The moment Emily heard the jingle of keys in the lock, her stomach dropped. She recognized the sharp click of heels down the hallway better than her own heartbeat. Eight months pregnant, every movement was an effort, and now she had to face the person she dreaded more than labour itself. The door swung open, and in swept a whirlwind of criticism in the form of Margaret Harrington.
“What on earth is this!” her mother-in-law exclaimed instead of a greeting. “Why does my daughter-in-law look so miserable?”
Margarets arrival was the last thing Emily wanted. Shed planned to rest after lunchthe weight in her belly demanded constant breaks. Even simple chores had become endurance tests. Her maternity leave was supposed to bring relief, but those plans shattered in an instant.
“Welcome, Margaret,” Emily murmured, stepping aside obediently.
“Wheres my William?” The older womans eyes darted around, searching for her son.
“At work,” Emily replied quietly. “Providing for us and the baby.”
“Cant you manage on your own?” Margaret dropped two surprisingly heavy suitcases and marched inside, nearly knocking Emily off her feet. “Youre grownsoon to be a mother! Time to act like it!”
Once inside, Margaret inspected every corner like a drill sergeant. Emilys unease grew.
“Did you come for something specific?” she ventured. “Did you forget anything?”
“What?” Margaret turned, feigning surprise. “Ill be living here now.”
Emilys legs nearly gave way.
“Buthow?” she stammered.
“That dreadful man I rented from became intolerable,” Margaret huffed. “I wont tolerate his rudeness any longer. Left straight away. My husbands flat is tied up in paperwork, and finding a new place is impossible, so Ill stay here for now.”
The explanation only made Emily feel worse. Yes, their house was spacious, but did that give Margaret the right to barge in uninvited?
Emily wanted to argue, but exhaustion won. She retreated to the bedroom to wait for William.
When he finally returned, little changedhe pitied his mother. Despite Margarets difficult nature, shed raised him, and he couldnt abandon her. Emily swallowed her frustration, understanding his loyalty. Maybe an extra pair of hands around the house would help?
That hope faded fast. Within days, Margaret seized control of the household. William was always at work, leaving Emily to navigate her mother-in-laws demands alone.
And Margaret was relentless. Nothing Emily did pleased herunwashed floors, crumbs on the table, even a single unrinsed cup drew scoldings.
“Margaret,” Emily sighed, voice heavy with fatigue, “I cant bend easily anymore. My back aches, my feet swell”
“Back pain!” Margaret scoffed, arms crossed. “Women have always carried the load! Pregnancy doesnt excuse laziness. I raised a sonI know whats what!”
Emily bit her tongue. Stress wasnt good for the baby, so she avoided confrontation.
One weekday, with William still at work, they ran out of groceries.
“Fine, Ill go with you,” Margaret sniffed when Emily asked for help. “Cant have you messing it up.”
“Thank you,” Emily said, though shed have preferred going aloneif not for her unsteady legs.
The market trip went smoothly, aside from Margarets constant complaints.
“Hurry up!” she snapped. “Take the bags and lets go. Enough dawdling.”
Emily blinked. “Take the bags”?
“Margaret,” she said carefully, “could you help? I shouldnt strain”
“Strain! Its hardly anything!” Margaret rolled her eyes. “Youll manage.”
Emily obeyed, but after a few steps, dizziness hit.
“Oh” she gasped, swaying.
“What now?” Margaret didnt flinch as Emily paled. “Cant even carry bags?”
A stranger rushed over. “Maam, are you alright? Should I call a doctor?”
“No, Illbe fine,” Emily whispered.
“Women these days,” Margaret muttered. “Useless.”
Luckily, Emily recovered quickly. Margaret grudgingly took some bags, and they made it home.
When William heard what happened, he rushed back.
“My darling Emily,” he murmured, holding her hand. “Im sorry. You shouldve waited for meId have gone myself!”
“I thought I could manage,” she whispered. “You work so hardI wanted to help.”
“Why didnt you ask Mum?”
Emily closed her eyes. “I didnt want to say, but Margaret made me carry the heavy bags.”
William froze.
“Mum?” he breathed.
“And when I felt ill,” Emilys voice trembled, “she just ignored me.”
Silence fell. Emily wept quietly.
“Ill handle this. Rest, love,” William said firmly, striding to Margarets room.
The argument was loud, though Emily caught little. She prayed Margaret would back offor at least soften.
Then came the joyous day: Emily cradled newborn Charlotte, and William wept with happiness. It felt like a fresh start.
But reality wasnt so kind. Motherhood was exhausting. Charlotte cried most nights, leaving Emily sleepless. Some days, she rocked the baby for hours, desperate for quiet.
“And you call yourself a mother!” Margaret still sneered, finding fault in everything.
If anything, Williams confrontation had made her worse. She nitpicked constantly but never lifted a finger to help.
Then, one evening, William came home silent and grim.
“I was sacked,” he said flatly.
Emilys shoulders slumped. Silence stretched between them. Life was hard enoughthis was crushing.
Charlottes cries broke the moment. Emily forced herself up, duty calling despite the blow.
“Ill figure something out,” William promised.
“I know,” she whispered, kissing him before tending to their daughter.
The next day, they brainstormed solutionsuntil Margaret interrupted.
“I heard your little plans,” she declared. “Why must my son slave away? Shouldnt you be working?”
Emily gaped.
“What do you mean?”
“Isnt it obvious?” Margaret crossed her arms. “William should take leaveyou go back to work!”
Emily couldnt believe it. She was barely keeping it together, caring for Charlotte day and night. And Margaret dismissed it all.
Her heart plummeted. Tears threatened, but she knew Margaret would scorn her weakness.
Then William snapped.
“Mum, how can you say that?” His voice was steel. “How can you treat Emily this way?”
Margarets eyebrows shot up. This defiance stunned her.
“William!” she gasped. “Youre defending her? Shes a burden! Earns nothing, does nothing”
“Shes raising my child!” he roared. “She works harder than I do! Cooking, cleaning, tending to Charlottewhile you just criticize!”
He took a steadying breath.
“You, Mum, do nothing. You harass Emilyyour own granddaughters mother! Do you even care?”
“I care about you!” Margaret cried.
“Then stop making my wife miserable,” William said coldly. “Start looking for a flat. Youre not staying here forever.”
Margarets mouth fell open. Then her face twisted.
“After all Ive done! Fine! I wanted to leave anywayliving with you is unbearable!”
“Good. Were done,” William said.
The next days, Margaret hunted for a place while still berating Emily. But William shielded his wife, keeping Margaret at bay.
“I cant stand you!” Margaret finally spat. “Id rather move back with that awful landlordhes easier than you!”
“No ones stopping you,” William said. “Leave. We want peace.”
“Ungrateful wretch!” she hissed.
The next day, she packed and left. Relief washed over the young family. William found a new job, Emily grew more confident with Charlotte, and he helped whenever he could.
They never heard from Margaret again. Shed cut them off, nursing her pride. But Emily and William didnt mind.
Better no grandmother than one whod make their daughter suffer as Emily had.
