Every woman dreams of finding a decent man one day, building a strong family, having children, and being truly happy. But as they say, fairy tales don’t happen to everyone—and the harder you love, the harder the fall.
Emily was sure she’d met her soulmate. Even back in secondary school, she’d met Liam—tall, handsome, with a grin like a movie star. He swept her off her feet instantly. Friendship turned to moonlit walks, sweet nothings whispered under the stars… A few years later, they were a proper couple.
Her mum, Margaret, never warmed to him. She saw something lazy, unsettled in him. But Emily was smitten—to her, he was everything. She got into uni with solid grades, while Liam barely scraped into college. School never came easy to him, and soon enough, he dropped out altogether.
*”Mum, you just don’t get it! This is real love!”* Emily insisted, shutting down every criticism.
When Liam landed a job as a cashier at an electronics shop, he acted like he’d made it big. Never mind that his pay barely covered pints and crisps—he was fine with it. But Margaret wasn’t. She tried to talk sense into her daughter, but it was no use.
The lovebirds had a small wedding. They ended up in a cramped flat with Liam’s mates, an old shared place in Birmingham—thin walls, nosy neighbours, the lot. But Emily didn’t care—she just wanted to be with him. Liam half-arsed his work, shrugging off any responsibility. Emily turned to her mum for help more and more. Margaret never said no—groceries, clothes, even dipping into her savings.
Every time she saw her son-in-law, it set something off in her. He felt out of place to her—a stranger, weak. Not a real man.
When things got really tight, Emily asked to stay with her mum for a few months, wanting to save for their own place. Margaret agreed, reluctantly—but soon regretted it. Liam lazed on the sofa day in, day out, while all the work fell on Emily. She juggled studying and remote gigs, exhausted but still defending him.
*”He’s just tired…”* she’d say.
After three months, Liam couldn’t take the pressure and convinced Emily to go back to that cramped flat. At least there, no one nagged him. Her mum breathed a sigh of relief, praying for one thing—that her daughter wouldn’t get pregnant.
But fate had other plans. Liam lost his job. Emily, on the other hand, got a promotion, finally earning enough to get by. And soon—she was expecting.
Margaret was over the moon when she heard she’d be a grandma. But the joy didn’t last—she still couldn’t stand her son-in-law. And when Emily, sick of that tiny flat, begged to move back? Her mum laid down the rule:
*”Just you and the baby. Liam stays away. Not a step inside.”*
*”Mum, he’s the father of my child!”* Emily snapped.
*”And did you think of that before marrying him?”* Margaret shot back coldly. *”Let him sort himself out first.”*
Emily was torn. On one side—exhaustion, a newborn, no comfort. On the other—pride and hurt. She went back to Liam in that same cramped room, praying her mum would change her mind. But Margaret didn’t budge.
To her, Liam was an outsider—not the man she’d ever want near her daughter or grandchild. But what can you do? Kids follow their hearts, not their heads. A mother’s heart ached, but her decision stood.
Time will tell who was right. For now, two women—mum and daughter—learn to love each other from a distance, living with choices that don’t match their dreams.
So what do you reckon—was Margaret right? Or should she have swallowed her pride for her daughter and granddaughter’s sake?
