When Eleanor stepped into the flat, the first thing she noticed was her mother-in-laws shoes planted squarely in the middle of the hallway. Any hope of a quiet evening vanished instantly.
Margaret appeared from the kitchen with the stern expression of a prosecutor in court.
“Off seeing that daft old woman again, were you?” she demanded. “Leaving your husband, child, and home to fend for themselves. Good thing I dropped by. Otherwise, theyd have gone hungry.”
“Margaret, Nicholas knew Id be late tonight,” Eleanor replied evenly. “I left dinner preparedall he had to do was heat it up. Hes perfectly capable of managing without your interference.”
After ten years of marriage to Nicholas, Eleanor had grown accustomed to Margarets constant disapproval. She barely reacted anymore, treating her mother-in-laws gripes like background noise from a radio left on all day.
It hadnt always been this easy. Margaret was Eleanors second mother-in-law. The first, Elizabeth, had been a woman of grace. She never meddled in her sons marriage, never offered unsolicited advice, never imposed.
Yet when help was needed, she was always there. Eleanor remembered how Elizabeth had stayed up nights with little Charlotte when the baby confused day and night, how shed take her granddaughter for walks and insist, “You rest now. Just sleep. When Nicholas gets home, hell handle dinner.”
When Charlotte turned five, a tragic accident at the factory took Eleanors first husband. Elizabeth, grieving the loss of her only son, refused to abandon her daughter-in-law and granddaughter. For the first three months after the loss, they even lived together, leaning on each other.
Eleanor suggested they continue sharing a home, but Elizabeth moved back to her own flat. “Youre only twenty-eight, Eleanor,” shed said. “Youre youngyoull find happiness again. I wont clutter your path.”
Three years later, Eleanor married Nicholas, but she never abandoned Elizabeth. With her own parents living far away, her first mother-in-law became like a mother to her, and Charlotte adored her grandmother beyond measure.
That was why Margarets behavioracting as though she had the right to commandeer Eleanors homeshocked her so deeply. After her first visit, Eleanor asked Nicholas to explain to his mother that she was a guest here, and guests should announce their visits and behave accordingly.
When Margaret protested that she only wanted to help, Eleanor replied, “Im not eighteen anymore. Even when I left home for university, I was perfectly capable. And after seven years of marriage, I certainly dont need lessons in cooking or cleaning. If anything, I could teach *you* a thing or two.”
To his credit, Nicholas always backed his wife, stepping in when his mother overstepped.
Gradually, Eleanor trained Margaret to stay out of her household and parenting decisions. So when, a year into her second marriage, Eleanor gave birth to a son, Margaret kept her opinions to herselfhowever much she longed to share them.
The trouble was, Margaret had a friend who constantly boasted about “guiding” her younger sons wife. Naturally, Margaret wanted stories of her own, but she had none to tellexcept one grievance: Eleanors unwavering devotion to Elizabeth.
“That woman isnt even family!” Margaret would complain. “When Charlotte was little, Eleanor sent her to stay with her in the summersfine. But now the girls at university, and Eleanor still visits her two or three times a week! Its been *years*!”
The past year, Eleanor *had* visited Elizabeth more often. Margaret called her “the old woman,” though Elizabeth was only seven years older. But grief ages a person, and illness steals beauty. Elizabeth had weakened, and Eleanor made sure she was cared forwhether in hospital or at home.
“Youre wasting family money on an outsider,” Margaret scolded.
“Dont worry,” Eleanor replied coolly. “Elizabeth sold her cottage when she fell ill. She can afford her treatment without borrowing from *you*.”
When Elizabeths condition 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 was only a reprieve. Soon, Elizabeth passed away.
Then Margarets true colors emergedher sudden interest in Elizabeths will.
“The cottage is gone, but she couldnt have spent all the money in a year. And her pension was decentthere must be savings. And that two-bedroom flat will go to someone!”
She dared ask Nicholas, and the answer displeased her.
“Whos named in the will? Of course, Charlotteshes her granddaughter.”
“And Eleanor gets *nothing*?” Margaret gasped. “After all that running about? I bet shes heartbroken!”
“Dont fret for me,” Eleanor said calmly. “Ive known for a year that Elizabeth left everything to Charlotte. I even took her to the solicitor myself.”
“Then why bother with her if you knew youd get nothing?” Margaret demanded. “Charlotte couldve looked after her.”
“Id explain, but I doubt youd understand,” Eleanor replied.
In time, the inheritance was settled. Charlotte received the flats deeds and a savings account. They agreed that while she studied and lived in halls, the flat would be rented, with earnings sent to her.
After graduation, she could decidereturn to her hometown, keep the flat, or sell it to buy elsewhere.
When Margaret learned of the rental plan, she pounced.
“Why let strangers in? Theyll wreck the place. Let Lydia stay there instead.”
Lydia, Margarets thirty-five-year-old daughter, still lived at home. Pretty, educated, and employed, she had romances but no luck with marriage. Margaret fretted endlessly.
“Why cant Lydia find someone? Eleanora widow with a childmanaged to snag my Nicholas!”
She believed a flat would secure Lydia a husband.
“Never mind that its Charlottes for now,” she mused. “In a few years, who knows? If Charlotte marries a man with property, we could persuade her to *gift* it to Lydia.”
But Charlotte refused.
“She wont pay market rent,” she said firmly. “Ill need savingsmaybe even a mortgage if I move to London after uni.”
“Greedy, just like her mother!” Margaret spat. “Only ever thinking of yourselves. If Lydia had that flat, she mightve married in three years!”
“Mum, *you* own a three-bedroom,” Nicholas pointed out. “Sell it, buy a one-bed for yourself and one for Lydia.”
“Cheeky boy!” Margaret snapped. “That flats *mine*. Why should I squeeze into some little box in my old age? Ive lived there all my lifeIm not moving!”
“Its not Nicholas whos cheekyits *you*,” Eleanor cut in. “You wont sacrifice your own home for Lydia, yet you expect someone elses?”
So Lydia stayed put. Charlotte rented the flat, sold it after graduation, and bought a new one in the city. She visited London briefly but foundas the saying goesthe grass isnt always greener.
In the end, kindness repaid itself, while entitlement left only emptiness.
