Chapter 1: The Floor She Was Forced To Scrub
“Please, Mom. I can’t do this anymore.””
That was the first thing I heard when I opened my front door.
I was supposed to be at work until seven, but I left three hours early with a bag of Emily’s favorite pasta, a small cake, and a bouquet of flowers tucked under my arm. My wife had given birth to our daughter, Lily, only ten days before, and I wanted her to feel loved after the hardest week of her life.
I thought my mother had come to our house to help.
I thought she was there because she cared.
I was wrong.
The bag slipped from my fingers as I stepped into the hallway.
The sound of something wet scraping against tile filled the house.
Then I saw her.
Emily was on her knees in the kitchen.
My wife.
The woman who had spent twenty hours in labor bringing our daughter into the world.
Her hair was messy, her face was pale, and her hospital bracelet was still wrapped around her wrist because she hadn’t even had the strength to remove it. One hand gripped a dirty rag while the other trembled against the floor.
My mother, Linda, stood above her with a cup of coffee.
“Stop making excuses,” my mother said coldly.
“Women in my day didn’t complain every time they had a baby.””
Emily looked up at her with tears in her eyes.
“Mom, please. I really need to sit down. My stitches are hurting.””
My chest tightened.
My mother didn’t move.
Instead, she took another sip of coffee.
“You’re always tired. You’re always hurting. When are you going to learn how to be a wife?””
Emily slowly pushed herself upward.
“I just need five minutes.””
That was when my mother stepped forward.
Her foot landed on Emily’s hand.
Emily screamed.
The sound cut through me like a knife.
“Mom!””
My voice shook the entire room.
Linda froze.
Her face changed when she saw me standing in the doorway.
“James?””
I walked across the kitchen faster than I ever had before.
“Get your foot off her.””
She immediately stepped back.
“I—I didn’t know you were home.””
“I can see that.””
I dropped to my knees beside Emily.
She collapsed against me, shaking.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
I stared at her in disbelief.
“Why are you apologizing?””
She looked away.
“I was trying to finish before you came home.””
My heart broke.
“Emily, you just gave birth ten days ago.””
My mother crossed her arms.
“Don’t exaggerate. She’s perfectly capable of cleaning a floor.””
I looked at the rag in Emily’s hand.
Then at the swollen red mark on her fingers.
“You made my wife scrub the floor?””
Linda rolled her eyes.
“I’m teaching her responsibility.””
“She needs rest.””
“She needs discipline.””
I stood up slowly.
For the first time in my life, I looked at my mother and didn’t recognize her.
“She gave birth to your granddaughter.””
“And I raised three children while doing chores.””
“That doesn’t make this okay.””
My mother’s expression hardened.
“You’ve changed since you married her.””
Before I could answer, Emily grabbed my shirt.
“James…”
Her voice was barely a whisper.
“Can I see Lily?””
I stopped.
“What do you mean?””
My eyes moved toward the stairs.
“Where is Lily?””
My mother sighed like I had asked something ridiculous.
“Upstairs.””
“Why?””
“She was crying, and Emily kept holding her instead of finishing her work.””
I felt my stomach drop.
“You took our baby away from her?””
“I was helping.””
“No.””
My voice became quieter.
“You weren’t.””
I walked toward the stairs.
Linda stepped in front of me.
“Don’t you dare disrespect me in my own son’s house.””
I stared at her.
“This is Emily’s home too.””
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then I moved around her.
And as I reached the first step, my mother said something that made me stop.
“James… you should ask your wife why she really needs that baby so badly.””
I turned around.
“What does that mean?””
My mother smiled slightly.
May you like
“You’ll find out.””
And for the first time that day, I wondered what else she had been hiding.
