For about a year, my son had been living with Emily, yet wed never met her parents. Something about that always felt off to me, so I decided it was time to find out more.
Ive always raised my son to respect women above allhis grandmother, his mother, his wife, his daughter. In my eyes, thats the greatest quality a man can possess: respect for women. My husband and I made sure our son had the very best upbringing and education, so he was well-prepared for life and everything it might throw at him. We didnt want to spoon-feed him, but, even so, we bought him a two-bedroom flat. He kept a job and supported himself, but there was never quite enough to afford a place on his own.
Now, we didnt simply hand over the keys. In fact, we never even told him about the purchase at first. Why? Because, by then, he was already living with a girlfriendand that was Emily. For almost a year hed been settled with her, but we had no knowledge of who her parents were. That just sat wrong with me.
Not long after, I discovered that Emilys mother had once been neighbours with an old school friend of mine. Through her, I learnt something that left me troubled. Apparently, Emilys mother had thrown her husband out once he started earning less, and if anything, the situation just got stranger from there. She later started an affair with a married manwell-off, but still married. As it happens, Emilys grandmother had followed a similar path, having her own affair with a married man. She even forced her daughter and granddaughter to spend weekends at this mans countryside house to help out on his farm.
Because of all this, my son had found himself entangled in one drama after another with his soon-to-be mother-in-law. The thing that disturbs me most, though, is how both Emilys mother and grandmother worked to turn her against her own father.
Emilys love for her father is clear, but these two women are poisoning that relationship, and I fear it might tear them apart. And as if that werent enough, Emily recently made the impulsive decision to drop out of university. Shes convinced a man should be the sole providersomething I understand, having raised my son to embrace responsibility. But goodness knows what will happen if they ever hit hard times. Whos to say what life will bring, and how will she help him then? For the record, Ive changed the flats ownership to my name nowIve raised a bit of a softie, truth be told. They say that whatever was acquired before marriage isnt split if they divorce, but Emily strikes me as the clever type who could leave my gentleman with nothing but his socks.
