce" and his face changed in an instant. He rushed over.
"Rosemary, haven't you made enough of a scene?" he shouted.
"Everything's fine and you start talking divorce? Can't you act like an adult?"
I looked at him, my whole face full of scorn. "Homer. Your mother's taken my house, the nanny you hired abuses my child, and there's something going on between you and your so-called sister. And you call that fine?"
His eyes darted away. He dug in stubbornly. "Ellie and I are just ordinary friends!"
"Can you stop making trouble over nothing? Suspicious and paranoid all day. Is it fun?"
"I'm making trouble over nothing?" I said quietly.
"Fine. Say I am. Then I'll see you in court."
My mother-in-law spoke without a shred of worry. "Court it is!"
"You just gave birth, you don't have a job, you can't even support yourself. Custody's going to the Fox family for sure!"
Homer's face darkened and he threatened, "Rosemary, I'm warning you to think this through."
"If this really goes to court, the odds are the baby goes to me. Weigh that for yourself."
He thought that was enough to threaten me.
He thought I, Rosemary, was just an ordinary housewife who couldn't survive without him, with no income of her own, someone he could bend however he liked.
Watching that look on his face, so sure he had me, I found it laughable.
Three years together, and it turned out that in his eyes I was nothing but a soft, easy thing he could squeeze whenever he pleased.
I didn't answer, and Homer took it for surrender.
His tone eased. "Rosie, can't we just live our lives in peace?"
"Apologize to Mom and we can put this behind us."
"She's getting old. What's the harm in giving in to her a little? Isn't honoring your elders the right thing to do?"
"And Adrian's wedding is a big deal. You're marrying into this family as his brother's wife, so putting in some effort is only right. We're family. Don't split hairs over everything."
I didn't want to hear any more of it. "Get out," I said flatly. "I want to rest."
He wanted to say something more, but seeing the look on my face, he swallowed it in the end, sighing and shaking his head as he left, as if I were the one being impossible.
The moment the door shut, I couldn't hold it anymore. The tears fell without a sound.
I picked up my phone. This time, without a moment's hesitation, I dialed my mother's number.
The instant the call connected and I heard her voice, I broke down. "Mom, I want a divorce!"
