In a small village nestled in the northern reaches of Yorkshire, where winter winds howl around old stone cottages, Eleanor and her husband, William, waited in vain for their son to visit. Their hopes crumbled, their hearts heavy with hurt and disappointment.
“Looks like he’s not coming,” sighed Eleanor, glancing at William. “We’ve grown used to it—hardly even get angry anymore.”
“What happened this time? Did his wife stop him again?” William frowned. “You two never did see eye to eye.”
“Perhaps,” Eleanor replied, her voice trembling with suppressed emotion. “But Daniel never said such things before. He used to visit more often, but now… his wife always has some excuse up her sleeve. Seems we’ll have to hire someone to fix the roof. Our son can’t spare even a single day for us.”
Eleanor spoke bitterly of Daniel, her 40-year-old son. Twelve years ago, he’d left the village behind for the city. Once a hands-on mechanic, he now just supervised others. There, he’d married Olivia and bought a flat.
“He did all the renovations himself back then,” Eleanor recalled. “Olivia just stood there, telling him what to do. They married late—she was already in her thirties. Never been married before, and I understand why. With a temper like hers, few could handle it. We took an instant dislike to each other.”
“Hardly a surprise she stayed single so long,” William muttered. “Remember when you tried to talk to her? A complete disaster. What on earth does Daniel see in her?”
Olivia rarely spoke to her in-laws. Once a year, she permitted Daniel to visit them. This time, he’d promised to take leave in May to fix their leaky roof. But Olivia, it seemed, had other plans.
“She’s expecting a baby,” Eleanor said bitterly. “She forbade Daniel from leaving her alone. A grown woman, a nurse—what could possibly happen? Two weeks before his leave, she started nagging, even though the train tickets were already booked.”
“Why does she do this?” William asked, though he knew the answer.
“First, she said she was afraid to be alone. Then later…” Eleanor trailed off, her eyes welling up.
“What, does she escort him to work? She’s got parents who dote on her!” William snapped.
“I think they’re the ones poisoning her mind,” Eleanor continued. “They told her never to let a husband visit his parents alone. They had a son-in-law who did just that—then filed for divorce. Now their youngest daughter lives with them. So they’ve convinced Olivia that Daniel’s the same.”
“You can’t tar everyone with the same brush!” William exclaimed. “Daniel’s given no reason for such suspicion. Why couldn’t Olivia just come with him?”
“Come here?” Eleanor gave a bitter laugh. “She’d never set foot in this house. You know how she despises us. I tried talking to her—it’s hopeless.”
Eleanor remembered when William had once phoned Olivia, hoping to smooth things over. The call had ended in disaster.
“What did she say?” he asked, though he could guess.
“That we’re always demanding things, pulling Daniel away from his real family,” Eleanor’s voice shook with hurt. “She said she’s tired of fighting us. Claims a husband should prioritise his wife and unborn child, not his parents’ whims. If he’s taken leave, it should be for them. And then she declared our house means nothing to her!”
“Some daughter-in-law!” William balled his fists. “And Daniel? What did he say?”
“He made excuses to you, but we know it’s not his fault,” Eleanor sighed. “He probably postponed the trip to avoid upsetting her. Worried for the baby, for her.”
William couldn’t take it. Furious, he called Daniel and let loose everything festering inside.
“Enough!” he shouted down the line. “Don’t bother waiting for me! I’ll hire builders, and you can stay under your wife’s thumb!”
Eleanor stayed silent, but her heart was breaking. She understood William’s rage, but the old saying—”you can have many wives, but only one set of parents”—cut like a knife. Daniel was their only son, their pride. Now, Olivia had built a wall between them, keeping him on a tight leash while he bowed to her tantrums.
Eleanor stared at the old roof, leaking with every downpour, feeling hope drain away like the rainwater. They’d worked their whole lives to give Daniel better, and now they had to pay strangers to mend their home. Resentment choked her, but worse was the fear their son was slipping away. Olivia had made it clear: her family was herself and the baby—his parents were just a burden.
Eleanor didn’t know how to bring him back. She longed for him to visit, to hug her like he did as a boy, to fix the roof together laughing over old memories. Instead, she got icy silence and accusations. The family she’d built with love was cracking apart, and she feared the rift might never heal.
