Emily paced anxiously around her small flat in Manchester, phone clutched tightly in her hand as another overdue payment notification flashed on the screen. Her chest tightened with dreadhow was she supposed to feed her family now that her daughter and son-in-law were weighing her down? It all started when her eldest, Charlotte, just nineteen, announced she was expecting a baby and wanted to get married.
Back then, Emily had worked alongside a colleague, Margaret, a sensible and caring woman. Margaret was raising her two girls alone: Charlotte, nineteen, and little Sophie, only ten. Up until then, Margaret never complained. Charlotte studied hard at university, Sophie excelled in school. Both were well-behaved, model children, and Margaret was proud of them, despite the struggles of being a single mum.
But in her second year, Charlotte met her first love, James. The lad was from another part of the country, but after getting to know him, Margaret approved of her daughters choice. James seemed kind, genuinenot the sort to take advantage. Soon, the lovebirds decided to live together. To avoid renting, they moved in with Margaret. She hated the rushher daughter was only nineteen, she should finish her degree, stand on her own two feet first. But there was no talking them out of it.
Margarets three-bedroom terrace house was already cramped, and James moving in only made things worse. She gritted her teeth and bore ituntil Charlotte dropped the bombshell: she was pregnant, and they wanted to marry. Margaret felt the ground vanish beneath her. Her girl, barely an adult, was about to become a mum.
James didnt work. Like Charlotte, he was a full-time student, and neither wanted to switch to distance learning. Yet they planned a lavish wedding straight out of a rom-com. They booked one of Manchesters priciest restaurants, invited half the town, and Charlotte ordered a designer gown fit for a red carpet. Margaret tried to protest, saying she couldnt afford it, but Charlottehand on her bumpburst into tears:
*”Mum, would you really deprive your grandchild?”*
Clenching her jaw, Margaret paid for everything. She drained her savings, tightened her belt, even took out another loan. She hoped after the wedding, the pair would step upfind jobs, grow up. But her hopes collapsed like a house of cards. Charlotte and James stayed put, jobless.
Jamess parents gifted them a second-hand car. The couple cruised around like they were on holiday, while his folks covered petrol, knowing their son was skint. But everything elsefood, bills, clotheslanded on Margaret. The pair didnt even know the price of a loaf. When Margaret mentioned expenses, Charlotte rolled her eyes:
*”Mum, were studyingwhat do you expect us to do?”*
Charlotte refused to cut corners. She showed Margaret catalogues of prams and cotsthe trendiest, most expensive models. On her modest salary, Margaret felt sick.
*”Charlotte, I cant afford this! Ive got your student loan, Sophie to raise”*
*”Are you joking?”* Charlotte snapped. *”Youre about to be a gran, and youre fussing over money?”*
A quiet fury simmered in Margaret. They chose to have a baby, yet *she* was expected to foot the bill? She carried the whole family, worked herself to the bone, and still came up short. Charlottes student loan loomed over her, Sophie needed attention, and the young couple lived like they were in a fairy tale.
One day, Margaret snapped. She stumbled home after a gruelling shiftlate because shed had to shop for everyoneonly to freeze at the sight before her: Charlotte and James, laughing, flipping through a baby magazine, picking out a cot worth half her wages. Sophie sat quietly in the corner, drawing, while a tower of dirty dishes teetered in the sink.
*”Am I meant to do your washing-up too?”* Margaret barked, dropping her bags.
*”Mum, seriously!”* Charlotte huffed. *”Were busy planning for the baby!”*
*”Youre having the baby, but *Im* paying for it?”* Margaret shook with rage. *”Enough! Either get jobs, or get out!”*
Charlotte burst into tears, James went pale, but Margaret stood firm. She gave them a month to find even part-time work.
*”If not, youre moving in with Jamess parents. Let *them* keep you.”*
They tried guilting her, but Margaret didnt budge. She loved her daughter, but she finally understoodwithout boundaries, theyd bleed her dry. One evening, Sophie hugged her tight and whispered:
*”Mum, Id never do this to you.”*
Margaret smiled through her tears. For her youngest, shed keep fighting. As for Charlotte and James? Reality was comingand Margaret wouldnt be their safety net anymore.
