My husband grew up in a large, traditional English family. My mother-in-law continued having children until finally, her youngest was a girl. Its a peculiar approach, yet it was never my place to pass judgment.
When David and I married, I believed I was fortunate. He appeared sensible, brave, and steadfastsomeone who understood the meaning of family. Yet, he simply couldn’t distance himself from his mother and his younger sister. My mother-in-law didn’t seem overly fond of her sons, but her daughters well-being was always her chief concern.
When I first met Emily, she was ten years old. At the time, she caused me no bother, but after about five years, she began to weigh on my patience. She shunned her studies, kept company with unruly boys, and my husband had to shoulder the responsibility for all her troubles. Emily wouldnt hesitate to ring him in the dead of night, desperate for help.
I had hoped Emily would outgrow her reckless ways, settle down, marry, and we could put the worries behind us. But alas, that was not to be. When she did eventually decide to marry, her mother insisted her brothers pitch in for the wedding, as she had no money to offer. The groom was of modest means and earned little, so the newlyweds ended up living under my mother-in-law’s roof.
Soon there was one child, then another Eventually, my mother-in-law realised this could not carry on indefinitely. That was when she hatched her schemeshe would move in with us and hand her flat over to her daughter. But how was it fair, I ask? I had saved and purchased our flat with my own pounds, while my husband hadnt contributed a penny. Curiously, he too seemed pleased with the arrangement, reasoning: My mother will be there to help you.
We have a two-bedroom flat. Yet I could not bear to surrender my comfort or share my home with another. My mother-in-law is firmly convinced that it is our duty to take her in, arguing that as the eldest son, my husband ought to look after the welfare of his parents.
I love my husband dearly, and divorce is out of the question. But how do I make him see sense? How can I explain that living with his mother would turn our home into a misery? I only wish someone could offer me wise counsel.
