I picked up a durian on my walk home. I'd barely cracked it open when the nanny locked her eyes on me.
「Aunt Eleanor Lambert, have a piece.」
I held out the biggest, meatiest chunk. Eleanor didn't take it. Instead she shot me a cutting look.
「I'm not greedy like you.」
Well, if she didn't want any, I'd enjoy it myself.
The second I popped the last piece into my mouth, Eleanor let out a shriek.
「Oh my God! That fruit costs a fortune and you ate the whole thing! You didn't even save any for the elders in this house or your own husband. You have no manners!」
「I hope you choke on it!」
I froze.
Murray Roy didn't even eat durian. And his parents had passed away years ago. There were no elders in this house.
Eleanor was a nanny. She'd been here one year longer than me, and somehow she'd promoted herself to mother-in-law.
——
「Aunt Eleanor, Murray doesn't touch durian. There's no point saving him any. And I offered you some just now. You said no.」
「Just because I said no doesn't mean you shouldn't save me some! You're so selfish, you never think of anyone but yourself!」
That set me off：「Aunt Eleanor, if you wanted some, you could've bought your own. I asked you, you turned me down. That's on you.」
Eleanor said nothing, but she gave me another one of those venomous looks.
I wanted to say more, but she'd already headed off to start dinner. I let it go. Not worth the hassle.
That evening, the moment Murray walked through the door, Eleanor darted past me to get to him first.
「Murray, welcome home! Here, let Auntie take your coat.」
「I made your favorite garlic butter shrimp tonight. Make sure you eat plenty.」
Eleanor was all smiles whenever she faced Murray.
With me it was either a glare or a sneer. A blank expression was the best I ever got.
At the dinner table, Eleanor picked up a shrimp with her chopsticks and placed it in Murray's bowl.
「Murray, your wife bought a huge durian today and ate every last bit by herself.」
Murray peeled the shrimp and dropped it into my bowl：「Want more? I'll pick some up on my way home tomorrow.」
I popped the shrimp into my mouth：「Yes. Get two. The big ones.」
Eleanor slammed her chopsticks down：「You spoil her too much!」
「Murray, I don't mean to overstep, but that's not how you treat a wife.」
「You've turned her lazy and greedy. She doesn't roll out of bed until noon, doesn't work, doesn't lift a finger around the house, and she can't even share her food!」
「She's supposed to be a wife, not a princess!」
Murray smiled：「Aunt Eleanor, my wife is a princess.」
Eleanor was livid. She opened her mouth to fire back, but I beat her to it.
「Aunt Eleanor, just do your job. Everything else is none of your concern.」
「You say I'm lazy, you say I'm greedy. Fine, I won't deny it. My husband takes care of me. I'm lucky like that. Jealous?」
Eleanor's face went green：「Keep gloating. He'll dump you sooner or later!」
I set my chopsticks down：「Aunt Eleanor, I'm trying not to be rude, but do you remember what you're here for?」
Murray's expression hardened：「Aunt Eleanor, the way you talk to Sophia Simmons is out of line. And however she lives her life, I don't have a problem with it. You're overstepping.」
That finally reined Eleanor in：「Murray, I'm only looking out for you. I just thought I'd help you keep your wife in check.」
「Aunt Eleanor, that won't be necessary.」
Eleanor shot me one last withering glare, then kept quiet.
That night, lying in bed, the more I replayed the day the angrier I got.
「Honey, let's replace her.」
Murray let out a long breath：「When I'm back from my business trip, I'll sit down with Aunt Eleanor and have a talk. If she can't change, we'll find someone new.」
