I Packed, They Panicked

Synopsis

Sasha, my sister-in-law, showed up again, saying she had an important meeting and asking me to pick up her kid from school. I checked my calendar. This was already the twelfth time this month she'd dumped her kid on me. Ever since her kid started kindergarten, her "emergencies" never stopped. Sometimes an overtime, sometimes a client meeting, sometimes a skincare session. I went from being a career-driven professional to her full-time free babysitter. Every afternoon at three thirty, I showed up at the school, picked up the kid, cooked, and helped with his homework. My husband would always say, "We're family. We should help each other." Funny. Since when did my time become worthless? Why did I always have to put my work on hold for her? When she once again shoved her child into my arms as if it were completely normal, I said calmly, "Starting next month, I'm going abroad for three months of training." I watched her panic and stumble over questions about who would pick up her kid. For the first time in years, I felt completely free.