“No. Weve decided its best if you dont bring your wife and child into this flat. We wont tolerate the inconvenience for long, and in the end, well have to ask you to leave. And then your wife will go around telling everyone we threw you out with a baby onto the streets.”
“Emily, you look awful. Whats happened?” asked the neighbour.
“Oliver said the landlady told us to move out. Immediately. Apparently, she rented the flat to a couple without children, but now were planning to bring in a baby. Hell cry at night, the neighbours will complain, and she doesnt want any trouble.”
“So, youve got nowhere else to go?”
“Olivers parents have a three-bedroom house, but his younger sister still lives there. And my parents are in the villagetwenty miles from the city,” Emily replied.
“Well, stay with your in-laws for a week or two while you find a new place,” the woman suggested.
“Olivers already been looking. But the moment landlords hear about a baby, they say no.”
“Thats tough. But youve still got two daysyour husband will figure something out.”
Yet Oliver didnt. After a few calls ended in rejection, he simply moved their things from the rented flat to his parents house.
But his parents and younger sister werent thrilled about his family moving inespecially with such a noisy addition.
“Son, you know we agreed even before your wedding that you and your wife wouldnt live here,” his mother said. “Youre welcome to stay in your old room, but we dont want strangers in our home.”
“Emily isnt a strangershes my wife!”
“Not to us. You chose her; we didnt.”
“Mum, its only temporaryuntil we find somewhere decent,” Oliver pleaded.
“You know what they saynothings more permanent than a temporary arrangement. First, itll be a week, then a month, and before we know it, itll be forever.”
“No. Besides, your father and I work, and your sister is studying. We all need proper rest. With a baby in the house, thats impossibleno speaking loudly, no telly, and waking up at all hours to crying.”
“Well find somewhere as fast as we can,” Oliver promised.
“No. Weve decided its best if you dont bring your wife and child here. We wont tolerate the inconvenience, and well end up asking you to leave.”
“And then your wife will tell everyone we threw you out with a baby. Thatll ruin our reputation, and I wont have people gossiping about us. So dont even think of bringing Emily and the child here. Sort it out another way.”
With that news, Oliver went to the hospital.
“Listen, Emily, maybe you and the baby could stay with your parents for a while?” he asked.
“Does your mother even want to see her grandchild?” Emily said, surprised.
“Dont know. She said not to come,” Oliver admitted.
“Lovely! Other women get welcomed home with flowers, gifts, and joy. Meanwhile, were treated like strays. No one even wants to look at us.”
That evening, she called her parents, and on the day she and the baby were discharged, her father came to meet themalongside Oliver.
“Pack up, love. Were taking you and the little one home,” her father said, then turned to Oliver. “Bring Emilys things and whatever youve bought for the baby.”
The drive to the village took barely half an hour. Everything was readya cot with teddy bear sheets, a changing table, and a rocking chair for feeding. In the living room, a celebratory meal awaited them, with just her parents, grandmother, and younger sister, Charlotte.
No one mentioned Olivers family over dinner. Instead, they debated what to name the boy. They settled on William.
Oliver left for the city after the meal, promising to bring Emilys things the next day. When he returned, there was good news.
“Emily, Oliver,” her father said once the family gathered. “Your mother and I discussed it, and well sell Grans house to help you buy a place.”
“Well give the money as a gift to Emily, on one conditionthis house goes to Charlotte in the will. Emily, are you fine with that?”
“Of course.”
“Then Ill list it tomorrow,” her father said.
The house sold in three months. All that time, Emily and William stayed in the village while Oliver lived with his parents, visiting on weekends.
Another six weeks passedsearching for a flat, sorting the mortgage, and renovating.
Finally, the day came. Emily, Oliver, and little William moved into their own home. A month later, settled in, they threw a housewarming party, inviting Emilys family and their friends. Olivers parents werent theretheyd only heard about the flat by chance.
When Oliver collected his things, his mother assumed they were moving to another rental.
“So, you invite your wifes country family but dont tell us youve bought a place? You couldve invited us!”
“Besides, weve not even met our grandson. This isnt how family behaves,” she scolded over the phone.
“And refusing to take in my wife and newbornwas that how family behaves?” Oliver shot back.
“Were olderwe need peace,” she said. “But now wed love to visit.”
“Really? Williams nearly six months old. Funny how youve only just decided to care.”
“Nonsense. Babies all look the same at that age.”
“But I think the real reason is you were terrified wed move in. Now that weve got our own place, suddenly youre desperate to visit? No. Were not ready to see you.”
“So youre holding a grudge?” his mother snapped. “I was going to invite them to spend summer at the cottagefresh air is good for babies.”
“Suddenly? Or do you just need a free gardener?”
“Dont be ridiculous! Wed only ask her to water the plantspick a few cucumbers.”
“No. If we want fresh air, Emily will take William to her parents. You manage on your own.”
Olivers mother and sister first saw William at two and a halfby chance, in a shopping centre. They watched from afar but didnt approach.
Some “grandmothers” and “mothers” they turned out to be.
