Long ago, on a quiet afternoon, my husband returned from his mothers house, sighed deeply, and hesitantly suggested we take a paternity test for our two-year-old daughter. Not for me, he said, but for my mother.
A distant memory now, but I still recall the sting of those words. Half a year before our wedding, his mother had often warned him, Dont marry hershes not worthy of you! recounted Evelyn, now thirty, her voice trembling with hurt. Shes far too prettyshell wander! Back then, we laughed it off, joking that Oliver should have chosen a plain girl to avoid suspicion. But now, the laughter has faded. Theres nothing amusing about it anymore.
Evelyn never considered herself a striking beauty. She was just an ordinary girl from the outskirts of Manchester, no different from any other. Slender, well-groomed, and modestly dressed, she had always been particular about her relationships and knew how to command respect. Why her mother-in-law, Mrs. Winthrop, had decided Evelyn was flighty and unfaithful remained a mystery. Yet that woman had turned her daughter-in-laws life into a torment.
Married four years, they had a child together. Evelyn was on maternity leave, her days an endless cycle of cooking, cleaning, and changing nappies. The only people she spoke to were other mothers at the park. But her mother-in-law never relented. Convinced Evelyn was cheating, she watched her like a detective from a cheap telly drama.
She was always spying on me, Evelyn sighed, her eyes welling with tears. Calling, checking, turning up unannounced, trying to control my every move. At first, I brushed it off, told Oliver, and wed laugh. But its exhausting! Ive lost my temper more than onceweve had terrible rows. Shed calm down briefly, only to start again with fresh accusations.
The first scandal came months after the wedding. Mrs. Winthrop showed up uninvited at Evelyns workplace. No warning, no reason. She just wanted to confirmwas her daughter-in-law really working there? Or was she lying to her husband, pretending to be in the office while sneaking off with lovers?
Ive no idea how she even got in! Evelyn recalled, her voice shaking with anger. The building had securityvisitors needed appointments. I nearly fainted when the receptionist brought her over: Youve a visitor. I asked, Mrs. Winthrop, what are you doing here? And she replied, I wanted to see where you work. Then she stared around like a hawk! The office was open-plan, everyone at their desksnothing hidden. God knows what shed have done if Id had a private office.
Later, the receptionist, Beatrice, admitted Mrs. Winthrop had grilled her. How long had Evelyn worked there? Was she ever late? Who did she talk to? Was there anyone special in the office? She kept saying you were married, as if I didnt know! Beatrice added, baffled. Evelyn was furious. That evening, she confronted Oliver: Your mothers gone too far! Talk to herthis isnt normal! She didnt crawl under my desk looking for a lover, but I wouldnt put it past her!
Oliver seemed to have a firm word with his mother. For a while, there was peace. Mrs. Winthrop only called in the evenings, asking after them, sending homemade cakes. Evelyn began to hope the storm had passed. She was wrong.
The next incident happened when Evelyn was pregnant but still working. Struck with a cold, she took sick leave and was resting at home, her phone off, when she heard violent banging on the door and the bell ringing incessantly. I woke up thinking it was a fire or an emergency! she remembered. I looked through the peepholeit was her! Standing there with a wild look, kicking the door and jabbing the bell. I was too afraid to open it. I rang Oliver: Come home nowI dont know whats happening! He arrived in twenty minutes. She waited the whole time, pacing outside.
They scolded Mrs. Winthrop. Evelyn threatened to call the police and a psychiatrist if it happened again. Keep her away from me! she demanded. And again, there was calm.
Evelyn gave birth to a daughter, but her mother-in-law wouldnt even look at the baby. Later, the reason became clear. She didnt believe the child was Olivers. Of coursesince Im wandering, how could she be his? Evelyn laughed bitterly. The logic? In her husbands family, only boys were born. A girl, in Mrs. Winthrops mind, was proof of infidelity. I ignored the madness, Evelyn said. I dont speak to her. Oliver visits once a month, but alone. Perhaps its for the best. Id never trust her with my child.
Yet the worst was still to come. Until that afternoon when Oliver returned from his mothers, took a deep breath, and proposed the paternity test. Not for my sake, Evelyn, truly! he insisted, waving his hands. Ive no doubts. Its for herto settle her mind once and for all! Shes lost all reason, and Im the one who has to hear it!
Evelyn laughed, a hollow sound. For her? she repeated, her voice shaking with rage. You might as well admit you believe her! You know shell never stop. We could do three tests at different clinics, and shed claim the doctors were bribed, the results faked! I wont dance to her tuneIm done!
Its just a simple test, Oliver pressed.
Why bother? Evelyn stared at him, holding back tears. I know who her father is. Do you? If you need proof, finewell do it. But first, well file for divorce. I wont live with a man who doesnt trust me.
Her words hung in the air like a verdict. The trust between them had cracked, all because of a mother-in-law whose poisonous suspicions had seeped into their lives. Evelyn stood on the edge of an abyss, unsure how to pull her family back from the brink.
