Beneath the Son-in-Law’s Shadow

An issue

As Edgar stood at the bus stop, the cold wind biting through his worn coat, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen — it was Omari.

“Where are you?” Omari's voice was casual, but the question carried a hint of impatience. “Why haven’t you come back yet?”

“I’m at the bus stop,” Edgar replied, scanning the street for the bus that seemed to never come.

"Why don't you just call an Uber? Your new job’s pretty far from home. It's not worth standing around for hours," Omari scoffed. "Don't tell me you're still whining about spending a few dollars on a quick ride. You act like every penny has to last you the whole year."

Edgar sighed, his voice steady but strained. “Did you take my credit card?”

“Yeah,” Omari replied nonchalantly, “I used it to pay for the gym.”

Edgar kept his composure, asking calmly, “Why did you take my card? Do you realize that’s the money I need to buy a gift for Devyn?”

Omari scoffed, a smirk forming on his face. “A gift for Devyn? How much money could you even have for that? I only paid for a one-year gym membership instead of three because I was afraid your account would be empty! Have you ever had enough money to buy my sister a decent gift these past few years?”

Edgar’s tone grew firmer. “It doesn’t matter how much I have, Omari. Don’t switch my credit card without asking for my permission.”

Omari’s sneer deepened. “Permission? Are we seriously talking about spare change here? Your pathetic salary hasn’t helped my family at all, and you’ve been living in our house for free for years!”

The fact is, Edgar had tirelessly worked to help cover Devyn's medical school tuition, all while Omari idled away his time, contributing nothing. On top of that, Edgar took on the cooking, since no one in Devyn's family seemed to have the skill—or perhaps they simply didn’t want to bother with it. His efforts went unnoticed, as he shouldered the responsibilities that others refused to carry.

Before Edgar could say anything, he continued, "Hurry up and go home to cook, the whole family is waiting for you!" Then he hung up.

Edgar had no choice but to call an Uber and head to his wife’s house. It was their first meal together since he and Devyn had moved out of her family’s home.

When Edgar arrived, it was the same as always. Her family members were busy with their own lives, barely acknowledging him. His mother-in-law shot him an annoyed glance for being later than usual, but that was all.

Devyn wasn’t home yet. She’d recently started an internship at the hospital and had been working late most nights. Edgar rolled up his sleeves and started preparing dinner.

As he was setting the table, he heard the door creak open. His hearing was sharp, so he knew immediately that Devyn had finally come in. He quickly stopped what he was doing to greet her. He thought about giving her a hug, but when he saw the exhaustion on her face and her distant expression, he hesitated.

“How was your day?” he asked instead.

Devyn shook her head, clearly not in the mood to talk, and quietly went to wash her hands before joining her family at the dinner table.

Soon, everyone sat down and began their meal. The usual chatter and clinking of utensils filled the room, and Edgar kept his head down, focusing on his plate.

Midway through the meal, Ms. Libby, his mother-in-law, suddenly turned to him. “So, how was work today?” she asked, her tone sharper than necessary.

Edgar hesitated for a moment. “I’m a warehouse assistant,” he said, knowing full well how little they thought of his job. As expected, Omari, Ms. Libby, and his father-in-law exchanged disapproving glances, their expressions dripping with disdain.

"That's the kind of work for someone without an education." his father-in-law said dismissively, seemingly oblivious to the fact that Edgar had sacrificed his own education to help support the very family now looking down on him.

“And how much are they paying you?” Ms. Libby pressed.

“I don’t know yet,” Edgar admitted, his voice quieter now.

That answer only fueled their irritation. Ms. Libby's face twisted with frustration. “You don’t even know your own salary?” she scoffed. “Are you completely useless? If you couldn’t get a real job, you should’ve just said so! Why did you act like you got it through some friend? That friend of yours must be as worthless as you are.”

Edgar’s temper flared. “Don’t insult my friend like that,” he snapped, the frustration building in his voice. “And for the record, I did get a job at Clophidus.”

His words, instead of silencing the table, only deepened the suspicion. Omari, visibly irritated, seized the moment. “Clophidus? You expect us to believe that?” He leaned forward, a smirk on his face. “That company has no shortage of people lining up to join. And a trash person like you, not to mention a warehouse assistant, doesn't even have a door for a doorman!"

Edgar clenched his fists under the table, but before he could respond, his father-in-law chimed in, his voice thick with resentment. “I applied to that place years ago and didn’t even get a second look. They don’t take just anyone."

Devyn sighed, rubbing her temples in frustration. “Can we please just stop this?” she said, her voice heavy with exhaustion. “He said he was a warehouse assistant. That's all. It’s not worth fighting over.”

The conversation shifted to Devyn, who had remained quiet up until now. Ms. Libby, sensing her exhaustion, asked, “How was work today? Are you feeling tired?”

Devyn sighed, rubbing her forehead as if the weight of the day was still pressing down on her. “I just got some bad news today,” she said quietly. “I was informed that if I want to secure an official position at the hospital, I’ll need to pay $50,000.”

The room fell silent. Her words hung in the air like a bombshell, leaving everyone in shock. No one had expected such a staggering amount. Even her usually composed father-in-law sat back, wide-eyed, while her mother-in-law gasped audibly.

“$50,000?” Omari muttered, echoing the disbelief around the table.

Edgar was stunned, completely unprepared for such news. He blinked, trying to process it. “But why?” he asked, his voice full of concern. “Your grades are excellent, and you’re an outstanding student…”

Devyn shook her head, her expression weary. “Someone at the hospital doesn’t think so,” she said quietly.

“Who?” her father-in-law demanded, leaning forward.

Devyn avoided his gaze, unwilling to name names. “There’s still time left in my internship,” she murmured. “I think I can still try…” But the lack of confidence in her voice was unmistakable.

More than anyone, Edgar knew how much this meant to her. Being a doctor at a prestigious hospital had been Devyn’s dream for as long as he could remember. She’d studied and worked tirelessly, sacrificing her nights and weekends, often staying at the hospital until dawn during her internship. His heart grew heavy, weighed down by her struggle.

In the heavy silence that followed, Devyn quietly finished her meal and stood up, retreating to her room without a word. Her absence left a void, and it didn’t take long for the tension to resurface.

Edgar’s father-in-law gave him a weary, disappointed look. “Do you see how useless you are?” he muttered bitterly. “If someone else were my son-in-law, forget fifty thousand—even half a million wouldn’t be an issue.”

Omari jumped in, dripping with sarcasm. “I remember when a rich guy offered her a brand-new luxury car, but she turned him down and married you—a guy with nothing to offer but cooking.”

Edgar barely flinched. He didn’t care what they thought.

A thought flashed through his mind—one he quickly pushed aside. There’s still time, he reassured himself, hoping against hope that things would turn around.