George yanked the blanket off Emily and barked, “Up!” Emily shielded herself with her arms and blinked in confusion
“Eight hours confined,” his voice came from the hall.
“Eight hours? I have work; I’ll be fined for missing it!” Emily panicked.
“Your fault, your consequences. Sit and think about how to avoid this. Since it’s short, food comes tonight.”
Emily pounded the door, but George didn’t open it. She hoped Matt would free her, but heard him leave for work.
George unplugged the router, so she couldn’t contact her boss or pass the time. She was left to think.
“I’ll escape this house,” Emily vowed to her reflection. “I’ll save for rent and leave, even if Matt doesn’t come.”
That evening, Emily confronted Matt. “Didn’t you hear your dad lock me in? Why didn’t you let me out?”
“Because it’s your fault,” Matt said. “No big deal, you sat in a room. I spent a week like that once; it’s fine.”
“That’s torture,” Emily gasped. “Matt, I don’t want to stay. Let’s move out, rent a studio, anything we can afford.”
“Why not follow Dad’s rules? What’s wrong with them? Stick to a schedule, eat right, exercise… Plus, there are perks. Last week, Dad drove to your work so you wouldn’t walk in the rain. When you were sick, he got your meds. You’re family; he cares.”
“Sure, there are perks,” Emily admitted. “But I won’t endure the downsides for them!”
“Look, Emily, I’m against moving. We can’t afford it. Accept it and try to fit in.”
“I can’t rely on Matt; I’ll move without him,” Emily thought. “Sorry, love, freedom’s worth more.”
The next day, Emily became the perfect daughter-in-law. She cooked a lavish breakfast, set the table flawlessly, pre-chopped potatoes for soup with millimeter precision.
“That’s better. Just eight hours locked up, and look at the results!” George said, pleased.
“I’m sorry for yesterday,” Emily said guiltily. “You gave me a home; I’m so grateful!”..
