Nothing of Yours is Here
“I don’t want to argue with my mum, try to understand me,” muttered George.
“Then I’ll tell her everything myself. I don’t care what happens next,” replied Clara.
She was entirely fed up with the situation and had no intention of putting up with it any longer.
The whole problem was that George was incredibly easy-going, and his mother took full advantage of it. Unlike him, Agnes was quite a forceful character.
People used to say about her that she’d bite your arm off if you handed her a finger.
Oh, if only Clara had known this sooner, things would have been much simpler.
Some time ago
“How much do you pay for your rented flat?”
“Three hundred pounds,” said George.
“You’re out of your minds! That’s a fortune! You’ll never save up for your own place that way,” Agnes exclaimed.
“So, what should we do then? We can’t live in a shabby flat infested with pests and drunks,” Clara grimaced.
“Of course not. I’ve got a better idea.”
That’s when the mother-in-law proposed they move into her detached house. She had plenty of space, a total of four bedrooms. Choose any for living.
“Well, that’s not a bad idea. I like it,” said Clara cheerfully.
However, it was apparent from George’s expression that he wasn’t thrilled with his mother’s suggestion, but he politely said they’d think about it.
As soon as the couple returned to their rented flat, Clara started the conversation.
“What do you mean, ‘think about it’? What’s there to consider? George, we should agree. I’m tired of forking out three hundred every month. We genuinely won’t save anything at this rate.”
George just shook his head.
“Clara, you don’t know my mum! She seems friendly and kind at first glance.”
“Oh, come on, those are your childhood grudges. You’re exaggerating.”
Once upon a time, in his distant childhood.
“Mum, give them back, they’re my birthday money,” cried little George, who had just turned 10.
“Nothing of yours is here,” Agnes said sternly, moistening her fingers with saliva and counting the money.
“But I got it as a birthday gift.”
“Everything in this house belongs to me. Remember that, once and for all.”
George remembered all of it perfectly and didn’t want to live with his mother, but Clara wouldn’t back down.
Eventually, she pressured him with her arguments, and he had to agree.
To their surprise, they initially got on well with Agnes. She hardly meddled in their affairs.
But with every passing day, her demands started to rise, especially a month later when she realized the couple had settled in well.
Agnes demanded they not only pay for groceries but also cover part of the living expenses.
“Sorry, dears, but the bills for electricity and water aren’t going away. My pension isn’t elastic.”
“George, your mum’s right. I completely agree with her,” Clara nodded, continuing to enjoy her fish and chips.
Clara had made herself comfortable too. She never really enjoyed cooking, and now the mother-in-law took care of that. But this “restaurant” was getting more expensive by the day.
Yes, Agnes had no qualms about charging for it, and every month the cost just kept climbing.
“Clara, don’t you think we’re spending way more money than when we rented?”
“Why do you say that?” Clara looked at him with surprise.
“Just do the math yourself. Utilities, food, prepared meals, miscellaneous expenses. It’s definitely more than three hundred.”
“Perhaps…”
“I’m telling you, it’s true. Plus, we’ve been saving a lot less since we moved here.”
They decided to move back to their rented flat. However, Agnes already knew what to say.
“Oh, come on. Stay as long as you want. By the way, I still need help with the renovation here. I can’t afford to hire workers on my pension.”
True enough, the young couple’s conscience wouldn’t allow them to leave her in the lurch. And they’d been living there decently. They had to help.
Consequently, Agnes subtly hinted that she didn’t have enough money for the renovation.
“Have you seen the prices? They’ve skyrocketed over the past six months!”
“Yes, yes, we understand. We’ll definitely help, right George?”
“Yes.”
Agnes saw his facial expression all too well.
“George, is something troubling you?”
“Everything’s fine, mum.”
“Good, because I’m striving for all of us. So we can all live comfortably here.”
They ended up completing the renovation.
But not just in one room, in all four. Agnes insisted it was better to do it now rather than later when the prices might surge even further.
Next, she said outright they needed a new washing machine, and a dishwasher wouldn’t hurt either. After all, hands aren’t made of iron.
Of course, they bought her everything.
But there was a catch. The purchase of their own place kept being postponed indefinitely.
Two years went by.
George and Clara both realized that with each year, Agnes’s demands only increased.
If they lived apart, they might have already saved enough for a new place. At the very least, they’d have taken a mortgage, but things hadn’t gone as planned.
“I don’t want to fight with Mum, try to understand me,” mumbled George.
“Then I’ll tell her everything myself. I don’t care what happens next,” Clara replied.
She was entirely exasperated with the situation and had no intention of tolerating it any longer.
“Alright, I get it. I’ll think of something.”
And that’s when George came up with a brilliant idea.
“Mum, we need to talk.”
“About what?”
“Do you remember saying a whole house was too much for you?”
“So?”
“Perhaps we could sell it and buy us all a place—a flat each for you and us.”
Agnes jumped up from her seat and started yelling at him:
“Are you completely out of your mind? No way!”
“But why?”
“Because this is my house and I will live here.”
“And what about us?”
“What about you? Is anyone chasing you away?”
George realized that Agnes had a whole plan thought out from the start.
“No, but we want to live separately.”
“Well then, buy a flat and live. The fact you couldn’t save is your problem. You need to work more, George!”
“Yes, so there’s even more to give you,” George thought but kept silent.
“Anyway, stay if you’d like, leave if you’d rather. Just know that prices have gone up there too.”
Clara decided it was time for her to intervene, as George was failing to handle his mother, yet again.
“Agnes, we’ve invested money in this house, and George is right.”
“Go and prove it legally. I’m the owner here, and everything here is mine. If you don’t like it, you know where the door is.”
George and Clara ultimately understood that living with Agnes wasn’t the best decision. They decided to return to renting and start saving for their own place.
Now they were hoping to save at least for a deposit for a mortgage.
Agnes, on the other hand, had no complaints about her life. On the contrary, she invited relatives over and proudly showed off the splendid renovation. And, she didn’t have to wash clothes by hand or clean dishes anymore.
“The main thing is to make the right decision in time,” she said her favorite saying once again, and continued to sip tea with biscuits.
