I want a divorce, Emily whispers, averting her gaze.
It is a chilly evening in London as she says it, turning away from her husband, Jamess eyes.
Jamess face turns ashen in an instant, a silent question hanging in the air.
Ill leave you to the woman you truly love, Emily says, realizing that the most important woman in his life has always been his mother. Im tired of being the second choice.
Emily feels her throat tighten and her eyes grow wet. The pain and years of disappointment surge forward, squeezing the breath from her chest.
What are you talking about? Which other woman? James asks, startled, staring at his wife in disbelief.
Weve talked about this so often. Since we married, your mother has been draining us financially, emotionally, and timewise. And you accept it all because her soup is tangier and her scones are fluffier. I cant do this any longer, Emily bursts out.
Tears stream down her reddened face. She mourns the clearcut dreams she once held: a promising fiancé, a respected career, life in central London that has always felt like a battle for her own happiness.
Five years ago, Emily nervously steps into the spacious living room of their flat. The furniture, the crockery, the décor for a girl who spent most of her life in shared houses and, most recently, a student hall, everything looks expensive and fragile.
How could I ever be lucky enough to find a man with his own flat? she had laughed, placing her hands on Jamess shoulders.
Just wait until I leave my socks everywhere and tell me how impressed you are with me, James teased.
Emily moves quickly into his world after they meet. Their romance blossoms, demanding a sequel.
At the time, she is in her final year of studying journalism at University College London, while James, five years older, works as a sales manager with a solid salary.
A year after moving in, they marry.
Soon we can turn the guest room into a nursery, Emily says one night, hugging James and hinting that shes ready for children.
A month later, an unexpected arrival halts their plans: Jamess mother, Mrs. Brown, stands at their doorway with two suitcases. She believes she has an excellent relationship with her son, at least from her perspective.
Her upbringing, defined by constant guilt and the demands of a singleparent household, has produced a man who feels indebted to her. She takes pride in Jamess achievements, convinced they are largely her doing.
Every payday, James repays debts for the flat, the car, and his childhood. Emily watches from a distance, rarely raising the subject lest she upset their fragile balance.
Where did you invest the money from selling your house? Emily asks while pouring tea, gently steering the conversation. Mrs. Brown hails from a small village near Oxford, where she inherited a modest cottage with a garden.
Each year James offers to help find a new place in the city, but his mother refuses to move. Suddenly she sells the cottagequickly, but for far less than its worth.
Partly for my future holidays, partly to fund my new venture, she explains.
Despite a hardknock youth, Mrs. Brown remains ambitious, assertive, and, at times, overbearing. Dealing with people like her requires caution; theyre known to bite back if you offer a helping hand.
Recently she discovers an online cosmetics company. A condition for continuing the partnership is a substantial monthly purchase of products. Mrs. Brown pours the proceeds from the house sale into this investment.
Ive decided it wont be a problem staying here, she declares, stirring honey into her tea.
Of course, we love having guests! Emily replies, hoping the arrangement is temporary. Ill ask my friend, shes an estate agent; she can find you a nicer place in a pleasant neighbourhood.
No need. Two flats are too many. Well save by staying with me, its fine, Mrs. Brown retorts, casting herself as the victim of circumstance.
Emily looks at James, expecting support. She bears no personal grudge against his mother, but sharing the household indefinitely feels unreasonable. James simply shrugs. Whatever works for you, he says.
He always sides with his mother, no matter how questionable her ideas, believing he has no right to object to anything she says or does. Her projects range from macramé to candlemaking, soapmaking, and creating photo albums.
Mrs. Brown sees a goldmine in James, who funds all the supplies and pays for her business while giving her a comfortable lifestyle. Since becoming a senior manager, James has never worked a day for himself.
His childlike sense of duty to thank his mother for his upbringing suppresses his own will, manifesting in disproportionate financial aid and blind agreement to every request.
Its astonishing how an adult, independent man can be so swayed, reacting to every manipulation as if he were still a child.
The guest room never becomes a nursery, and three years later little has changed. Emily now works for a publishing house, her articles appearing in the Family & Relationships section, where she dissects happy and sad stories from a psychological angleyet she cant bring clarity to her own household.
Her opinions go unheard, relegated to the background while Mrs. Brown continues to wield the familys reins.
Emily understands the dilemmaa only child of a single mother marries a man whose time and money are already monopolised by his mothera threat that can only be countered by focusing on herself.
Mrs. Browns mindset blends a sense of superiority with the belief that James owes her, a notion only James could recognise, but he remains blind.
The entire flat now smells of the cosmetics line, the bottles and jars crowding every surface. Mrs. Browns work yields no profit; Emily sees it as a hollow pastime funded by her husbands earnings and his mothers whims.
She raises the issue repeatedly, only to hear, Mum knows what shes doing, from James, and, Patience, dear. A tree doesnt grow overnight, from Mrs. Brown. Yet the tree has stood still for three years while expenses climb.
When Mrs. Brown suggests, Emily should also invest in the family business, Emily realises drastic measures are needed.
The final straw arrives on New Years Eve 2023. After a long stretch apart, the couple finally enjoys a date night, skating on the ice rink and then sharing a quiet table in a tiny café.
Emilys cheeks are flushed, her love for James radiating warmth that anyone nearby can feel.
James, are you happy? she asks.
Of course, he replies, clasping her hand. With you by my side, how could I not be?
I want a child, Emily whispers, leaning closer.
Right now? James smiles, kissing her hand.
That night they decide its time to welcome a miracle. Twentyfour hours later, Mrs. Brown bursts into their bedroom as Emily returns from work.
You cannot have a child now! she declares.
Shocked by his mothers audacity, Emily does not react immediately.
James still has the mortgage to finish, the car loan isnt paid off, Mrs. Brown hisses.
Its fear, Emily retorts, finally standing up to her motherinlaw. You think hell stop feeding you your endless whims if a baby arrives.
Mrs. Brown listens, then shrugs, muttering, James will see Im right.
Emily fears this may be true, his dependence on his mother so strong.
No obstacle can stop Emily from wanting a baby, but Mrs. Browns interference feels insurmountable, leaving her hopeful that James might finally see reason.
Late that evening, James admits hes lost; even his own thoughts feel tangled. Yesterday he was eager for a child, today he argues, Maybe its not the right time, why rush? Were not ready to provide everything a child needs. Emily knows this cannot continue.
I want a divorce, she says, the decision that finally cuts through the deadend their family life has become.
Jamess face turns pallid.
Ill leave you to the woman you truly love. Im not willing to be the backup any longer.
She can no longer close her eyes to the gnawing injustice. She has tried to talk since his mother moved in, but James never truly hears her, denying the reality.
Tears spill from her eyes.
What are you talking about? Which other woman? James asks, bewildered, staring at her.
Since we married you only say, Mum, Mum Her soup is sourer, her scones are fluffier. She runs our finances. I cant live like this any longer, Emily repeats.
James tries to understand, shocked at how they arrived here. When his wife finally falls silent, he sits beside her on the bed, looking at her tearstreaked face.
Is it really just about Mum living with us? he asks.
How can you not see? She has swallowed you whole. Youre not even your own man. Without my salary wed be scraping by. She forbids me from getting pregnant because she fears losing her generous income stream. Your mother is a good woman, but she must recognise limits she keeps crossing, and you enable her completely. You both suffer, as will any child we might have. Your debts are long paid off, Jameslive for yourself, not for your mother.
The conversation is uncomfortable, yet James asks for a chance, promising to sort out his relationship with his mother and set their joint future with Emily as a priority.
The first steps are hard: cutting off the large monthly sums Mrs. Brown receives from the nonexistent business, then telling her she must leave their flat.
A month later Emily picks wallpaper for the nursery. She gets along better with her motherinlaw than she ever did while sharing a roof. Occasionally Mrs. Brown drops by, still struggling with the change in her sons behaviour, but eventually concedes she cant keep the weight on James any longer.
Deprived of his mothers financial lifeline, she can no longer fund the cosmetics company and is effectively pushed out. She seeks a regular job and learns to rely on herself.
A year later they welcome a child, and Mrs. Brown, now content with a modest job, happily helps James and Emily. The whole family spends time together, and everyone feels joy.
