17April
Its been a bizarre fortnight, and I cant help but pour it all onto these pages.
Last night the landlord of the flat on Camden Road called us over. No, he said, weve decided it would be better if you dont bring your wife and child into this flat. We cant endure the inconvenience for long, so well be asking you to move out.
My wife, Poppy, will no doubt go round the neighbourhood telling anyone wholl listen that we were evicted with a baby in tow. That would do a fine dent to our reputation, and I cant have that.
The next morning our neighbour, Mrs. Hughes, noticed that Emma the other new mother on the floor looked downcast. Both of us had just become mums three days ago, and the midwife was due to discharge us the day after tomorrow. A happy occasion, not a cause for sorrow.
Emma, you look pale. Whats the matter? Mrs. Hughes asked.
Michael told me the landlady has ordered us to leave straight away, Emma replied. Shes renting the flat to a childfree couple, and now were bringing a newborn into the mix. She says the baby will wail all night, the neighbours will complain, and she doesnt want any trouble.
And what? Youve nowhere to go?
My parents live in a threebedroom house in Croydon, but my younger sister also stays there. My own parents are up in a village about twenty miles from the city, Emma answered.
Maybe you could crash at your inlaws for a week or two while you hunt for a new place, Mrs. Hughes suggested.
Michaels already looking, but as soon as landlords hear about a baby they shut the door on us.
Right, thats a problem. But hold on you have two days left. Hell think of something.
Unfortunately, Michael didnt. He rang a dozen estate agents, and each one turned us down. In the end he simply carted our belongings from the rented flat to his parents house.
His parents and younger sister were not thrilled to have a whole new family and a crying infant move in.
My son, Michaels mother said, we agreed before your wedding that you and your wife would not live with us. You may stay in your room, but we dont want strangers in our home.
And Emma is a stranger to us. To you shes a wife; to us shes an outsider. You chose her, we didnt.
Its only temporary, Mum, until we find somewhere proper, Michael pleaded.
Temporary never lasts, love. First youll stay a week, a week turns into a month, and a month can stretch on forever.
We both work, your sister is at university. We all need a decent break. With a baby in the flat you cant speak loudly, you cant watch telly, and youll be woken up at any hour by a wail.
Ill try to find something faster, Michael promised.
And then the landlords final line: Weve decided you shouldnt bring your wife and child here. We wont put up with the inconvenience, and well ask you to leave.
My wife will go round telling everyone we were thrown out with a baby. That will ruin our name, and I wont stand for that. So dont even think about bringing Poppy and the child here. Sort it out another way.
With that fresh in mind, Michael marched into the hospital.
Emma, why not stay with your parents for a while? he asked.
Isnt your mother keen to see her grandchild? Emma replied, surprised.
My mum said we shouldnt go over, so were stuck, Michael said.
Its a fine mess, Emma muttered. Everyone else with kids gets a warm welcome flowers, presents, joy. And were treated like squatters, not even wanted to be seen.
That evening Emma called her own parents. The day after she and her son were discharged, her father drove up, saying, Pack up, love, lets get you home. Michael, bring all of Emmas things and the babys gear.
We were in the village in about half an hour. A tiny room already held a cot dressed in bears and bunnies, a dresser for baby clothes, and a comfy nursing chair. In the sitting room a table was set for a celebratory lunch. No strangers, just Emmas parents, her grandmother, and her little sister, Iris.
Michaels side of the family didnt turn up for the meal, but they were busy debating what to name the boy. They settled on Oliver.
After lunch Michael dashed back to London, promising to bring the rest of Emmas stuff the next day. When he returned, her father announced, Weve spoken with my sister and well sell Granddads house. The proceeds will go to you.
Well make it a gift from our family to Emma, on one condition: the house were living in now will pass to Iris under the will.
Emma agreed, and the sale was completed in three months. During that time Emma and Oliver lived with her parents in the village, while Michael stayed in his parents flat in the city, visiting his wife and son every weekend.
Another six weeks went into finding a mortgage, signing the paperwork and renovating. At last, on a crisp May morning, we moved into our own threebedroom terraced house in a leafy suburb. After a month of unpacking, we hosted a housewarming. Emmas parents, her friends, and Michaels mates were there; his own parents were conspicuously absent, having only heard rumours that their son had bought a place.
My son, you invited the countryside folk to your housewarming but never mentioned you now have a home of your own, his mother chided over the phone.
Isnt it odd that youre now keen to see our grandson, Oliver, only now that hes six months old? Michael retorted.
Its because hes our grandchild, she replied. When he was younger there was nothing to look at all babies look the same.
It feels like you were protecting your walls, keeping us out, Michael said. Now that we have a roof of our own, youre hesitant to let us in.
She fumed, I wanted to invite your wife and child to stay at the cottage all summer, but you never asked.
Ive got a holiday in October, shell be fine on her own, we wont be taking any money from you, Michael replied.
In the end, the only time his mother and sister actually saw Oliver was when he was two and a half, bumping into Emma at a shopping centre. They watched from a distance but never approached.
So I write this all down as a reminder: no matter how much you try to shield your peace, life finds a way in through the cracks. The lesson Im taking away is that pride and fear of inconvenience only build walls that later become prisons. Its better to welcome the chaos of a new life than to keep the door shut forever.
