The Ungrateful Daughter-in-Law
“Why the sour face again?” grumbled Barbara Thompson. “You could at least say thank you! All you do is make faces!”
Nora looked at her mother-in-law, struggling to keep her composure. She was fed up with Tom’s mum constantly interfering in their family affairs under the guise of doing good.
Today, she’d brought home a cat, even though no one had asked for it. A couple of days ago, cockroaches had crept into Nora and Tom’s flat from their new neighbors who were doing up their long-vacant apartment. Tom had mentioned it in passing to his mum, but what did that have to do with a cat?
“Cockroaches aren’t mice; what do we need a cat for?”
“What do you mean? Everyone knows cats eat cockroaches!” Barbara insisted confidently.
“I’ve lived with cats all my life and never once seen them eat cockroaches!” Nora replied, shaking her head. “And besides, have you forgotten Tom is allergic to fur?”
“He can endure it for a good cause!”
“No, Barbara. You’re taking that cat back where it came from. If we wanted a pet, we’d get one ourselves!” Nora retorted firmly.
“That’s not for you to decide! Tom will be home soon, and we’ll let him judge.”
Half an hour later, Tom came back from work. During that time, Barbara had been chasing around with the cat, searching for cockroaches, although Nora had already dealt with them and laid traps to ensure they didn’t settle in.
Barbara found no cockroaches but insisted to herself and Nora that they were just hiding, promising they’d come out at night and that the cat, whom she’d already named Max, would come in handy.
Tom didn’t immediately notice the new house guest. He took off his coat and headed to the bathroom to wash his hands when he stepped in something wet with his sock.
“Nora, did you spill something in the bathroom?” he shouted, turning on the tap.
His wife came running. Seeing the puddle, she quickly figured out who’d made it.
“No, it’s your mum up to her tricks again!”
“What?” he chuckled. “The toilet’s right there!”
“Oh, she’s found a new way to ruin our day!” Nora complained.
“What happened this time?”
“She’ll explain it better herself. For now, just take off those socks and burn them!”
“Burn them?”
Tom looked at his wife in confusion. After washing his hands, he peeled off one sock and gave it a sniff. The smell was unmistakably familiar—ugh!
He dropped a cloth on the puddle, washed his hands again, then his feet with soap, and went to the kitchen. His mum was sitting on a chair, stroking a grumpy-looking grey cat.
“Mum?”
“Son, I’ll explain everything! Remember you talked about the cockroaches? Max will catch them all! I guarantee it!”
Tom listened, blinking, then suddenly sneezed loudly, followed by another few times.
“Yeah, and while Max is eating cockroaches, your son will die of allergies!” Nora quipped sarcastically. “We don’t keep pets for a reason!”
“Oh, he’ll manage!” Barbara protested again.
Tom sneezed repeatedly, and he finally had enough.
“Mum, take the cat away! Now!”
“But what about the cockroaches, Tom?”
“I said take it away! Quickly!”
Barbara clicked her tongue irritably and went to the front door. She tossed the cat into the hallway and returned to the kitchen.
“Well, then don’t blame me when you have more cockroaches than dust in your flat!”
“We don’t have dust!” Nora noted.
“Better be quiet! You don’t appreciate my help!” Barbara grumbled.
“Where did you find that cat? Someone will miss it! Clearly, it’s a pet!”
“Oh, it was just sitting by the building entrance!” Barbara replied crossly. “I just borrowed him…”
Nora said nothing, though she was fuming inside. It was so typical of her mother-in-law. To grab someone else’s cat and drag it into her son’s home. Eccentric at best, if not completely off her rocker.
“Mum, maybe you should stop helping us?” Tom suggested.
Nora had often complained about his mum. She had a knack for getting on people’s nerves. Not long ago, they went away for the weekend, and his mum had taken it upon herself to defrost and clean the fridge, believing Nora never did it. But their fridge didn’t even need defrosting; it was a self-defrosting model.
She unplugged it and went to watch TV, took out all the drawers for a quicker thaw.
She watched TV, dozed off, and was only woken by her own husband’s call, asking for dinner. She decided the fridge could wait, and went home, cooked, and fell so tired that she would leave returning to the flat until the next day.
Tom and Nora returned several hours earlier than expected. The mother-in-law hadn’t finished her mishap. The place stank from spoiled food all night.
The worst was Nora’s mum had recently visited and brought two kilos of red caviar. Too much to eat at once, they’d frozen it, better than letting it spoil. Nora’s family from Scotland often sent delicacies, and now, thanks to Barbara, they’d lost the caviar, three smoked salmons, and six frozen perch fillets. Such a waste!
Nora almost burst into tears, realizing her mother-in-law only ever caused trouble. Her own mum had been generous, and now this!
Barbara, of course, had a plethora of excuses but never apologized. After that incident, Tom took the keys to their flat without asking, although it didn’t stop Barbara from executing her good deeds openly.
She once bought canned herring at a discount from the corner shop. Tom loved it and ate nearly the whole tin. Nora didn’t check dates right away—expired. They hoped for the best, but it ended badly, with Tom bedridden for three days, even needing the doctor once.
A couple of weeks ago, Barbara had asked to use their place to bathe while her own hot water was off. Tom had just installed a boiler. Naturally, they let her. Who knew she’d bring her own harsh cleaning product?
She locked herself in and tried cleaning the bath. Noticing too late something was wrong, she decided not to admit it. But Nora figured out who had ruined their acrylic bathtub.
“Why did you touch it?” Nora asked exasperatedly. “I cleaned it before you came!”
“Oh, I know how you clean! Just spreading the dirt around!”
Tom was upset too, but what’s the point in forcing his mum to buy a new one? So, they lived with the damaged bath, saving for a replacement. Then came the roaches and the cat. Nora had had enough.
“Barbara, why don’t you stop helping us?” Nora asked seriously. “Tom and I aren’t kids. We know what we’re doing!”
“See! An ungrateful daughter-in-law I have! You should be thankful! Instead, you pull faces!”
“Thankful? For the two kilos of red caviar we had to bin? For destroying our bathtub? For poisoning your own son with expired herring? That’s just a fraction of it! Maybe it’s time to stop?”
“Are you suggesting I don’t come over anymore?” huffed Barbara.
“Actually, great idea. Maybe we should visit you instead?”
“Yes, Mum, sounds good to me!”
“And you too, Tom?” Barbara stared at her son. “From you, I didn’t expect this! Fine, I won’t set foot in your home again!”
Barbara got up and rushed to the hallway. She hoped they’d stop her or apologize, but nobody saw her out.
Once she’d gone, the couple exhaled in relief. Tom kept sneezing all evening, they found another puddle under the bed, and Nora had to thoroughly clean the place of fur. But let Barbara be offended. As long as she stayed at hers.
