For months Haris had said he could hardly wait to welcome the whole family to his new lakeside house. His wife Naida agreed to four days off with his parents, brother, and sister, along with their partners. They ordered food the first evening. Everything seemed easy until, the next morning, his father announced at the table that no proper family holiday existed without breakfast prepared by their women.
His mother was already rolling dough. His sister chopped vegetables, while Naida washed containers that did not even belong to their meal. Haris brought the newspapers and asked whether he should buy more yogurt. His father sent him to sit down because the men were on holiday. His brother-in-law, who tried cutting bread, received the same instruction. Haris laughed from habit, then saw Naida's face through the open kitchen door.
After breakfast she said she had booked a boat rental for the morning and would not be in the kitchen the next day. She did not forbid a family breakfast. She asked him to stop offering her hours as part of the accommodation. Haris wanted to say his mother had always done it all for pleasure. The sentence stopped when he saw his mother sitting on a step, rubbing her swollen fingers.
That evening he told his father he would prepare breakfast. His father took it as criticism of their family and asked in front of everyone what kind of house allowed a woman to give orders. Haris did not point at Naida or ask her to explain her reasons. He said he had invited the guests and would decide what to serve them. For the first time that day, his sister calmly finished her ice cream, listening to the argument without taking on the role of mediator.
His mother came to his room later. She asked what she would do now and whether she should come at all if her food was not needed. Haris sat beside her on the edge of the bed. He had not known she had heard his holiday invitation as another invitation to be useful. He asked whether she wanted to walk down to the lake with him before everyone else woke. She said she had no suitable shoes. He lent her his old ones, with plenty of paper stuffed in the toes.
They returned in the morning with wet shoelaces. Haris made eggs, his brother brewed coffee, and his dissatisfied father asked for his mother's bread. He received shop-bought bread, two slices toasted too dark. Naida returned from her boat trip and sat where there was space. His mother talked about a bird they had seen beside the water. She did not get up when his father asked for more coffee. Haris passed him the pot.