After five years of marriage, my brothers wife remained a complete stranger to usuntil a recent visit, which ripped the veil away for good. My brother, Matthew, had moved to Liverpool after finishing his studies, quoting plans to return home in a year. As fate would have it, everything changed. He met a girl, they married quietly, and just like that, Liverpool became his home for good. There were complications, and I wasnt able to attend their wedding. Only my mum managed to meet his new wife for a brief moment.
Years rolled by and there was never an opportunity to visit. But this year, Matthew rang to say theyd be stopping through Manchester on a multi-city trip, staying with us for a couple of days. I was filled with anticipation, hopeful about welcoming them into our snug little flator, if needed, into my aunts cottage, where they could have more room to relax. But excitement quickly soured. The very first moment I met my sister-in-law at the arrivals terminal, I sensed trouble. She started grumbling endlessly about the flight, dissatisfied with absolutely everything.
It didnt get any better when we finally got to the cottage. She turned her nose up at the shower and loo as though they were beneath her. Her continual complaints drove Matthew to whisk her off into the city, leaving my husband and me bewildered by her behaviour. When they came back for dinner, she grew fussy about the food, pushing her plate away after Id taken care preparing hearty English dishes for them. The only thing shed tolerate, it seemed, were vegetablesand even then, she eyed them suspiciously, as if we were trying to trick her.
As if that wasnt enough, the following day during a stroll through Manchester, she became visibly irritable, huffing and sulking like a spoilt child whenever anything failed to meet her standards. By the time it was necessary to drive them back to the airport, I breathed a sigh of relief. I simply couldnt fathom how Matthew had put up with her for five whole years. In just two days, her true colours had come blazing through.
