“Oh, Madeline, love! Come to see your mum, have you?” called Mrs. Wilkins from her balcony.
“Afternoon, Mrs. Wilkins. Yes, just popping in.”
“You might want to have a word with her,” sighed the neighbour. “Shes been ever so different since the divorce, poor dear.”
“How do you mean?” Madeline tensed.
“Well, Ive been having trouble sleeping, up at the crack of dawn. Saw her the other morning, around five, stepping out of a cab. And she looked lets just say, not her usual self. A bit worse for wear, if you catch my drift. The whole streets been gossiping. At her age! And why did she go and kick your dad out? Sure, he mucked up, but who doesnt have flaws? All those years togetherseems daft to call it quits now.”
“Thanks, Mrs. Wilkins,” Madeline managed, swallowing hard. “Ill talk to her.”
With that, she hurried inside. Her mum *had* thrown her dad out six months ago after catching him cheating. Madeline had begged her not to rush thingspeople make mistakes. But her mum had stood firm. And the strangest part? She hadnt slumped into depression, as youd expect. Quite the opposite. New clothes, dancing, nights out with the girlsthings shed never done before.
Madeline struggled to wrap her head around it. She herself was engaged, planning a family. And here was her motherout clubbing till dawn? What sort of gran would she be? How would she explain *that* to the future in-laws, when one knits tea cosies and the others sipping cocktails in heels?
When she stepped inside, her mum greeted her with a teapot in one hand and a beaming smile. No worn-out dressing gown herejust a sleek beige trouser suit. Manicure, pedicure, false lashesclearly, life was treating her well.
“So, hows Adrian?” she asked, setting down the cups.
“Fine,” Madeline replied, forcing a neutral tone. “But what about you?”
“Brilliant! Last night, the girls and I stayed out till sunrise. Dancing, then karaoke. What a laugh!”
“Mrs. Wilkins filled me in,” Madeline said darkly. “Said you rolled in at five looking well, tipsy.”
Her mum laughed. “What did you expect? Sipping chamomile at a bar?”
Madeline couldnt hold back. “Mum, dont you think youre overdoing it?”
“In what way?”
“Well, to put it lightly, youre not twenty anymore. Dancing? Clubs? Youre supposed to be setting an example. Youll be a gran soon!”
“Im a woman whos finally free. I wont live by someone elses script.”
“But you spent *decades* with Dad! How can you move on just like that?”
Her mum paused, then answered calmly, “Your father betrayed me. Not a mistakea choice. And I wont just be a glorified housemaid anymore. I want to *live*. For *me*. I spent years putting family first. Now I do as I please.”
“But youre nearly fifty!”
“So? Theres no expiry date on fun.”
Madeline realised shed gone too far. “Sorry, I didnt mean to upset you. I just care.”
“If youre ashamed, dont invite me to the wedding. But know thisI wont hide my grey hair under a headscarf or swaddle myself in frumpy frocks. Ill dance. Maybe even flirt. Im *happy*.”
“No, Mum, I *want* you there. Its just”
“Just Auntie Wilkins disapproves? Well, tough. Im finally living.”
Back home, she spilled everything to Adrian.
“I dont know how to feel.”
He chuckled. “I think your mums brilliant. She didnt wallowshe chose life. No crime in being happy.”
That weekend, Madeline rang her mum.
“Fancy a spa day, then cocktails with live music?”
“Wont I embarrass you?”
“Ill tell everyone youre my older sister,” Madeline laughed.
“Deal. But were not leaving early.”
That day was a turning point. For the first time, Madeline saw the steel in her mums spirit. And maybejust maybeshe had something to learn from her. To live not “as one should,” but as one *wants*.
