Laptop Smashed, and the Mother-in-Law Blamed Us
Dennis and Emily decided to celebrate their anniversary at a cosy café in central Manchester. They returned home well past midnight.
“Finally decided to show up!” Dennis’s mother, Susan, greeted them at the door, arms crossed. “Where have you two been? I’ve been stuck here looking after the kids by myself!”
“Mum, what’s wrong?” Dennis frowned. “You adore Charlotte’s children.”
“Was it really so hard to watch them?” Emily added, hanging up her coat.
“Out enjoying yourselves while I do all the work!” Susan snapped. “And where’s their mother?”
“She’s busy, and you two are out having fun!” Susan pointed to the kitchen. “Wash the dishes! Since you’ve had your fun, now it’s time to work!”
Dennis scowled and opened his laptop. Suddenly, his hands froze, gripping the screen. He saw something that made his blood run cold.
After the wedding, Dennis and Emily rented a flat. But soon, they had to move in with his mother—money was tight. Emily’s parents lived in a small one-bed flat with her younger brother, leaving no space for the newlyweds. Dennis had switched jobs—lower pay now, but with promises of a promotion.
“Em, it’s temporary,” Dennis reassured her. “We’ll stay with Mum, save some money. She lives alone, my sister only visits sometimes, and the grandkids are left here occasionally. We’ll manage.”
“I could take on extra work,” Emily suggested. “So could you.”
“What, work round the clock?” Dennis snapped. “I’m at the office all day, then what—run off somewhere else? Come home just to sleep? When do we actually live?”
“And living with your mother is living?” Emily sighed.
“Look, we’re broke! If Mum’s happy with this, we’ll save up faster for our own place.”
Emily stayed silent. She didn’t want to live with her mother-in-law. She’d met Dennis’s nephews—his sister Charlotte’s kids—just once at the wedding. Loud, spoiled—not the best impression. But there was no choice.
“What’s the big deal?” Susan shrugged when they moved in. “Better than wasting money on rent. Split the bills three ways: you two pay two-thirds, I’ll pay one. Same for groceries. I’ll shop and cook. You handle the cleaning.”
“Fine, Mum,” Dennis agreed. “Em, okay?”
“Yeah,” Emily exhaled.
At first, it wasn’t so bad. They’d come home to dinner ready, breakfast waiting in the morning. Emily took freelance work after her job, but weekends were ruined when the nephews visited. Charlotte barely showed up, leaving the kids from Friday to Sunday.
Cleaning was impossible with them around—they made a mess, got into everything, even barged into the bedroom if Dennis and Emily were sleeping.
“Dennis, tell your mum to take them,” Emily pleaded. “We’re still asleep!”
“They’re just kids,” he brushed her off. “My nephews, so they’re yours too. Deal with it.”
“I was up working half the night!”
“Nobody forced you. Fine, I’ll get up. I’ve got plans with the lads—fishing. Be back by evening.”
“And me? Left alone again?”
“Mum’s here. Want peace? Give them your laptop, let them play.”
“Brilliant idea! Give them yours,” Emily shot back.
“I’ve got important files on mine,” Dennis snapped. “What, yours is more important?”
“I’ve got a deadline today!” she cried. “Go on, I’ll manage.”
This kept happening. Dennis was always out—fishing, barbecues, pub crawls. Today, he left again.
Susan fed the kids while Emily seethed.
“Emily, sit down,” Susan said flatly. “Not many pancakes left, but you’ll manage. Dennis said the kids could use your laptop.”
“That’s a lie!” Emily snapped. “I never agreed. I’ve got work, a deadline today.”
“How selfish,” Susan scoffed. “We’re family! Charlotte won’t let them near her laptop—too expensive.”
“My whole week’s work is on there!” Emily fired back. “I’m working now.”
“Wash the dishes,” Susan muttered, grabbing her phone.
Emily scrubbed plates, furious that no one in this house cleaned up after themselves. Susan was already on the phone:
“Gail, of course we’ll meet! An hour at the shopping centre. Who’s making noise? The grandkids. Don’t worry, Emily will watch them. Good practice since she hasn’t got any of her own.”
Emily nearly dropped a plate. Silently, she packed her things, grabbed her laptop, and left. Susan didn’t stop her—probably planned to drop the news of her departure last minute.
Emily headed to the internet café where she often worked. Settling in a corner with coffee, she focused on her project. Half an hour later, Dennis called:
“Em, where are you? What’s going on?”
“Working,” she said calmly. “Deadline today.”
“Mum’s panicking! Where’d you go?”
“I can’t work in that chaos.”
“You ruined Mum’s plans with her friend!”
“Let her invite Gail over, then.”
“With those little terrors around?”
“Then you watch them and let your mum go. They have a mother!”
“You’re making this up,” Dennis snapped.
“Or maybe you are?” Emily countered. “Your mum was so generous taking us in, and this is how we repay her. Last month, she ‘ran out’ of grocery money and took extra from us. You never notice?”
“You’re being petty!”
“And where’s your money going?” Emily shot back. “Not a penny for your mum—it’s all me. But you’ve always got cash for your mates! Twelve days a month, your nephews eat our food. Mum buys them sweets, ice cream—nothing for us. Best bits go to them. Charlotte takes them home with bags full. When we rented, we spent a third less! And you call this saving? Want to live like this forever? I’m getting paid for this project and moving out. You coming, or is it divorce?”
“Em, where are you?” Dennis’s voice wavered.
“Why do you care?”
“Fishing’s off. I don’t want to go home. Let’s spend the day together.”
“I’ve got work.”
“I’ll sit quietly. You at our usual café?”
“Fine, come. I need an hour—wouldn’t have finished at home.”
Dennis arrived with flowers.
“What’s this for?” Emily blinked.
“Anniversary of us meeting,” he smiled. “I’ll order your favourite scones and tea.”
“Oh, I forgot,” she sighed. “Let me send this first.”
They walked till late, making plans to find a flat. Emily was right—Susan had been using their money, turning Dennis against his wife, calling her stingy.
They returned home late.
“Finally!” Susan barked. “Where’ve you been? I’ve been stuck with these kids!”
“Mum, you love them,” Dennis said evenly.
“Today’s been too much!” she snarled. “Gail wanted to go out, but I had to invite her here. She hated it! And where was Charlotte?”
“Busy,” Dennis shrugged. “If she saw us out, she could’ve taken the kids.”
“Wash the dishes!” Susan ordered. “Had your fun—now work!”
Emily changed, heading to the kitchen, but Dennis stopped her. He opened his laptop—and froze. The screen was cracked, files gone.
“What…?” he whispered, paling. “Em, I left this on the shelf!”
“I didn’t touch it,” she said. “Ask your mum.”
“Mum!” Dennis shouted. “What happened to my laptop?”
“Keep your voice down, the kids are asleep!” Susan hissed. “I’m exhausted.”
“Why did you take it? Where are my files?”
“The kids played with it,” she waved him off. “Tiny crack, big deal. At least they were quiet.”
“They deleted everything!” Dennis exploded. “They’re ten and eight—they knew what they were doing!”
“Your own nephews!” Susan gasped.
“Enough!” he roared. “Emily, find us a flat. Open yours—I’ll sort mine out.”
“Who’s doing the dishes?” Susan demanded.
“Whoever ate, cleans,” Dennis shot back. “We weren’t here.”
Watching her furious husband, Emily searched for flats. She’d never seen him like this. The laptop—bought with his student savings—was expensive.
“Dennis, don’t panic, we’ll get a new one,” she soothed.
“No, I’ll fix this,” he said tightly. “My fault for writing the password on the lid. Never thought Mum would do this. You were right this morning—I almost gave them yours. I’m sorry.The screen flickered back to life days later, but the trust between them never did.
