So, let me tell you whats been happening with us lately. My husband, David, and I ended up leaving our old flat to our son and moving out to the countryside. He actually moved in with his mother-in-law and decided to rent out our place instead.
David and I got married when we were both 23, and to be honest, I was already pregnant by the time we tied the knot. Wed both just finished our degrees in Education, neither of us with well-off families to fall back on. Honestly, there was no rich uncle coming to our rescuewe really had to work for everything we have.
We both started working really early. Because of that, and I suppose the stress and not eating properly, I couldnt breastfeed, so our son was on formula almost from the start. When he was about 11 months, we had to put him in nursery, and he learned all the usual thingseating with a spoon, potty training, and sleeping without being rocked. It wasnt ideal, but what could we do?
In the beginning, we lived in a rented flat, then managed to buy a small one-bedroom, and eventually, after years of saving, moved up to a two-bedroom. Growing up in the countryside, we always dreamed of having a bit of land again, so a few years ago we bought a small plot. David went out there and, bit by bit, brick by brick, built us a little two-room cottage. We put in a cooker, sorted out the garden, and even bought some new furniture.
Honestly, life felt pretty good. Wed reached 46, finally in a place to enjoy ourselves. But, you know, family has a way of changing things. Our son, also at 23, decided it was time to get married. His fiancée, Emily, comes from quite a wealthy family, and the two of them had studied law together. Thats when the requests started rolling in: a fancy restaurant for the wedding, a limo, a posh honeymoon, and of course, a place of their own to live.
Ever since our son was born, Ive always felt a bit guilty, like we never gave him quite enough love. He was in nursery earlier than most, started school young, and David and I were almost always busy looking after other peoples children at work, just the way teachers often are. His grandparents lived quite far, so he mostly had to fend for himself. I suppose we tried to make up for it with giftsnice toys, new clothes, paid for his studies, even got him a car when he turned 18.
And now, we decided to support him with his new start too. All the money wed saved went into the wedding, and after talking it through together, David and I gave them our flat as a gift, thinking we’d help them avoid the struggles we had. Emilys parents pitched in with money too, though most of it went on her: furs, jewellery, you name it. Theyve got a massive house in the countryside, three stories high, with everything top-notchdesigner furniture, expensive cars.
As time passed, our son seemed to drift away from us. First, hed only pop over once in a blue moon, and eventually, he stopped calling altogether. Emilys brother helped him get a job at some big firm.
Then, by pure chance, we bumped into our old neighbour at the market, who let slip that he and Emily hadnt been living in our old flat for ages. Instead, theyd moved in with her mother and were letting out our place to someone else. David was so upset, you wouldnt believe. I did my best to calm him down. When I rang our son, he was almost rudesaid wed given them the flat, and that wed never really had much money anyway. He shouted about always having it toughest, even blamed us for letting him and his wife live a better life than wed ever had. It hurts to admit, but he said he felt ashamed, living off his in-laws while we were just ordinary school teachers.
In the end, David and I decided we couldnt just let things stand. We took some advice from a solicitor, who pointed out that since we hadnt made any official transfer of ownership, our son wasnt legally entitled to let the flat. The only ones with the right to rent it out were us.
Still, we decided not to take our son to court. Instead, we spoke to the tenants and explained everything. Thankfully, they were incredibly gracious and moved out without any fuss. So, were back in our old flat now. But, honestly, we havent had any contact with our son since. David is still really hurt, and so am I. Maybe, given some time, things will heal and well patch things up. Only time will tell, I suppose.
