Many years ago, Margaret moved far from her parents to another city. There, she devoted herself to her studies, seeking a proper education. After finishing school, she met a man and, not long after, they married. Her sister, Alice, remained at home with their parents. Alice had married and divorced twice, but was left with two sons from those unions. Margaret and her husband lived in a small flat which he had inherited from his grandmother. In the early days, life wasnt easy for them; money was often short, particularly with a baby in their care. Still, in time, matters improvedthey managed to save up, eventually purchasing a two-bedroom flat. After careful renovations, they let it out to tenants.
Years slipped by. Their daughter, Emily, grew up and left for nursing school. Margaret and her husband planned to gift Emily the rented flat as soon as she was married, hoping to give her a good start in life.
Meanwhile, Alices daughter, Julia, began university. Alice and their parents soon started to ask Margaret whether Julia might temporarily stay in the letting flat.
Margaret didnt have it in her to turn her sister away. Julia focussed on her education, and later took up a job working in a tearoom. Before long, she met a young man; after only half a year, he proposed, and Julia accepted. To complicate matters, Julia was expecting a child. Margaret then had to be upfront with her sister: if her niece intended to begin a family, she would need to find another place to live. The young couple promised to search for somewhere of their own. A month later, Julia rang her aunt and begged to stay a bit longer, promising that theyd move after the wedding. By then, Emily too had fallen in love, but neither Margaret nor her husband could bring themselves to turn Julia and her unborn child out on the street.
The wedding took place, and not long after, Julia had her baby. After the celebrations, Margaret made it clear to her family that it was time to find another placeEmily would soon be married herself, and the flat was promised to her. Still, Julia found new reasons to delay: every flat was too dear or too small, the baby was poorly, or something else always came up. At length, Julia changed her number and stopped answering the door altogether. Even Margarets husband tried calling round, and afterward, Alice claimed his visit had upset Julia, so much so that she lost her milk.
Margaret and her husbands patience wore thin at last, and with heavy hearts and much commotion, they finally turned Julias young family out. The rift lingered; for two years, the family would not speak to Margaret, wondering aloud how she could be so cold-hearted as to cast her niece and great-nephew out on the street. Looking back now, Margaret often wonders if things could have gone another way, or if it was always meant to end as it did.
