You know, even though Emily was honestly the dream daughter-in-law and a loving wife, she managed to wreck not just her marriage, but herself too.
Emily grew up in a childrens homeshe was an orphan. She got married at just eighteen, totally clueless about what it really meant to be a wife and part of a family. She didnt even have any close married friends to learn from. So when she moved in with her husband, she soaked up everything about being the perfect wife, and her main source of advice was her mother-in-law.
Of course, Emily had heard plenty of horror stories about difficult mothers-in-law, but she thought since shed never had her own mum, maybe her husbands mum would fill that role and really want the best for her. And, in a way, Emily wasnt entirely wrong. Her mother-in-law didnt wish her any harm, but things just didnt turn out as Emily hoped. Her mother-in-law dove right in, teaching her the ways of a proper household. One gem she dropped was: If a husband cheats, its his wifes fault.
Emily was totally baffled by that! She used to assume that if someone cheats, its on them, but apparently not. In this playbook, the wife was always to blamesupposedly because shed let herself go and stopped being attractive to her husband. Her mother-in-law would encourage her to keep her waist as slim as a whippet, even into old age. So Emily jotted down dont put on weight in her notebook and joined a fitness class.
Emily was already slim and in good shape, but freaked out by the idea of gaining weight, she started dieting. Once shed mastered that lesson, her mother-in-law hit her with a new pearl: In a decent family, both people work.
Emily didnt argueshe actually wanted to work herself. She was happy to do whatever job came her way. When she asked how things should work when youre on maternity leave, her mother-in-law shot back, Thats your own problem and youll just have to figure it out!
Emily didnt bother writing that one down, but a few years after the wedding, when she went on maternity leave, she also picked up a part-time job as a childminder. Emily actually felt okay about it, but her husband and mother-in-law started moaning that she wasnt earning enough.
She figured it wasnt a big deal if she spent some of her earnings on a haircut, but then her mother-in-law delivered yet another rule: No need to get done up when youre on maternity leave! You can sort your hair and slap on some makeup when you go back to work, but now, you have to save!
So Emily would hand over all her wages to her husband. Honestly, you could see a patternthe constant wisdom from her mother-in-law: A good wife does all the housework herself!
So, Emily did. She did it all. She was completely exhausted all the time, but still managed to keep everything afloat on her own. Passing out from exhaustion became part of her regular routine. Most nights, shed finally settle the youngest to bed around nine, only to start cleaning and cooking for the next day. All the while, her husband would be napping for the tenth time, because, according to him, earning money was exhausting work.
Its really no surprise that Emily ended up in hospital. Shed been ignoring the aches and pains for so long, she didnt even notice she was ill until it got serious. She was in hospital for over two weeksher husband and mother-in-law didnt visit, not even once. Good job she had her phone with her. She rang her best friend, who brought her everything she needed and brightened her days. The moment she was discharged, Emily filed for divorce on the spot.
