So, the other day, this woman popped by for tea at her friends house. Her friend had recently remarriedher first marriage was a total nightmare. Her ex-husband used to drink too much, was impossible to live with, and eventually took off with someone else. It was genuinely sad. And so, Emilythe one who came to visitwas always there to support her friend, Alice. Shed been her shoulder to cry on, helped with pretty much everything, always offering comfort. Thats what being friends is for, isnt it?
Ten years slid by, and then Alice met someone newa genuinely good bloke. Well-educated, respectable job, just the complete opposite of the trainwreck first husband. Emily was over the moon when she heard. So, she went round to see their new flatAlice and this new husband had just bought itbringing a cake along for good measure.
She also brought a couple of presents. Gushed about the flatit looked absolutely gorgeous after the renovation! Then they all sat round the table with tea and cake, as you do. The new husband, Jonathan, was a real charactersharp, always quick with a joke. He started cracking jokes about Emily: her so-called narrow ideas, and all the odds and ends stuffed in her brain. He literally said that, with a laugh. He thought it hilarious that Emily hadnt read Murakami, nor was she familiar with Pelevin. He went on about how science disproves all the silly superstitions and nonsense that Emily sometimes goes on about.
Jonathan also poked fun at Emilys hair, her figure, her outfit. Straight out of the Nineties, he chortled. Thats the kind of wit he was, apparently. Emily just froze up; she had no idea how to respond to someone who clearly fancied himself an intellectual heavyweight. Alice laughed along too, obviously impressed by her husbands banter.
Then, the clever jokes moved onto Emilys cat. She tried to change the subject, mentioning shed taken in a stray kittenmainly just to get Jonathan off the topic of books. But he launched into how cats are filthy, full of diseases, and only people with some sort of emotional imbalance take in stray animals. He made a whole show of those lonely old ladies with a house full of cats, and Alice kept laughing right alongside him.
Suddenly, Emily found herself crying. It was mortifying, childish, and completely unexpected. She quickly apologised, muttered something about having a headache, said her goodbyes, and left.
Her head was actually pounding, feeling as though someone had been knocking on it. And she was deeply embarrassed by her tearswhat a scene shed made! Emily trudged home, no longer crying but with a throbbing headache, and she was shivering even though it was midsummer. She couldnt stop feeling ashamed: for crying, for being terrible at witty conversation, for not having read Murakami, and for blurting out that odd dream shed had
But, really, the person who ought to be ashamed is the one who invites someone into their home and just lets them be humiliated. The one who talks about their friend, or favourite book, or their beliefs, then stands by while someone else slags it all off. Or the one who posts up a cherished photo or quote by a beloved author and lets nasty people sneer at it. All of itquiet betrayals, the same old betrayal in different guises.
Thats what betrayal really is: handing over someone dear to be mocked or trampled. Or worse. Thats betrayal.
Emily couldnt put all that into words, though. She hadnt read enough and wasnt part of the intellectual crowd. She hurried home, to her cat. The one who couldnt care less about books or clever banter. Her cat just hopped onto the sofa beside her and began to purr softly
Emily never visited Alice again. And, well, there wasnt really anywhere to go after a while anyway: Alice and Jonathan ended up in court, fighting over the flat. The intellectual husband turned out to be every bit as energetic and clever as hed said. Maybe a bit too much so.
But you know, its always like that. The one for whom you betray another will end up betraying you tooits a simple chain reaction. Most of the time, all thats needed is a gentle word to stop the jokes at someone elses expense. Just dont let your friend be hurt in your own home. Maybe her husband wouldve ended up respecting her more and never dared do what he did.
People dont respect a traitor. And betrayers are always the easiest to betray themselves.
