Ian? Margaret Jones looks at her neighbour in surprise. Are you home? I thought you were in London. Laura said you wouldnt be back for two weeks.
Im just a bit under the weather, Ian Smith grumbles, closing the door and turning to her.
Is it serious? she asks, concerned.
No, nothing major, Ian snaps, irritation flashing across his face. I coughed a couple of times and they made a fuss about it. They told me to stay away or Id infect the baby. So I came back. Laura had to pay the price herself. She went off last night.
How long are you going to live like this? Margaret says with a hint of sarcasm. Arent you tired of it?
What do you mean? Ian frowns. He doesnt like anyone prying about his family, but this time he lets it slip.
Its the rotbythehopsystem! he blurts out.
Youre kidding, Margaret, Ian smirks. What does a workrotation have to do with this? Were not commuting to a job. For us its a blessing.
A blessing? Margaret retorts. Looks like you two are wading through water lately! When will you stop making a fool of yourselves? No ones going to appreciate it anyway!
***
Ian and Lauras daughter, Emma, spends a year after university hunting for a job in her field. Every opening has a catch: its too far away, the pay is low, or she simply doesnt like it.
Her parents keep telling Emma that the right position will come along.
Months pass and the dream job remains just thata dream.
Emma decides to move to London. A former classmate has found a spot there and invites her to go together, saying there are still vacancies and itll be less scary with a friend.
Ian and Laura arent thrilled. They think she can land something locally if she just waits. Emma has never lived on her own and cant imagine the costs, especially renting a flat, which isnt cheap. They wonder how long she could manage on her own.
Despite every argument Ian and Laura throw at her, Emma promises to call daily and visit often, then heads for London.
She lands a decent role and doesnt need to rent a flather employer places her in student accommodation, something she never imagined.
At first Emma visits often, missing home. Over time the trips become fewer, and communication dwindles to occasional phone calls.
She falls in love.
Her romance with James, a Londoner, quickly intensifies and soon they talk about marriage. Emma secretly tells her parents that shes expecting.
***
After the wedding James and Emma move into a flat. James refuses to live with his parents, which offends his mum and dad, but they dont argue further. If you want independence, go ahead, but dont count on us, they say.
James smirks. Im not counting on anything!
Why are you like that? Emma asks gently when theyre alone. What if something unexpected happens?
Dont worry, James embraces her. Everything will be fine.
And it is. Their lives run smoothly. They earn well, the pregnancy proceeds without issues, and Emma goes on maternity leave, giving birth to a healthy baby girl.
Grandparents dote on the child, visiting weekly. Emmas parents try to help when they canher father is a year from retirement, her mother still has five years of work ahead.
Everything is rosy until James loses his job. He hasnt actually been fired; he quits, convinced a better offer will appear. It doesnt. The position goes to someone else at the last minute.
James reacts poorly. He withdraws, starts drinking, becomes irritable and perpetually disgruntled. He falls into a deep depression that eventually forces a stint in a clinic.
Emma is torn between husband and child. James often demands more attention than their twoyearold, Lily, does.
Laura, Emmas mother, constantly accuses Emma of neglecting her son, despite Emma being on maternity leave. What neck are you talking about? Im on leave, Emma retorts. Can you stop sitting at home? Lily is two, she should be in a nursery or you should get a job! Are you planning to live off us forever?
Emma wonders whether Laura genuinely believes this or is just being dramatic. James has been unemployed for six months; they survive on maternity benefits and the modest savings they set aside for a house, plus a single salary from Lauras parents. Yet Laura scolds Emma for a slice of bread.
Feeling hurt, Emma tells her own parents. Ian and Laura listen and suggest looking for a nursery, just in case.
First, it will take time, Laura says. Second, if your motherinlaw brought this up, she probably wont back down.
But Lily is still tiny! Which nursery? Emma whines.
We put her in a nursery when she was a year and a half old, Laura replies with a smile. Look how she turned out!
Mom! Emma bursts into tears. Why couldnt you have done it then? Now youre making us choose between hurting Lily and pleasing a foolish grandmother!
Look, Emma, Ian interjects, well help however we can. Laura shrugs, thinking, What can we really do? Its 435 miles away!
Soon a spot opens up in a local nursery. Emma tells her boss shell be ready to return to work in a month. At the same time James finds a new job.
Now they just need to ease Lily into nursery
The staff advise Emma to bring Lily for an hour the first day, then two, then until noon. It sounds simple, but in practice its a nightmare.
The moment Lily sees the nursery building, she erupts in a fullblown screamnot a whimper. She screams for an entire week. She quiets for a few minutes in the changing room, but as soon as she realises Mom is leaving, the screaming resumes.
James tries taking her, same result. Both parents try together, coaxing, promising anything, but Lily refuses.
They leave her alone hoping shell settle, but she keeps screaming as if she knows theyre nearby, listening.
Eventually the carers lose patience. Dont worry, its normal. Bring her back in a couple of months when shes older. Well keep the place for you.
Its easy to say in a couple of months, Emma protests as they walk home. But I have to get back to work! Ive already asked for this leave! What now?
I dont know, James replies, but keeping her in distress isnt right.
Your parents are retired! Emma exclaims, spotting a solution. They live not far away. Let them take Lily to nursery for a while.
James sighs, Ill talk to them, but Im not sure theyll agree.
Laura and Ian, now grandparents, remind James that he should sort his own problems. Yet what wouldnt they do for a beloved granddaughter?
They take turns shuttling Lily to the nursery, andmiracle!she walks in calmly, waves goodbye with a smile, and never cries again.
Later, when the staff begin the afternoon nap routine, Lily stubbornly refuses to lie down. The carers call Laura, who flies in or sends Ian. The system clicks into place and Lily adapts, eventually staying only until noon.
The reduced hours start to strain James and Emma. They claim health issues and refuse to look after Lily.
My blood pressure is through the roof! Jamess mother complains. My back hurts, you know how James struggles!
James frowns. What are we supposed to do? Youve trained her to leave at noon while were at work.
Instead of thanking us! his mother snaps. Look how weve been caring for Lily for months!
Emma counters, It was only a few months, and it was your idea to put her in nursery. If we hadnt, shed still be at home and wed have no problems.
Are we to blame then?! Jamess mother shouts, grabbing his arm and dragging him to the hallway.
James asks, What now? as his parents slam the door.
I dont know, Emma sighs, maybe I have to quit my job.
Thats not a solution.
What do you suggest?
Take Lily to nursery and leave her there all day.
And the next morning? Youll lug her there yourself? Im not doing that!
But all the other kids go without trouble!
Our daughter isnt all the kids! Emma cries.
Just then Emmas phone rings. Her mother, Laura, tells her shell be in town tomorrowher holiday is right then. We have about a month to sort this out, she says.
Emma claps her hands like a child. Moms coming tomorrow! Were saved.
James chuckles, Time to get to know the motherinlaw properly. Hope we get along.
Emma smiles, My mum is a worldclass problemsolver. Shell figure something out.
Laura truly does. She arranges for herself and Ian to alternate visits to look after Lily, since the inlaws cant.
Dont take it personally, sweetheart, she says, eyeing James, age catches up with us. We had our strength, now its gone.
Emma wipes her tears. Im not offended, I just cant see how youll manage the commute with work.
Laura replies, Ill reshuffle my schedule and Ian retires in two weeks. Everything will be fine. By the time he arrives, Lily will be old enough to stay at nursery on her own. Shell be four.
The plan works. Laura drops Lily at nursery; after noon, the staff call her to pick her up.
Now Ian and Laura spend half the year shuttling between London and their home town, swapping twoweek stints. Ian, retired, often drives Lily to nursery, picks her up at noon, and watches until his own children arrive from work.
In the evenings he strolls through London, not because he loves it, but because he cant stand watching young couples build their lives.
They dont do any housework, they just order takeaway and watch cartoons all day, he tells Laura one night. How can they survive? Lily watches those awful shows all the time. Theyre so stubborn. They think their opinions are gospel. How do you put up with that?
Laura sighs, I keep busylaundry, cleaning, cooking. What can we do? The younger generation is different. I feel sorry for Lily I cant imagine her without us.
Emmas neighbour, Margaret, later recounts everything to Laura, looking for support. Margaret, a former teacher, doesnt understand.
Youre letting a threeyearold manipulate you, Laura? Youre giving in to her whims? Shell cry for days if you leave her at nursery in the morning. Shell sob, then calm down, thinking its pointless, Margaret scolds.
Laura retorts, I cant. I feel sorry for her.
Sorry? You created the problem! If your inlaws had stepped in, Lily would be settled. Youre only making it worse. What will you do when she starts school? Sit at a desk with her? I dont approve of your parenting methods. Think about it before its too late.
Now Margaret confronts Ian directly.
You, Ian Smith, planning to set your family straight? she asks.
Straighten up? Ian repeats.
Yes. Your granddaughter runs wild, your daughter manipulates her parents, your soninlaw throws his responsibilities onto you, and youre still hopping back and forth 435 miles every two weeks. You watch it all and do nothing.
Im being evicted because I dared cough, Ian mutters. Who evicted me? My own daughter?
Your daughterinlaw, Margaret replies automatically.
Im respected, I suppose Are you playing grandparent and grandparentinlaw, dear neighbours? Maybe its time to hand the responsibility back to those who gladly dumped it on us. Why are you so quiet, Ian? Nothing to say?
Im quiet because I dont see why youre meddling in our affairs. Did I ask for your advice? I dont recall that, Ian says.
Margaret falls silent, and Ian, taking the pause, adds calmly, We love our daughter and granddaughter. Our love knows no borders, and we help as long as we can.
Ian smiles and steps down the stairs. Margaret remains, her urge to argue fading.
Maybe I got attached to him for no reason, she muses, people just want to ruin the child and poison their own lives. Whats my business?
What do you thinkwas she right?
