When William and I tied the knot fifteen years ago, my mother-in-law made it abundantly clear from the word go that we were never destined to be friends. We got married, but children seemed to take their sweet time arrivingten long years, to be precise. Then, just when wed nearly given up hope, fate surprised us with both a son and a daughter.
In those years living together, William was doing swimmingly. He was the director of a sizable company, so I could take maternity leave in peace and dote on the children without worrying about bills. Truly, it was rather lovely.
My own mum was miles away and couldnt help out, and my mother-in-law never thawed towards me, not once in those fifteen years. To her, I was just a nobody, a country bumpkin whod snatched her precious son. Shed apparently been hoping for someone far more suitable to end up with him. But William chose me, for better or for worse.
My happy little world toppled overnight.
One afternoon, after a stroll with the kids, I came home to find a bit of paper left on the bedside table. Just as I was mulling it over, I noticed Williams things had vanished from the house. Hed scarpered, leaving behind a hastily scribbled note: Sorry, but Ive fallen for someone else. Please dont look for meI know youre strong and youll manage. Believe me, this is for the best.
Naturally, I called my husband straight away, but was met with complete radio silence. He didnt pick up, didnt texthed vanished from our lives, leaving me and the children to get on as best we could. I hadnt the foggiest where he was, or with whom. In desperation, I phoned my mother-in-law.
Well, this is your fault,” she declared, sounding suspiciously pleased. “I saw this coming, you know. What did you think would happen?
By this point I was thoroughly bewildered. How was this all down to me? Had I done something dreadful? It was a bitter pill to swallow, and made even more unbearable by the reality of not knowing how Id get through. William hadnt left us a single pound, so I was thoroughly skint.
It wasnt as if I could just nip back to workwhat with two little ones and nobody to mind them. Then I remembered Id once done a nice bit of academic writing from home. Scraping by on that, I just about managed to keep things afloat for another half a year. In all that time, not a peep from William.
***
One chilly autumn evening, someone knocked at the door. Assuming it was just a nosy neighbour, I opened it. To my utter shock, there stood my mother-in-law, already snivelling at the doorstep. I invited her in, wondering what fresh drama was about to unfold. It turned out Williams young new flame was a con artist whod taken him for all he was worth, leaving the pair of them thoroughly destitute. My poor mother-in-law was now desperate for somewhere to stay.
She begged me to let her live with us. And now Im at a crossroads: do I forgive her, or follow their example and show her the door, just as they so recently showed me?
