I opened mine and began wiping the shelves.
Patricia yanked open her refrigerator.
A jar rolled out and shattered.
Her kitchen looked considerably cleaner than it had during our early-morning visit.
Clearly, Patricia had practiced.
Her kitchen apparently hadn’t cooperated.
***’Strong start, Patricia 😂.’***
She forced a smile.
“Accidents happen.”
Then she knocked over a carton of milk.
It spilled across the shelf and soaked her socks.
***’Fridge: 2. Patricia: 0.’***
I glanced at my spotless shelf.
“Should I give you a minute to catch up?”
Patricia’s expression answered for her.
More comments appeared.
***’Next task!’***
***’Top of the fridge!’***
Patricia reached upward and dragged two fingers across the surface.
They came back gray.
***’OMG, SHE FOUND A NEW SPECIES OF DUST.’***
Her smile vanished.
Next came the cabinets.
Patricia opened one too quickly and three plastic containers fell onto the counter.
***’THE CABINET IS FIGHTING BACK.’***
Meanwhile, I’d already completed my cabinets and started on the laundry.
By the time someone suggested folding a fitted sheet, Patricia looked personally betrayed by the internet.
Then someone asked us to wipe our range hoods.
Mine took only seconds.
Patricia scrubbed hers twice, yet the cloth still came away brown with grease.
I raised my clean cloth and laughed.
“Patricia, should I pretend I didn’t see that?”
She didn’t laugh.
That was when Patricia finally stopped performing.
Her bright Facebook smile disappeared.
So did the little speeches about how things were supposed to be done.
She simply stood there holding the dirty cloth as comments rushed across the screen.
“I don’t know why everyone’s ganging up on me,” she said.
But she didn’t sound angry anymore.
I was ready to remind her that public humiliation had been her idea.
Then I noticed her hand trembling.
“Patricia,” I said. “Forget the comments. Just finish the task.”
She stared at me through the screen.
“I can’t.”
“What do you mean?”
Patricia slowly lowered herself onto the kitchen floor.
“I mean I can’t do any of it, Claire. I never could.”
The comments suddenly stopped.
“You and Nathan have this… this life. Your house, your jobs, dinner on the table. You make all of it look so easy.”
She wiped her face.
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