As far as the eye could see, the landscape was covered in untouched snow. The sun hid behind thick clouds, and apart from the young couple, not a soul had set foot on the mountain top. Barbara looked around with satisfaction. At moments like these, she felt like the ruler of the world, able to do anything. She gazed at the pristine snow, thrilling at the thought that her skis would be the first to glide across it. Before pulling her goggles down over her face, she turned to check on her husband, Péter. He was still busy taking the first selfie of the day. Barbara took a deep breath of the crisp, high-altitude air and set off. If she could, she would have closed her eyes to savor the speed and the moment even more.
The two weeks passed quickly, especially since the couple didn’t waste any time. As soon as the lift opened, they were already on the slopes, and they didn’t return to their lodge until it shut down. Barbara needed this time to recharge and return to work in full strength. As head of the procurement department, she always had to be on her toes. She loved her job not only because she found it interesting but also because it came with power. She had seven subordinates and high salary. She leased a luxury car and bought a house in a green area with a thirty-year mortgage. She was always filled with pride when she thought about how far she had come at such a young age.
She and Péter had been married for four years, and when they first got together, he worked as an insurance agent. He stopped when Barbara’s salary doubled. Being the man, he wanted to contribute at least as much as his wife. Péter realized that he, too, needed to make an effort to earn a high salary. He took useful courses and carefully chose which companies to apply to. He didn’t want to waste his knowledge and experience.
Barbara admired Péter. There wasn’t a topic he wasn’t somewhat knowledgeable about. Between preparing for two job interviews, he read books, kept up with local and international news, stayed informed about key economic issues, and followed the latest research findings. It was pointless to argue with Péter. Two years had passed since he quit, but he hadn’t wasted a single day on unimportant things. He even enrolled in a cooking class to dazzle Barbara with exciting flavors when she came home tired from work.
They traveled twice a year. They spent two weeks skiing and another two weeks, usually somewhere exotic, swimming and having fun. Péter had a knack for planning trips. He always found special places, sometimes spending entire days searching for the best accommodations. Barbara couldn’t be grateful enough for that. The young wife didn’t even count the hours she spent working. She was in the office early in the morning and often didn’t get home until late at night. She knew she was doing it for the luxurious home, the luxury car, and the enviable vacations. She didn’t even see it as a sacrifice. She was happy with the opportunity life had given her.
Recently, Péter had also picked up some amazing household tricks from somewhere. Not a day went by without him impressing her with something he had learned, read about, or figured out on his own. Péter also organized all their social gatherings. One could hardly imagine a better or more attentive host. He fulfilled every guest’s wish before they even thought of it.
Barbara’s mother, however, considered Péter a lazy, know-it-all parasite and struggled to hide her opinion. Instead, she constantly inquired about Péter’s interviews, which, oddly enough, always ended in him being invited back for another round at best. The mother watched in despair as her only daughter’s youth slipped away, consumed by the endless grind from which there seemed no escape. Barbara firmly believed that the high salary, the leased car her husband used for grocery shopping, the spacious house bought on a mortgage where Barbara only came home to sleep, and the annual month-long vacation were more than enough for a fulfilling life. She didn’t feel taken advantage of at work or at home. The young woman thought that now was the time to push a little harder so she could enjoy every day of the year later.