Hold on, love! Youre in a new family now, so youve got to mind their ways. You didnt just drop by for tea, you married into this lot.
What ways, Mum? Everyones a right handful! Especially my motherinlawshes got it out for me, plain as day!
Ever heard of a kind motherinlaw?
Out on the town! Out on the town! Look at her go! Susan Parker was in the middle of the kitchen, face flushing with anger, eyes blazing. If a bloke goes out, the missus is to blame. Do you expect me to keep explaining everything to you?
The motherinlaw was in a frenzy, shouting at her daughterinlaw Emily like a madwoman, all because Emily had started suspecting her son David of cheating.
Emily, a delicate young woman with big, innocent eyes, leaned against the wall, trying to calm the raging lady.
Susan, this is absurd. He has a family, children Emily tried to defend herself, but Susan cut her off with a flick of her hand, as if swatting an annoying fly.
Is that your family? Or the child who wont let us near? Susan sneered. Your upbringing, by the way!
What upbringing, Susan? Jack just turned one. Hes still a baby Emily whispered.
A baby? Susan snarled. The Egerton twins are younger. Hes all over the place, not even listening, unlike you she waved toward the childrens room.
Hes your grandson, actually Emily replied, voice trembling. And children can sense when people are nasty. Maybe thats why he stays away from you.
Were the nasty ones? Youre a right joke! Susan shouted. Who do you live off, darling? Whose groceries do you eat? Whose money do you spend? Ungrateful!
Emily stopped fighting with her tempestuous motherinlaw. Shed told David a thousand times she wanted to live apart from his parents, but David, the spoiled son, saw no need. He liked staying at home, feeling safe like a lamb in the fold. He went to work calmly, while the elderly handled all the choreslaundry, cleaning, cooking. It wasnt a life, it was a fairytale!
Meanwhile, the nasty motherinlaw kept probing, trying to catch Emily in a mistake. At first Emily tried everything to get alonghelping around the house, listening to endless complaints about neighbours, supporting Susan in every little thing. But soon she realised it was all pointless.
No matter how nice and helpful Emily tried to be, Susan hated her openly.
I brought this useless girl into the house, as if decent girls didnt exist Susan bragged to her neighbour while Emily was out gathering the toys David had scattered, hearing every word.
She even drove all the way from the next village just for her! Our mums are betterhardworking and clever.
Dont even start! replied the gossipy neighbour, Mrs. Maggie, whod already heard every village rumor.
I get that you cant do anything, Susan, but your hands just arent right for this sort of work. Nothing you do will sort it out.
You have no idea! You cant trust her with anything. Shell lose it or break it. And that child of hers not right at all.
The Egerton grandson is a different storycalm, sensible. This little one keeps whining and fussing. Must be the genes.
When things became unbearable, Emily called her mother in the neighboring village, poured out her heart, and her mum replied:
Hang on, love! Youre in a new family now, youve got to respect their ways. You didnt just come over for a cuppa, you married into this.
What ways, Mum? Everyones a right nutter! Especially the motherinlaw! She hates me, its obvious!
Have you ever heard of a kind motherinlaw? We all get through it, youll have to too. Just dont show youre struggling. Keep calm.
Realising her timid mum wouldnt help, Emily threatened to call her father.
Dont go telling your dad! her mum panicked. You know his conditional release is short. One slip and hell be back behind bars!
Emily knew her dad, Michael, loved his only daughter fiercely. Hed gotten a short licence after a mishap at the local shop when someone insulted Emily. Hed never stay quiet if he learned his girl was being tormented.
I wont tell dad, Emily said. But if they keep this up, if Susan behaves like this I dont know what Ill do.
Everything will sort itself out, darling her mum tried to reassure. In a few weeks you wont even remember this chat.
Emily hoped she could forget it, but the relationship with Susan only worsened. Susan seemed convinced Emily was the cause of all her troubles. Even her husband, George, the tired old man, finally snapped.
Why are you always shouting at her? he asked one morning, when the argument had reached its peak. Shell leave us! Shed be right to do so!
Ill make her leave! Susan roared, pointing at George. Ill take every pound weve earned over the years! Ill even take the child so she wont grow up in this wretched family!
Emily knew Susan was spewing nonsense, but she was still scared. She still loved David.
Rumours that David was secretly seeing his ex, Oksana, turned out to be nothing more than village gossip, spread by old ladies like Susan.
If it hadnt been for Susans long tongue, the abuse might have never stopped. One day, after a victory over Emily, Susan bragged about her exploits to her best friend, Maggie, adding a fresh twist each time, then telling the same to another neighbour, and eventually to Michael.
Michael, a hulking man over six feet tall with broad shoulders, grabbed his axe, hopped on his old motorbike, and without a word to his wife, rode off to the neighbouring village to rescue his daughter.
Meanwhile, in Susans house a proper scandal broke out. The young mother left baby Jack for a moment to fetch a fresh nappy, and when she returned she found a little brown stain on the brandnew, brightorange sofa. To Susan it looked like a black hole ready to swallow the whole house. She stormed in like a thunderstorm, shouting at Emily.
Youve ruined my sofa! My favourite! Do you know how much it cost? Ill rip your arms off and stitch them back just to make you suffer!
Ill fix it, Ill clean everything, Emily pleaded, trembling hands clutching a cloth.
Clean it? Its brand new! How would you even know? You never buy anything yourself!
And you think youve bought it all yourself? Emily snapped, finally daring to call Susan out for living off her husband all her life.
Look at her! Enough of the cheek, youre being rude to your motherinlaw! Susans face turned scarlet.
Now wipe that stain, then march back inside with your son! Youll live here and stink until you learn some manners!
Tears streamed down Emilys face as she tried to scrub the stubborn brown mark. Little Jack, sensing his mothers panic, wailed at the top of his lungs, his cries only adding to the tension.
Susan towered over Emily, hurling every insult she could think of. She didnt even notice a stranger slipping through the doorway. It was Michael, standing like a monument, axe in hand, his grip tight on the wooden handle.
For a split second Susan seemed to sense a presence and turned, eyes landing on the axe.
She knew Michael was a hotheaded man, knew his past and his conditional release. Fear prickled her skin instantly.
Realising the situation was getting serious, Susan tried to keep her composure.
Oh, hello, Michael! Im just raising your Emily
Ive heard how youre raising her, Michael growled, stepping in barefoot.
He lifted the axe over his head, Susan flinched, but instead of swinging he rested it on his shoulder and reached for his daughter.
Come on, Emily, you dont belong here any longer, he said, leading her to the door.
Wait, Michael! Susan, still shaking, tried to regain control. What will I say to my son?
Let your son come to me when hes ready, with his wife. Ill have a word with him, proper mantoman, Michael replied, giving her a cold, short stare that said more than words could.
Michael took Emily and little Jack away. David hesitated to come for them, fearing a clash with his father, but eventually he did.
Michael sat down with David, his voice calm but firm, the axe resting on the table. He promised David they would live separately, that his mother would no longer meddle, and that hed protect Emily and his grandchild.
When Michael shook Davids hand firmly, David felt the weight of the promise and knew he had to keep it.
From that day on, Susan stopped talking to Emily and her grandson. She barely acknowledged them, even when they passed each other on the street.
David and Emily moved out and built a life of peace and understanding. Whether it was the oldfashioned advice of a stern father or true love, they finally found their happy ending.
