Every morning, I woke up early to make breakfast. After everyone had eaten, I would do the laundry, mop the floors, and wash the dishes.
One morning, just as I finished cleaning and heading to my room, Mildred threw a basin of underwear at me. It wasn’t the first time she expected me to wash her intimates.
I sighed and said, “Underwear is personal, Mildred. You really should be washing that yourself.”
She was texting someone on WhatsApp to come over for a card game. She looked up and glared at me. “If I tell you to wash it, just do it. Why are you making such a big deal?”
I refused. I dumped the basin in the bathroom and went back to my room to change the sheets.
Mildred started yelling from the living room, “Oh, you think you’re something now? Do you think Owen married you so he could treat you like a queen? Go and take a good look in the mirror! You actually think you’re a swan, huh? Get out now and wash those, or I’ll call Owen back to put you in your place!”
I couldn’t take it anymore. “I married into your family, Mildred, but I’m not your maid. I didn’t take a single cent from your family when I married Owen. If you want a maid, why don’t you hire one?”
I stormed off to my room and slammed the door behind me. Then, I threw myself on the bed and cried into the sheets.
Mildred wasted no time playing the victim. She called Owen, sobbing as she spun the story in her favor.
When Owen came home, he yanked me off the bed. “Paige, apologize to Mom!”
He always took her side—every single time we argued.
“Why should I apologize? What did I do wrong? She’s the one picking on me, and you’re still telling me to apologize?” I wiped my tears and turned my back on him.
