Helen herself only began acting coldly towards her stepmother after her marriage. The reason was simple: her mother-in-law hadnt contributed a single penny towards the wedding. The only comfort was that they wouldnt have to live under the same roof, as Olivias parents had generously gifted the young couple a spacious three-bedroom flat in Manchester. In contrast, Toms mother had provided nothing more than a plain and inexpensive set of crockery. Worse still, she hadnt even bothered to attend the engagement tea, sending her apologies with claims of poor health. Secretly, Olivia was relieved not to see her.
Family life went on quietly, until Margaret fell ill and could no longer manage alone in her tiny village cottage. Although Olivia wasnt keen on the idea of her mother-in-law moving in, there really was no other option. Margaret did her best to help around the house, but for Olivia, this only added to her frustrations. She disapproved of everything her mother-in-law tried to do. It was plain to see that Margaret felt awkward and out of place. Eventually, when her strength returned a little, Margaret chose to go back to her own home. Olivia hoped things would settle down at last, but tragedy struck soon after. Tom fell seriously ill and, heartbreakingly, could not be saved.
The grief that washed over Olivia was immeasurable. Then, as if her world wasnt upside-down enough, she discovered she was expecting a child. Through the difficult months that followed, it was her mother-in-laws support that held her together. Losing her only son was a blow Margaret could scarcely survive, yet she stood unwaveringly by Olivia, comforting her in every way she knew and reminding her that life had to go onthat she mustnt let hope slip away entirely. Olivia felt disoriented and terrified at the thought of raising a child alone, but with Margarets support, the future no longer seemed quite so bleak. Gradually, with slow and steady steps, things began to take a hopeful turn, and a year later, Olivia gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.
A year after that, Olivia met a wonderful man. Even so, she never forgot about Margaret, always taking the time to visit her with her daughter, never allowing her to feel alone.
