Theres an old saying: Where theres kin, theres hassle. Ive watched it play out many times, and the tale of Emma is a perfect illustration.
Emma grew up in a tiny village in Norfolk. From the moment she could walk, she dreamed of leaving the fields behind. She never imagined herself as a milkmaid, a farmhand, or a shepherdess. As soon as she turned sixteen, she bought a train ticket to London and swore, Ill never set foot back in that backwater, no matter what.
She enrolled at a technical college, got a bunk in the students hall and, after two years, landed a job as a crane operator on a construction site. It was time, she thought, to think about marriage.
For three months, on weekends, Emma and her friends would go to the town park for dances. There she met a lad named Colin. He seemed just as eager to find a wife, so they didnt waste time with small talk they went straight to the registry office. A hurried letter was sent back to the village: Mum, Dad, Im getting married! Come and visit! Unfortunately, her parents couldnt make it; they had just given away their older daughter in marriage and it would have been too much trouble. Her mother replied, Well come later to see the grandchildren.
The wedding went ahead, and the ordinary days began. Emma moved into Colins cramped family home a threebedroom cottage shared by Colin, his mother, his sister with her son, his brother with his wife, and Emma herself. Despite the tight quarters and occasional resentment, Emma and Colin were happy. They were given the smallest room, but Mrs. Thompson liked Emma for being quiet, diligent, and never saying anything unnecessary. Her son was fortunate to have such a wife. Mrs. Thompson had five children of her own; two daughters lived with their husbands elsewhere.
The youngest, Lucy, caused the most trouble. She showed up pregnant, and her fiancé vanished without a word, leaving her to raise the child alone. Colin had to fetch his sister and her baby from the hospital, and the nurse joked, Now youll be raising your nephew for the rest of your life, which made everyone laugh.
All of them lived and worked together, but tensions rose when Colin brought his new wife, Susan, into the house. Lucy instantly hated Emma, snarling, She comes from some backwater and stole my brother! Emma never entered the arguments; she kept her mouth shut and let Colin think nothing of it. Mrs. Thompson kept urging her, Emma, dont be angry with Susan. Shes just jealous because shes alone and unlucky. Be kind, and dont tell Colin anything, or hell think of getting back at you.
Emma stayed silent. When Lucy shouted at her own mother, using the harshest words, Emma defended Mrs. Thompson, who was wiping away tears in the kitchen.
Soon enough, Emma gave birth to a daughter, Lily. Motherhood filled her with joy, but Lucys fury only grew. Daily rows erupted over every little thing. Emma finally snapped, defending her child like a tiger. One night, after a particularly nasty fight, Colin, in a flash of anger, grabbed an iron and swung at Lucy. The iron missed, and Lucy fell silent after that.
Lucy, meanwhile, had a string of shortlived suitors. She would often leave her son, Tom, with Emma while she went off on dates. She treated Tom as a burden, blaming him for her loneliness. In a fit of rage, Emma snapped, You should be looking after your own boy! Hes turning into a little hoodlum! It wasnt far off the mark; Tom, not yet nine, was stealing money, getting into trouble at school, and always jingling coins in his pockets.
When Emmas parents came to see Lily, they were shocked by the cramped conditions and the constant bickering. Emma, you should come back to the family home, her father urged, Youll go mad staying here. Her mother whispered, Come back, love. Harry from next door keeps asking for you and Lily. Youll find peace again. Emma replied, Mother, I didnt come to the city to end up back with the farmhands. Ill wait. Soon Colin, as an engineer, will get us a flat.
Three years later, Colins firm finally secured a proper flat for the family. Happiness overflowed. By then Emma and Colin had a son, James, and they moved into their own little nest. It was modest and a bit chilly, but it felt like home.
A year after they settled, Colins mother passed away. Lucy, now greyhaired, mourned bitterly, chastising herself for the petty fights and harsh words. She visited her mothers grave every day, closing the gate behind her and sitting on the bench for long stretches, whispering to the wind. People warned her, Dont lock the gate; youll be trapped there. She would reply, I dont care. Time softened the grief, as it always does.
Lucy eventually found a steady boyfriend and began planning another marriage. She invited Emma over for tea in the same cottage. They chatted, laughed, and as Emma was leaving, Lucy called her back, Wait, Emma, I need to apologise. I was jealous of you, all that time. I see now you truly love Colin. Im happy for you, and youre the dearest person I know. Emma, taken aback, smiled, You look lovely, Lucy, and Lucy gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek before Emma hurried home.
The next morning, Colins younger brother phoned, Colin, Lucy didnt wake up. She died in her sleep. She was only thirtyseven, with a heart condition. They buried her beside her mother, within the same walled garden.
For a year, fresh blossoms were placed on Lucys grave, tended by her wouldbe husband, who later swapped them for a large arrangement of artificial roses when the real flowers wilted.
Tom, now fourteen and orphaned, was left without a clear future. We tracked down his birth father, only to learn he had a new family and no room for Tom. Relatives suggested sending Tom to a boarding school, arguing he was a difficult teen and best left to the state. Colin refused outright, No way! We cant abandon our own family. As the saying goes, where theres kin, theres trouble, but well handle it. He took Tom into his home, and legal guardianship was arranged. The extended family sighed in relief, Thank God we didnt throw the kid out.
Colin, Emma, and Tom lived together, dealing with occasional theft, rudeness, and threats from Tom, but they got through it. Tom grew up, got married, and named his sons Lovell and Colin, after his caretakers. Relatives marveled, Look how well Tom turned out!
Each year, fresh flowers still appear on Lucys grave, now placed by Tom himself, a reminder that even in the tangled web of family, love and forgiveness can find a way.
