The Other Mother-in-Law
When Eleanor stepped into the flat, she spotted her mother-in-laws shoes planted right in the middle of the hallway. It was clear thered be no rest tonight.
Margaret appeared from the kitchen with the expression of a prosecutor in court.
“Back from that daft old bat again, are you?” she snapped. “Never mind your husband, your child, or this houseall left to fend for themselves. Lucky I dropped by, or theyd be starving.”
“Margaret, Nicholas knew Id be late,” Eleanor replied. “I made dinnerhe just had to heat it up. Hed have managed perfectly well without your help.”
After ten years of marriage to Nicholas, Eleanor was used to Margarets constant disapproval. She barely reacted anymore, tuning her out like a radio left on all day.
But in the beginning, it had been hard. Margaret was Eleanors second mother-in-law. The first, Beatrice, had been tactful. She never meddled, never gave unsolicited advice, never forced herself upon them.
Yet when help was needed, she was always there. Eleanor remembered how Beatrice had stayed up nights with three-month-old Lillian when the baby confused day and night, how shed whisked her granddaughter away for walks, telling Eleanor,
“Dont do a thingjust sleep. When Nicholas gets home, hell sort dinner himself.”
When Lillian turned five, tragedy struck. There was an accident at the factory where Eleanors first husband, Oliver, worked, and she was left a widow.
Beatrice, who had lost her only son, didnt abandon Eleanor and Lillian in their grief. For the first three months, they even lived together, leaning on each other.
Eleanor offered to make it permanent, but Beatrice moved back to her own flat.
“Eleanor, youre only twenty-eight. Youre youngyoull find happiness again. I wont be underfoot, getting in your way.”
Three years later, Eleanor married Nicholas. But she never abandoned Beatrice. With her own parents far away, her first mother-in-law became like a mother to her, and Lillian adored her grandmother.
That was why Margarets behaviour shocked Eleanor so much. The woman acted as if she owned the place, dictating how things should be run.
After Margarets first unannounced visit, Eleanor asked Nicholas to explain that his mother was a guestand should act like one.
When Margaret protested that she only meant to help, Eleanor replied,
“Im not eighteen. Even when I left home for university, I could look after myself. And after seven years of marriage, I dont need lessons in cooking or cleaning. If anything, I could teach *you* a thing or two. Maybe Ill drop by *your* place with a white cloth and inspect the cornersplay the inspector.”
To his credit, Nicholas backed his wife. Whenever his mother overstepped, he handled it.
Gradually, Eleanor trained Margaret to stay out of her affairs. So when, a year after remarrying, she had a son, Margaret kept her opinions to herselfthough she *ached* to share them.
The problem was, Margaret had a friend who boasted about “guiding” her younger sons wife. Margaret longed to have similar stories, but she had nothing to brag about. Except one grievanceEleanors visits to Beatrice.
“Honestly, youd think that old woman was family!” Margaret grumbled to her friend. “When Lillian was little, Eleanor sent her to Beatrices cottage for summersfine. But now the girls at university, and Eleanor still traipses over there twice a week! Its been *years*!”
The past year, Eleanor *had* visited more often. Margaret called Beatrice “that old thing,” though she was only seven years older.
But grief and illness had aged Beatrice terribly, and Eleanor went to hersometimes at the hospital, sometimes at home.
“Wasting your familys money on an outsider,” Margaret scolded.
“Dont worry,” Eleanor said. “When Beatrice fell ill, she sold the cottage. Shes got funds for treatmentshe wont be borrowing from *you*.”
When Beatrice worsened, Eleanor hired a carer and took leave to spend half-days with her while Nicholas worked and their son was at school.
Still, it only delayed the inevitable. Before long, Beatrice was gone.
That was when Margaret developed a sudden interest in the will.
“She sold the cottage, but she couldnt have spent *all* the money in a year. And her pension was decentshe must have savings. That two-bed flat will go to *someone*.”
She didnt dare ask Eleanor directly. Instead, she probed Nicholasand the answer displeased her.
“Whos the beneficiary? Lillian, of courseshes Beatrices granddaughter.”
“So Eleanor ran after her for *nothing*?” Margaret gasped. “I bet shes weeping now!”
“Dont fret over me,” Eleanor said coolly. “I knew Beatrice left everything to Lillian. I took her to the solicitor a year ago.”
“Then why bother with her if you got nothing?” Margaret demanded.
“Id explain, but I doubt youd understand.”
In time, Lillian inherited the flat and savings. They decided to rent it out while she studied, sending the income to her account.
When she graduated, she could choosereturn to their town, stay in the city, or sell the flat to buy elsewhere.
Hearing of the plan, Margaret suggested,
“Why let strangers wreck it? Let my Emily live there.”
Thirty-five-year-old Emily, Margarets younger daughter, still lived at home. Pretty, educated, employedshe had the occasional romance, but marriage eluded her.
Margaret fretted.
“Why cant she catch a break? *Eleanor*a widow with a childsnagged my Nicholas!”
She reckoned a flat would help Emily marry.
“Never mind its Lillians for now,” she mused. “In three or four years, things change. Maybe Lillian finds a man with his own placethen well persuade her to *gift* it to Emily.”
She kept these plans quiet.
Her disappointment was sharp when Lillian refused.
“She wont pay market rent,” Lillian said. “Ill need a mortgage latermaybe even move to London. The moneys staying put.”
“Greedy, just like your mother,” Margaret spat. “Neither of you thinks of anyone else. Emily couldve married with a flat of her own!”
“Mum, *youve* got a three-bedder. Sell it, buy a one-bed for yourself and one for Emily,” Nicholas offered.
“Cheeky!” Margaret spluttered. “*My* flats mine alone. I wont squeeze into some box in my old age! Ive lived there all my lifeIm not moving!”
“Its not Nicholas being cheekyits you,” Eleanor cut in. “Wont sacrifice your own flat for your daughter, but youll snatch someone elses.”
So Emily stayed put. Lillian rented the flat until she graduated, then sold itbuying a new one in the city.
She did visit London, but only for a week. As they saythe grass is always greener
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