Of course, I have only myself to blame! My friends sister was in tears, remembering it all. Never did I think things would turn out this way! And now, I dont even know what to do. How could I ever put things right and not lose my dignity?
My sister had married several years ago.
Following the wedding, it was decided that the newlyweds would share a home with the grooms mother. My mother had a spacious three-bedroom flat in Bath, and only one son.
Ill keep one room for myself and the rest is yours! offered the mother-in-law kindly. Were all civilised people, so Im sure well get along famously. And if it doesnt work out, we can always move! promised the fiancé at the time. I dont see any harm in trying to live with Mum for a while. If it doesnt suit, well get our own place
So thats what they did. But as it happened, living together was no easy feat. The daughter-in-law and the mother-in-law both made efforts, but things seemed to worsen with each passing day. Resentments built up, and every so often, thered be a quarrel, which only became more frequent.
You said yourself, if it didnt work, wed leave and get our own place! cried the wife one evening. What, its not working? her husband replied, a patronising smile on his lips. These are trifles. Hardly worth packing our bags and running away over, is it?
A year on from the wedding, the wife went on maternity leave and later gave birth to a healthy boy.
It so happened that the arrival of the grandson coincided with the mother-in-laws retirement from her job. She hadnt yet found new work, and employers werent eager to hire a lady of a certain age. So, the daughter-in-law and her mother-in-law found themselves cooped up together day and night, neither with anywhere else to go. With each day, the tension in the flat became more suffocating.
The husband rather washed his hands of the whole affair, being the households sole earner at the time.
You know we cant just leave my mother now hed say shes got no means of her own. I cant just abandon her, and we cant afford both a rented place for us and helping Mum. When she finds a position, thats when well move out!
But the young wifes patience wore thin far sooner than the mother-in-law found work. Eventually, she packed up herself and the baby and moved back in with her own mother in Oxford. As she left, she told her husband shed never set foot in his mothers flat again. If he cared about their marriage, hed have to think of something.
She was sure her husband cherished their family enough to try to get them back together at once. She was sorely mistaken.
More than three months passed since she went to her mothers, and her husband hadnt so much as tried to bring her home. He still lived with his mother in Bath, spoke to his wife and child over video calls, and only visited them on weekends at his mother-in-laws in Oxford.
Their marriage had, in truth, become little more than a visiting arrangement.
The husband now had the attention of two women: his mother doting on him, sympathising over the terrible woman whod abandoned him, and no nappies or night feeds to contend with. As for the mother-in-law, nothing had really changed for her shed lost nothing at all.
Meanwhile, the wife tormented herself with guilt. This wasnt what she wanted she loved her husband dearly, even as she recognised his behaviour was unfair.
What did you expect, walking out like that? her husband would reply coolly. Come back if you want.
But it seemed clear that he had no intention of leaving his mother behind not for a rented flat, at any rate. As the wife was still on maternity leave, she wasnt able to afford such a move herself.
Could this really be the end of their family?
Do you think theres even the faintest hope for this young wife to return to her mother-in-laws home and not lose face?
