Olivers parents were less than thrilled by his choice of life partner, and when gentle prodding didnt work, they unceremoniously showed him the doorhis own door, mind! Nevertheless, Oliver remained steadfast in his decision to be with Emily, whom hed met and quite hopelessly fallen for during his university days in Manchester. The trouble started because Emily was not from the hallowed social circle that his parents so dearly cherished; instead, theyd expected him to honour tradition and wed someone of their particular choosing, probably from a family with a coat of arms and a penchant for fox hunting.
When Olivers parents caught wind of their relationship, they didnt just lose their tempersthey attempted to physically separate the lovebirds, even manhandling Emily in a dramatic, villainous fashion worthy of EastEnders. Unable to stomach these theatrics, Oliver confided all to his mother, which promptly led to an almighty row and, rather shockingly, his father being booted out for daring to contradict the lady of the house.
With no other options, Oliver took up residence in Emilys flat. The pair wasted no time: within a week, armed with nothing but optimism, an umbrella, and £60 in savings, they tied the knot at the local registry office. Though hurdles were many (rainy commutes, landlords with dubious moustaches), with the cheerful backing of Emilys parents and her slightly eccentric Aunt Myrtle, they found their feet. Both got jobs, found a modest flat in Liverpool, andproving wild optimism pays offsoon launched a little business selling bespoke tea blends, which actually took off.
Success, however, didnt thaw the frost with Olivers parents. They remained distantso much so, they didnt even send a card when the grandchildren were born. Yet, Emilys lot made up for it, rallying round to help them buy a house of their own. With time and enough Sunday roasts, relatives from both sides started thawing, popping by for visits, and gradually mending fences.
Everything was ticking along quite nicely (or as nicely as it ever does with family) until the day Emilys mother-in-law, the infamous Mrs. Barker, got herself into trouble. One evening, Oliver and Emily returned from work to find their youngest son hiding in a corner, red-faced and snifflingGrandma Barker had thought a stern hand would coax the child into eating his peas. Oliver politely asked his mum to lay off, and for a while, she pretended to listen. The very next day, however, she was at it again, which prompted Emilyleaving behind the polite niceties of her former selfto firmly stand her ground. With more English fortitude than a cup of builders tea, she told Mrs. Barker that if she raised so much as a finger against her or the children again, Emily would be forced to take rather more decisive action herself.
Later, when Oliver and his father returned, Mrs. Barker wailed theatrically about her bruised arm, waving it about for sympathy. Fortunately, the little one bravely piped up, telling everyone what had actually happened. The truth firmly out, Oliver and his dad chastised Mrs. Barker. Having already lost her son for too long to her own high-handed meddling, Mr. Barker wasnt keen to see history repeat itself. At long last, Mrs. Barker realised where she really stood in the pecking order and sensibly chose to play nicely, putting an end to any more drama with her daughter-in-law and grandchildren. For once, there was no need for tea and sympathyjust a bit more peace and quiet for everyone.
