“Just bear with it, love. You’re part of a different family now, and youve got to respect their ways. Youre married, not just visiting.”
“What ways, Mum? Theyre all barmy! Especially my mother-in-law! She hates me, its obvious!”
“Have you ever heard of a kindly mother-in-law?”
“Out gallivanting again! Again!” Margaret stood in the middle of the kitchen, her face red with fury, eyes blazing. “If a man strays, its the womans fault. Do I really have to spell it out for you?”
The mother-in-law was in a rage, shouting at her daughter-in-law, Emily, like a madwomanall because Emily had dared to suspect her husband, James, of being unfaithful.
Emily, a slender young woman with wide, innocent eyes, pressed herself against the wall, trying to reason with the furious woman.
“Margaret, please, this isnt right. Hes got a family, children…”
“Family?” Margaret scoffed, waving her hand as if shooing a fly. “Is that what you call it? Or that child of yours who wont even come near me or his grandad? Thats your doing!”
“Henrys only a year old. Hes still a baby,” Emily replied softly.
“A baby? The Wilsons grandson is younger, and he comes to me without a fuss. Not like yoursalways screeching.” She flicked her wrist toward the nursery.
“Hes your grandson too,” Emily said, her voice trembling. “And children sense bad people. Maybe thats why he wont go to you.”
“Bad people? You ungrateful little!” Margaret shrieked. “Whos feeding you? Whos paying your way? You live under our roof, eating our food, spending our money!”
Emily didnt want to argue anymore. Shed begged James a thousand times to move out, but he was too comfortable under his parents roofno bills, no chores, just work and leisure. Meanwhile, Margaret treated Emily like a servant.
At first, Emily tried to win her overhelping clean, listening to endless complaintsbut soon realised it was hopeless. No matter how kind she was, Margaret despised her.
“Brought this useless girl into my house like there werent decent lasses about,” Margaret muttered to her gossipy neighbour, Doris, unaware Emily was listening. “Had to fetch her from another village! Our girls are betterhardworking, sensible.”
“Absolutely,” Doris agreed. “No skills whatsoever. Useless hands, always breaking things. And that child of hersodd, isnt he?”
When things got unbearable, Emily called her mum in the next town, sobbing.
“Just bear with it, love. Youre married now. You must adjust.”
“Adjust to what? Theyre all mad! Especially Margaret! She loathes me!”
“Since when were mothers-in-law kind? Weve all been through it. Just dont let them see its hard for you.”
Frustrated, Emily threatened to tell her dad.
“Dont you dare!” her mother gasped. “You know hes on probation. One wrong move, and theyll lock him up again!”
Emily knew. Her father adored her. Hed got his suspended sentence after brawling with a shopkeeper whod insulted her. If he knew how she was treated, hed never stay silent.
“Fine, I wont tell him,” Emily relented. “But if this keeps up… I dont know what Ill do.”
“Itll get better, love,” her mother soothed.
It didnt. Margaret only grew worse, blaming Emily for everything. Even her weary husband, George, finally snapped.
“Why do you always shout at the girl? Shell leaveand good for her!”
“Leave? Ill drag her through court! Shell pay back every penny shes cost us! And Ill take that childshes not fit to raise him!”
Emily knew it was empty rage, but it terrified her. She still loved James, even if rumours swirled about him and his ex, Lucylikely just village gossip.
Then Margaret, in her triumph, bragged to Doris, who embellished the tale until it reached Emilys father, Williama towering, broad-shouldered man not known for patience.
Without a word to his wife, he grabbed his splitting axe, still in his work coat, and roared off on his old Triumph to fetch his daughter.
Meanwhile, chaos erupted at the house. Emily had left baby Henry on the new cream sofa for just a momentbut returned to find a small brown stain. To Margaret, it was a disaster.
“Ruined! My new sofa! Do you know what it cost? I ought to!”
“Ill clean it”
“Clean what? Its ruined! Youve never paid for anything in your life!”
“Like you have?” Emily snapped.
Margarets face purpled. “How dare you! Clean it up, then get outboth of you!”
Tears streaming, Emily scrubbed uselessly. Henry wailed, sensing her distress. Margaret hurled abuseuntil she froze.
William stood in the doorway, axe in hand.
“Margaret,” he said, voice icy. “Ive heard enough.”
She paled. “William! I was just”
“Educating my girl? I heard.” He stepped inside, boots still on, and beckoned Emily. “Come on, love. Youre done here.”
“Wait!” Margaret spluttered. “What do I tell James?”
“Let him come to me. Man to man.” His glare said more than words.
William took Emily and Henry home. James, terrified of his father-in-law, hesitatedbut eventually came.
No shouting, no threatsjust Williams calm, heavy words and the axe on the table. James promised theyd move out, that Margaret would stay away, that hed protect his family.
When William shook his hand, James knew he meant every word.
From then on, Margaret avoided Emily and Henry. James and Emily lived apart, finally in peacewhether from love or fear, no one could say.
