Being the only child in the family, Ive never felt like the favourite, even though my parents always told me how much they wanted me. Now, at twenty-three, five months pregnant, I find myself doubting whether I am really their biological daughter. My parents are both in their seventies, and to make matters worse, our financial situation is dire. Were renting a small flat in Manchester and barely make ends meet. Both my partner and I are studying and working part-time, but the money we earn simply doesnt stretch far enough.
Weve had to borrow money from friends just to keep a roof over our heads on two occasions, we narrowly avoided eviction because we fell behind on rent. Were now deep in debt, struggling to afford proper meals, and constantly juggling overdue bills. Occasionally, my parents help out by dropping off groceries, but its never enough. Theyre keen for us to marry, so we went down to the registry office without much hesitation, hoping it might help stabilise things. Soon after, my parents started making it clear they wanted grandchildren.
Mum has repeatedly told me I need to have a child, warning me Ill end up like her if I dont. Given our situation, my partner and I never felt ready for children and certainly werent rushing into it, knowing how expensive it is to raise a family. Then, one day, my parents made us an appealing offer. If I agreed to have a baby, theyd give us their savings the nest egg theyd set aside so we could buy a small cottage in a nearby village. They would move to the countryside, and wed get to keep our city flat. My partner and I mulled it over and decided it was a good idea it would mean no more struggling with rent, and we could put any leftover money into essentials. Mum even promised to help look after our baby so I could continue my studies.
They also offered further financial support and said theyd help us buy everything we needed for the new arrival. However, now that Im seven months along, none of those promises have materialised. They havent bought so much as a single pack of nappies. Mum calls regularly to ask about my preparations for the birth I have nothing, not even basic baby clothes, because we simply cant afford them. She insists my husband should take on a third job to cover our costs. Whenever I bring up that they promised to support us, she denies ever having said that, criticising our choices and calling us unreasonable.
When my daughter was born, my parents suddenly recalled their nest egg and the old plan. But by then, my husband and I had made up our minds to buy a flat ourselves, realising we couldnt count on their support for anything.
