Chapter 2
When Michael and I were getting married, Linda suggested that we use my savings to buy the house.
"Michael's salary isn't high, so he can't really save any money," Linda said. "That 300 grand you've got is right for the down payment."
"Mom, I can't take Susan's money." Michael pretended to protest.
"We're family. No need to split hairs." Linda shot him a glare. "It'll all belong to you two anyway."
I hesitated for a moment. "Let's buy it outright."
Linda looked surprised. "Buy it outright?"
"If we do a down payment, we'll be stuck paying off a mortgage, and the interest is too much," I explained. "My 300 grand is enough to cover this place."
The house cost 280 grand. After paying for it, I only had twenty grand left in my bank account.
Linda was grinning from ear to ear.
"Susan, you're such a good girl," Linda said. "This will be your home from now on."
I smiled, but didn't say anything.
The day the deed was ready, I went to the Recorder's Office alone.
The clerk asked, "Whose name should go on the title?"
I answered, "Put my name on it."
"Just you?" the clerk double-checked.
"Yes, just me," I said.
Michael was at work, and Linda was at home. Nobody knew about it.
Later, when the deed got delivered to our place, Linda was the one who picked it up.
She glanced at the envelope and tossed it into a drawer.
"Put it somewhere safe," she said. "This is your home now."
Linda never opened that envelope, so she had no clue the deed had only one name on it, and that was mine.
*****
The first year after we got married, life was pretty decent.
Michael went to work every day, while I handled all the cooking, laundry, and cleaning around the house.
Linda was still living in her old place, but she'd stop by every so often to see us.
Every time she came over, she'd go through the fridge, the cabinets, and the balcony.
She'd say, "Why did you buy so many eggs? You'll never finish them before they go bad."
"Why are the clothes draped all over the balcony? It looks terrible. Go buy a clothes rack."
"The floor is dirty. Why haven't you cleaned it?"
At first, I tried to explain myself, but eventually, I stopped responding.
Anyway, whatever I said, Linda always had something to say back.
Three months after we got married, Linda said she wanted to move in with us.
"It's too lonely living in that old place by myself," she said. "Besides, you two don't really know how to manage things at home. I'll help you guys out."
Michael shot me a glance but didn't say a word.
That glance meant it was up to me, but I knew he was hoping I'd say yes.
"Alright," I said.
The day Linda moved in, she brought three huge suitcases with her.
She chose the second bedroom, saying it had the best sunlight.
And just like that, she took over running the house.
"Susan, from now on, use my checking account to deposit your salary," Linda said. "I'll take care of the money for you. You young folks burn through cash way too fast."
I said, "Linda, but..."
"We're family. We share everything," Linda said with a smile, patting my hand. "You really think I'd ever cheat you?"
I did as she said.
From then on, my paycheck went straight into Linda's account.
Every month, Linda would hand me 200 bucks as my allowance.
"That's more than enough," Linda said. "What do you need money for?"
200 bucks. My salary was two thousand, and all I got was 200 bucks.
Sometimes I'd want to buy a new outfit, but Linda would say, "You've got plenty of clothes. What's the point of buying more?"
If I wanted to get some skincare stuff, she'd say, "Young people have good skin, so you don't need that."
And if I wanted to treat myself to a nice meal out, she'd say, "There's food at home. Why waste money eating out?"
During the past five years, I never bought clothes that cost more than 30 bucks, never used face cream over 15 bucks, and never ate out.
What about Michael?
He turned in his paycheck every month, too, but Linda would give him 600 bucks as spending money.
"Men have to save face, and they need money for socializing," Linda said. "You stay at home all the time. What do you need money for?"
I stayed silent.
Forget it. We were family anyway.
The second year after we got married, Linda started nagging us about having a baby. "You've been married a whole year. How come there's still no sign of a kid?"
"Linda, there's no rush," I replied.
"No rush? I've been dying to hold my grandchild," Linda shot back.
I got checked out at the hospital, and everything came back normal.
Michael wouldn't go for a check-up.
"Clearly, it's your fault," Linda said. "My son's as healthy as a horse."
I bit my tongue and started taking medicine, popping folic acid, and doing everything I could to get my body ready.
Three years passed. Still nothing.
Linda looked more and more upset every day.
"Is there something wrong with you or what?" she finally snapped. "Why can't you get pregnant?"
"Linda, the doctor said my body is fine," I tried to explain.
"If you're fine, then why can't you get pregnant?" Linda's voice went shrill. "The Brown family line must not end with you!"
That night, Michael had a few drinks and, lying in bed, said to me, "Maybe you should go see the doctor again."
I stared at him. "I've already got myself checked, and the doctor said I'm fine. What about you? Have you gotten checked?"
Michael paused for a moment, then rolled over and went silent.
The next day, Linda's attitude toward me got even nastier.
Later, I found out Michael told her what I'd said.
"She actually said it was your fault?" Linda was so furious that she was practically shaking. "What could possibly be wrong with you? She can't get pregnant, and now she's blaming you?"
From then on, Linda started looking at me like I was nothing but dead weight.