Chapter 5
"Yeah, we're out of food. Just eat whatever's left," I replied calmly.
Warren didn't give it much thought. He grabbed a few bites and went back to his room to play games.
The next day, dinner was even more basic: two pieces of bread and a bottle of jam.
Warren's face darkened. "Katelyn, what is this supposed to mean? You're giving me this for dinner?"
"We're out of food," I repeated, not even bothering to lift my eyelids.
"If we're out of food, why don't you go buy some?" he demanded.
"No money," I replied flatly.
He paused, as if something clicked in his mind, but in the end, he didn't say anything else. He finished his bread, his face still dark.
On the third night, Warren came home late from work. He was met with nothing but cold emptiness as he opened the door.
He headed straight for the kitchen and yanked open the fridge.
The fridge was totally bare, except for a single bottle of water about to expire, lit up by the fridge's lonely bulb.
With a loud bang, he slammed the fridge door and marched into the living room.
I was chilling on the couch, binge-watching dramas on my tablet.
On the dining table sat a bowl of instant noodles, swollen and mushy, with a fork lying untouched next to it.
That was his dinner.
His face turned so dark, it looked like a thunderstorm was about to break out.
"Katelyn! What are you even trying to pull?" Warren marched right up to me, his voice tight with anger.
I took out one earbud, looked up, and gave him a calm look.
"What's up?" I said.
He pointed at the bowl of instant noodles, his hand actually shaking. "This is dinner? You do know there's nothing left to eat, right?"
I nodded, my tone flat, like I was stating something that had nothing to do with me.
"Yeah, I don't have any money to buy food," I replied.
Those words were like a fuse, instantly setting Warren off.
He slammed his hand down on the coffee table, making the water glass rattle.
"You don't have any money?" he shouted, jabbing a finger right at my nose. "What about your 4000 dollars a month? Where did it all go?"
I finally let out a smile.
It was a smile colder than ice, completely devoid of warmth.
I set down my tablet, picked up the cup beside me, and blew away dust that wasn't even there.
Then I looked up, locking eyes with him, and spoke each word clearly.
I said, "Same as your paycheck."
I paused, watching his anger morph into shock.
I continued, "Handed it all over to my mom for safekeeping."
The air froze in that instant.
Warren's jaw dropped, but the words "How dare you?" got stuck in his throat.
His face went from flushed red to a sickly, ashen shade, then straight-up pale.
He wanted to go off on me but realized I was giving him a taste of his own medicine.
He wanted to call me out, but then it hit him. I was only doing what he had been bragging about for three years, playing the dutiful child.
Every argument and every accusation boomeranged right back at him, smacking him square in the face.
I stood up, ready to head back to my room.
As I brushed past him, I paused, turned my head, and whispered so only he could hear.
I said, "You and Hadley never include me in anything, so I'm just doing what you do. Got a problem with that?"
Without another glance, I walked straight into the bedroom and locked the door behind me.
He was left alone in the empty living room like a caged beast, furious but completely powerless.
This game was just getting started.
Locked out, Warren paced the living room like a caged animal, then finally grabbed his phone.
Even through the door, I could hear him complaining to Hadley, barely holding back his anger and making everything sound way worse than it was.
He shouted, "Mom. You need to do something about Katelyn. She's totally out of control.
"She gave her paycheck to her mom. Now we can't even buy groceries.
"Yeah. She's doing it on purpose. She doesn't want to make this work anymore."
Sure enough, less than half an hour later, the doorbell was ringing like crazy.
I didn't even need to look to know it was Hadley, my wonderful mother-in-law, storming over.
I opened the door and strolled out, taking my sweet time.
Hadley was standing in the middle of the living room, hands on her hips, her chest heaving with anger, her sharp, capable face twisted with fury.
The moment she saw me, she found her target. She jabbed a finger at me, her voice shrill.
She shouted, "Katelyn. Are you trying to turn the world upside down?"
I strolled over to the couch, acting totally unbothered, and poured myself some water.
I didn't pay any attention to her shouting. Instead, I looked her straight in the eye, totally unfazed.
I said, "Chill, Mom. It's my money, and I want my mom to keep it. Got a problem with that?"
My calm attitude only made her even more furious.
"Got a problem? You bet I do," she shouted, practically stomping her feet. "You're a married woman, and you hand your money over to your mom?
"What kind of example is that? Do you even care about this family? About Warren?
"You're just a money burner. You have no idea how to run a household. My son must've been out of his mind to marry you."
Warren, finally finding his backbone, jumped in to back her up. "Exactly. Katelyn, go get your card back right now. Stop making a fool of yourself."
Seeing them tag-team like that, I couldn't help but find it hilarious.
I set down my glass, my voice calm but loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.
I said, "Mom, don't go slapping labels on me just yet. We've been married for three years, and Warren's salary card has always been with you.
"That was never a problem. But now that I hand mine to my mom, suddenly I'm the reckless one who doesn't care about this family?"