**A Mother-in-Law’s Tale – You Won’t Believe Who I Just Met**
Katie rushed home, scrubbed her hands, and dashed straight to the kitchen. Her parents were already at the table.
Apologising for being late for lunch, she immediately launched into her news. “You’ll never guess who I just met! My brother’s got himself a girlfriend—pretty, bubbly, ginger-haired, like sunshine itself. Her name’s Poppy. Works at the car wash where we take the car. That’s how they met. Seems serious between them—how brilliant is that?” She chattered on without pause.
James Bennett, her father, glanced up from his plate with a grin. “About time,” he said. “I was starting to wonder about the lad.” His wife, Evelyn, scowled at the remark and huffed that their son had found a girl at a car wash.
“Who even works there?” Evelyn snapped. “Only those who couldn’t get hired elsewhere. No education, no manners, no class. And let’s be honest, none of them are lookers. Just car wash girls—not one’s good enough to lace our son’s shoes.” James disagreed. “That’s a bit harsh. People are different—maybe she’s studying part-time while earning a bit extra. Nothing wrong with hard work. Means she knows the value of money, won’t go fleecing our boy. You haven’t even met her. Might be lovely. Doubt our lad would pick just anyone.”
But Evelyn wasn’t having it. “I’ll go see this beauty myself. Find out how she’s snared our son. I’ll have her sacked—no gold-digger’s setting her sights on him. Let her find some common bloke instead.”
The next day, true to her word, Evelyn stormed into the car wash. She caused a scene, shouting for this “Poppy” to show herself, accusing her of throwing herself at customers and demanding she be fired. But the girl at the counter, Gemma, said she didn’t know her—maybe she worked a different shift—suggesting Evelyn come back tomorrow. Fuming, Evelyn had no choice but to leave empty-handed, though she swore she’d return.
Later, Gemma pulled Poppy aside, warning her that fraternising with customers was a sackable offence—it was even in the contract. But Poppy explained she and Jake had been together a year. She hadn’t wanted to get involved at first, but he’d been persistent. Now he wanted her to meet his parents, but she kept putting it off—she wanted to finish uni, land a proper job first. She needed the car wash job; her parents weren’t well-off, and she refused to rely on them. Gemma promised not to report the incident if Poppy got Jake to rein in his mother.
That evening, Jake confronted Evelyn the moment he walked in. “What’s your game? Trying to ruin things between me and Poppy? She’s at the car wash temporarily. Every job’s respectable. You don’t even know her—she’s kind, clever, and I love her. If you show up there again, I’m leaving, taking Poppy with me, and you won’t see us. Stay out of it. I’m marrying her. End of.”
Evelyn stayed silent—she knew her son. Empty threats weren’t his style. If he said it, he’d do it. She couldn’t risk losing him, so she never went back.
Two years later, Jake and Poppy married. The Bennetts adored the wedding—Evelyn even bragged that Poppy had helped organise it. Turned out she was stunning, brilliant—graduated with first-class honours, landed a corporate job, earning as much as Jake. And now they were expecting. Poppy was three months along. Jake had barely talked her into marrying—she’d wanted to live together first. Thank goodness Evelyn had listened to her son and kept out of it.
James pulled Evelyn onto the dance floor, whispering how lucky he was—just like their boy. They joined the newlyweds’ waltz, spinning in time.
So tell me—should a mother ever choose her son’s bride?
