“I’ll be living with you to make sure everything goes smoothly,” said the mother-in-law, handing her suitcase to her son before bustling off to tidy up.
Emily and George had been happily married for five years. They hadn’t rushed into having children, wanting to approach the decision thoughtfully. And so, on their wedding anniversary, they finally made an important decision.
“I’m ready,” Emily said with a smile. “I really want a baby.”
“I think it’s the perfect time!” George replied. He had landed a well-paying job, and the apartment renovations were complete, so nothing seemed to stand in the way of their first child. However, conceiving wasn’t immediate. They had to undergo examinations, visit doctors, and even explore alternative medicine, as suggested by George’s mother, who noticed that her daughter-in-law was yet to bring George the news of a positive pregnancy test.
Upon hearing they planned to have a child, Margaret Jenkins became actively involved in her son and daughter-in-law’s lives. Her calls and questions were endless over the weekends:
“When is it happening?”
“Still no luck?”
“You’re doing it wrong!”
“You need guidance!”
It ultimately led to Margaret visiting and insisting, “Here’s the herbalist’s address. She expects you tomorrow.”
“Margaret, I’m skeptical of such things. We’ll figure it out the traditional way.”
“I know all about your so-called traditional methods! You’ll spend a fortune on doctors with no results!”
“I’m a believer and won’t see a herbalist,” Emily replied. Margaret pursed her lips but said nothing, leaving Emily thinking the matter had ended. However, Margaret had other plans. She talked to George about miraculous solutions and promised quick results, insisting on her way.
George surprisingly quickly took his mother’s side and pressured Emily.
“Just go. There’s nothing harmful about it. She’s just an herbalist, not a witch. Don’t be stubborn. Mom wouldn’t suggest anything bad,” he said, practically forcing Emily to visit the herbalist.
Emily reluctantly complied. She didn’t want any conflict, understanding both Margaret and George were trying to help for the greater good.
Emily found the herbalist unpleasant. The woman murmured something, sprinkled Emily with some liquid, and then handed her a bag of some concoction.
“Take one once a day.”
“Thank you,” Emily said, hurrying to leave. She saw the trash bins outside and considered throwing everything away immediately, but noticed the woman watching from the window. Realizing she was being observed, Emily headed home, determined to convince her family she had followed their advice. She had no intention of taking the “prescription.” Emily placed the packet on a shelf and shut the cupboard.
Despite the remedy remaining untouched, Emily discovered she was expecting about a month after visiting the herbalist. She chalked it up to coincidence, since she hadn’t taken any herbs and continued with the treatments prescribed by her doctor. Meanwhile, Margaret took credit for the success, convincing George that his wife’s pregnancy was due to her intervention. Believing her daughter-in-law had taken the advice, Margaret decided she now had a say in all matters.
Margaret believed that her age and experience entitled her to the final word on any issue, even those that didn’t concern her. Her unsolicited advice ranged from influencing Emily’s diet to demanding bedtime schedules. Her attention and “care” reached absurd levels. Once, nearly at midnight, as the couple watched their favorite movie by candlelight, there was a knock at the door.
Margaret had traveled across the city to ensure Emily was following her bedtime routine.
“What’s this?! Did you eat takeaway food?!” she barged into the room, grabbing everything on the table. There lay Emily’s favorite sushi and rice noodles.
“Margaret, what are you doing?!” Emily tried to salvage her last plate of sushi, but her mother-in-law launched into a tirade about such food being unsuitable for pregnant women.
“George, why did you let her eat this? Honestly, she might not know better, but you should! Eating at this hour isn’t good even for the healthy!”
“Pregnancy isn’t an illness!” Emily objected, only to be bombarded with counterarguments.
George had already eaten his share, so he was less bothered about the missing food. He thought perhaps his mom was right and avoided raw fish due to the potential risks to their baby.
“Okay, Mom, we won’t order it again. Sorry.”
“Sorry?! So your mother calls me foolish, and you apologize to her?” Emily exclaimed, tears rolling down her cheeks. George tried to comfort her as Margaret left quietly, taking a bag full of food with her.
“Let’s forget this misunderstanding. You know she means well?”
“No. I don’t understand. I don’t like her meddling in everything! Other pregnant women crave chalk or bizarre combinations like pickles with chocolate! And I can’t eat what I love?”
“You can, of course. Here’s the deal: I’ll go to the supermarket now and buy whatever you wish.”
“Fine. Buy me the same sushi that was on my table before your mother arrived.”
“No. Anything but the sushi.”
Emily ran off crying. The evening was ruined.
So were other evenings when Margaret showed up uninvited, enforcing her rules in their home. Once, she arrived during the day when only Emily was home. She had left work early, feeling unwell. On the way, she felt better, as is often the case. Emily craved food and bought herself a yogurt and a pastry. She nearly choked on the pastry when she found Margaret waiting at the door.
“Margaret?! What brings you here?!”
“George said you have morning sickness,” Margaret eyed the pastry. “No wonder. Eating on the run, and the cheapest stuff at that. What even is this? A ham and cheese roll? Give it here!” Margaret tried to snatch the roll, nearly leading to a scuffle, which a neighbor broke up.
“What’s going on, ladies? Fighting over scraps?”
“Oh, she’s new to this, unsure of what’s good or bad. We were just kidding,” Margaret instantly softened.
“Oh yes, the young ones today think they know it all…”
The women found common ground, discussing their children, while Emily brushed off crumbs and entered her flat, locking the door tightly. Margaret realized she’d been shut out and knocked, but Emily wouldn’t let her in.
Margaret raised a fuss in the hallway. George arrived, and another argument ensued.
Once more, Margaret left quietly while Emily cried, demanding fairness. But George, influenced by his mother, chalked up the drama to raging hormones. As the due date neared, the atmosphere grew tenser, and Margaret’s “care” more overbearing.
Emily, stressed to the point of health issues, decided to speak with her husband.
“George, I know you love your mom, and she loves you… but I don’t want her in our home…” Emily started but didn’t finish. She heard a key turn in the lock, frightened since only she and George had keys. “Are we being robbed?!”
But instead of burglars, it was Margaret in the hallway with a suitcase.
Emily found herself almost preferring burglars to her mother-in-law.
“How did you unlock the door?” she managed to ask.
“With a key. Your husband gave it to me,” Margaret bragged. “He’s worried about you, and you wouldn’t let me in. That won’t do. In the last months of pregnancy, it’s vital to have access in case you can’t open the door. Plus, we decided you need help, both moral and physical. Soon, my grandson will be here, and I’ll be here to take care of him. Until then, I’ll ensure everything’s in order,” Margaret said, handing her suitcase to George before making her way into the room.
“Well, there we have it. More unhealthy food, destined for the bin. From now on, I’ll oversee your meals and drinks. I’ve brought broth for lunch, and some herbal tincture from the herbalist. Drink it now,” demanded Margaret, leaving no room for disobedience.
Emily looked to her husband for answers, but he simply smiled and patted her shoulder.
“Mom’s right. It’s for the best, dear.”
