An Eye for an Eye: Payback for Indifference
In a cosy town by the River Thames, Margaret Whitmore spent years trying to be the perfect mother and mother-in-law. She sacrificed her time, energy, and money for the happiness of her son and his wife. But their indifference and ingratitude shattered her heart. When her daughter-in-law desperately begged for help, Margaret refused for the first time, deciding it was time to repay them in kind. Now she wonders: Is her revenge justified, or is it the beginning of the end for their family ties?
Not long ago, the phone rang—her daughter-in-law, Natalie, was calling. Her voice trembled weakly: “Margaret, please, come over! I’ve got a high fever, my throat is raw from strep. I feel awful! Could you look after Sophie, just for a bit?” Sitting in her London flat, Margaret replied coolly, “Sorry, Natalie, I can’t. I’m at the cottage in the countryside and won’t be back anytime soon.” She hung up, feeling a bitter mix of resentment and grim satisfaction.
When Margaret told her neighbour, Elizabeth, about it, the woman gasped. “Maggie, what are you doing? You’re right here in town, not at the cottage! Natalie’s really struggling—Sophie’s only three months old! How could you do this?” Margaret frowned. “My granddaughter, yes, three months old. But Natalie deserves this. Five years I’ve tried to be her friend. I gave them a fortune for their wedding, helped with the house renovation, furnished their flat. Did they ever say thank you? No! All they do is splurge on designer clothes, new phones, and fancy holidays!”
Her voice shook with hurt as she continued. “When Natalie was pregnant, I took her to the best doctors, even carried her test results to the clinic myself. I brought homemade meals to the hospital, scrubbed their flat spotless before they came home. And what did I get? Not a word of gratitude! They took it all for granted, as if I owed them.” Elizabeth sighed. “Maggie, kids often act like that—they assume parents should help.” But Margaret shook her head. “Should they? When I asked for help, they turned their backs!”
Only once had Margaret asked her son, William, for support. She was returning from a visit to her sister in Manchester, hauling heavy bags. “Will, could you meet me at the station, please?” she asked. William agreed, but an hour later, Natalie called. “Margaret, just take a cab. Will would have to take time off work, and it’s not convenient. The train’s too early—he’d be exhausted afterward.” Margaret choked back her fury. “They found time when Natalie and the baby needed a hospital trip! But not for me?” she ranted to Elizabeth.
“Natalie’s right—you can’t just skip work,” Elizabeth soothed. “William supports his family. He can’t risk his job.” But Margaret disagreed. “He could have! I rarely ask, and they didn’t even call to check if I got home safely. Those bags were backbreaking—I couldn’t carry them alone. Strangers helped me off the train, and I had to hire a porter. A cab driver, a complete stranger, carried them to my door! But my own son and his wife abandoned me!” Tears welled up, but her voice hardened. “That’s when I decided: Enough. No more help from me.”
Elizabeth shook her head. “Maggie, but the baby’s done nothing wrong.” Margaret fell silent, guilt pricking her, but her anger ran deeper. “They’ve grown spoiled, Liz. I’m expected to jump at their every call, but they give me nothing? That’s not fair. Let them see how it feels to be ignored.” She remembered how proud she’d been of William, how she’d dreamed of a close family with Natalie. But every effort was met with coldness, every kindness taken for granted. Now she vowed: If they didn’t appreciate her, she’d treat them the same.
Night after night, Margaret lay awake, torn between rage and regret. She pictured little Sophie crying in her crib, Natalie burning up with fever. Her heart ached, but the memory of William and Natalie’s betrayal drowned out pity. “They chose this path,” she whispered into the dark, tears rolling down her cheeks. She knew her choice might sever ties with her son and granddaughter forever—but it was too late to turn back. “Justice must be served,” she muttered, though deep down, she feared that justice would leave her utterly alone.
Margaret stared out the window at the snowy streets, wondering: Had she done the right thing? Her heart was split—part of her wanted to punish them, part of her dreaded losing them completely. She remembered the joy she’d felt when Sophie was born, how she’d longed to dote on her. But her son and daughter-in-law’s indifference had killed that joy. Now she waited for them to reach out—but the phone stayed silent. “Do you agree with me?” she asked herself, and no answer came.
