The Overbearing Mother-in-Law
“You must give this money to my mum,” shouted George. “She’s not a stranger to you! She’s your mother-in-law, a second mother! And what are you going to spend it on? Your youth? I won’t forgive you if anything happens to Mum!”
At 29, George had been married three times, yet happiness eluded him with each wife. They all had the audacity to show disrespect towards his mum, Amy.
George met his first wife, Emily, in college. Initially, Emily left a good impression on him, and after dating for a month, George proposed. Amy, after a small test, approved of her as a potential daughter-in-law:
“She cooks well, cleans the dishes properly. Make sure, son, that Emily knows she should start working after the wedding. Many manage both work and study now. I don’t want your wife lounging around!”
George decided not to mention the matter to Emily beforehand. The serious discussion happened post-wedding:
“Emily, you need to start working,” declared George unapologetically.
“But how can I work while attending day classes?” Emily questioned, bewildered.
“Find something for the evenings. I am working,” George insisted.
“But I hadn’t planned on working yet,” Emily faltered. “What if we have a kid? How then?”
“Don’t worry,” assured George. “You’ll stay home briefly, then return to your duties. Mum will take care of the child!”
Back then, Emily already felt she might have made a mistake accepting George’s proposal.
Their marriage fell apart in four months – Emily fled to her parents. Amy immediately phoned Emily’s mother:
“She won’t come back,” Emily’s mum declared. “Did you think I raised my daughter to be ordered around by an unreasonable woman and her ‘mummy’s boy’?”
File for divorce; Emily doesn’t want to live with George anymore!
George divorced Emily without much distress – such a wife wasn’t for him anyway.
Moreover, his mother supported his decision:
“It’s good it ended now. Imagine if you had kids? Emily would have stayed at home, doing nothing, earning nothing. You would continue supporting everything! You’re just 23 – there’s plenty of time to find happiness!”
***
Happiness did appear a year after splitting with Emily. George met Linda, a girl from out of town. He liked everything about her, especially the fact she had a decent salary.
This time, Amy didn’t run any tests; she heard that Linda was contributing to the family budget as an equal.
They married quickly, and a week later, Linda shocked George:
“My dear, there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you but was afraid…”
“What’s there to say and what were you afraid of?” George didn’t understand.
“Well, I feared you’d turn away… I have a child!”
George was disappointed. Raising someone else’s child wasn’t in his plans.
He ran to his mother for advice, and Amy replied:
“No problem! Where did the child live all this time? Let him stay there! Linda can bring him for visits if she wants. Moving him in isn’t an option, your relationship isn’t tested by time. What if you split quickly like with Emily?”
George relayed his mother’s words to Linda. Linda was upset; she wanted to bring her son from the countryside to the city but didn’t argue with her husband.
She thought this issue would resolve itself over time. She could just bring the kid and tell George that her parents couldn’t look after him anymore.
That’s exactly what Linda did.
About a month after revealing her secret, she brought her seven-year-old son to Amy’s flat.
The child was coldly received, and George immediately laid down the rules:
“Tell him not to call me ‘dad,’ and my mum doesn’t need to be ‘grandma.’ We’re strangers to your son. I don’t want to hear any requests to buy him things. Contribute your salary to the common fund, and spend what’s left on the child.”
Linda was deeply hurt by this. She hoped George’s heart would soften for her son.
In truth, Linda had married George mainly for the flat, as rent consumed most of her income.
That marriage also didn’t last long; Linda, tired of endless complaints, filed for divorce, took her son, and returned to her parents.
George was alone once more, but Amy comforted him again:
“Just imagine, George: living with someone else’s child all your life! Linda wasn’t much good besides her job. I did everything at home, cooked for everyone. Yet, instead of saying ‘thank you,’ she started looking down her nose because we didn’t treat her child warmly! Why should we accept him? He isn’t part of our family!”
***
George met his third wife, Sarah, at a scientific conference where he attended as the professor’s assistant.
Sarah fascinated George; she was clearly a sharp and ambitious woman. They chatted, and George learned Sarah was quite well-off, owning her own flat, car, and a certain societal status.
George had to court Sarah for a long time; she initially kept him at a distance. When George told his mum about Sarah, Amy was thrilled:
“Son, she’s exactly what you need! You’ll be secure with a woman like that! Her being 12 years older is nothing! How much does she earn? Three times more than you? Go for it, absolutely!”
Initially, Sarah wasn’t interested in marriage:
“Tell me, why’s a marriage certificate important? What does it change? We can live happily without formal registration.”
“But Sarah,” George protested, “I can’t do this! I wasn’t raised that way! I can’t accept living together without being married, so let’s make it official.”
After some thought, Sarah agreed. After all, one can divorce anytime nowadays; it isn’t difficult.
Sarah refused to move in with Amy:
“Why live somewhere else when I’ve got my own three-bedroom flat? Move in with me if you want. I’m definitely not moving in with your mum!”
“But dear, how can I leave Mum? What would she do without me?”
“Well, Amy isn’t sixty yet, from what I see. She’ll manage. You know my terms, George. Move in if you want, or we’ll continue living separately while married. I am fine with that.”
***
Eventually, George moved in with Sarah, much to Amy’s displeasure.
She had hoped that with Sarah moving in, her three-bedroom flat could be rented out, providing a stable income.
Sarah, experienced in relationships, quickly began to shape George’s actions to her liking. She skillfully curtailed George’s visits to Amy, who rarely saw him anymore.
“Son, you’ve stopped visiting altogether,” Amy complained. “What’s going on? Is your wife stopping you?”
“Mum, I’m very busy right now,” George lied. “Sarah said I need to grow, develop. She suggested I write a dissertation. That’s what I’m focusing on.”
After marrying Sarah, George stopped giving money to his mum, which upset Amy. She initially hinted but finally asked outright:
“Why aren’t you giving me money? How am I supposed to manage our two-bedroom flat alone?”
“Mum, I don’t have extra money right now,” George explained. “Once I do, I’ll help you. Just hang in there for a bit.”
Sarah prioritized cutting George away from Amy’s apron strings. She liked George, finding him attentive, compliant, and easy to negotiate with.
Sarah was purposefully turning him into a typical henpecked husband – her favored type of man.
***
This marriage eventually crumbled too. Having exhausted all methods to extract money from George, Amy grew despondent.
Naturally, Sarah was blamed for George’s callousness. The retiree pondered long and hard before concocting a scheme to get money from her son:
“George, I need money for treatment! I’ve fallen ill. Since you left, my health has declined!”
“What happened, Mum?”
“Oh, son, it’s a long explanation. I need £2,000 for an operation.”
“But Mum, I don’t have that kind of money right now! I know Sarah has it. Ask her; I think she won’t refuse you.”
“And if she does?”
“Threaten her with divorce! Tell her you won’t live with her if she doesn’t help your mum.”
George waited for Sarah to come home from work and made his request.
Sarah listened and declined:
“George, you know I invest a lot in my appearance. I do have the £2,000, but it’s allocated already. They’re for the cosmetic procedures to maintain my youth.”
George was almost choked with indignation.
“Procedures? Sarah, do you understand this is life and death? My mother is ill. Her health is a thousand times more important than some injections! I demand you help me. You’re my wife and should support me!”
“Says who?” Sarah smirked. “I owe you nothing, darling. If your mum is sick, find the money yourself. How am I involved?”
“Then I’ll file for divorce,” George, in misguided confidence, declared, expecting this news would wake Sarah up.
“Fine, go ahead. I’m over you anyway. Pack your bags and move back to your beloved mother. Living with you is impossible!”
Panicked, George pleaded with Sarah to reconsider. Sarah didn’t change her mind, packed his belongings, and put him out the door.
Amy was delighted by the divorce; her darling son had returned home. But George was miserable, still hoping for a reunion with Sarah.
