La vida
08
“Mum, he wants me to do it for him… He says all good wives can do it… So am I not a good wife? Please teach me… If everyone else can, surely I should be able to as well…” I’m still amazed my niece found herself a husband – all thanks to her mother. When Alina was little, my sister refused to send her to nursery school; as a teenager, she wasn’t allowed out and spent most of her time at home, turning into a bit of a recluse. When she studied at our local university, her mum made sure she was always home before six o’clock. At twenty years old, her mother was still phoning her at half seven to shout and ask why she wasn’t home yet. It was all a bit ridiculous. Alina met her future husband in her second year at university. They met studying in the library—he was two years older, shared his notes with her, helped her out, and before he knew it, he was in love. That was when my niece started to defiantly break her mother’s strict rules. Eventually, my niece married and her mother finally allowed her to start her own life. Now, let me tell you what happened recently. I was at my sister’s house when Alina called, her voice wobbling between tears and laughter so you could barely understand: “Mum, he wants me to do something… He says every good wife can do it… So am I not a good wife? Please teach me… If other women can, I should be able to as well…” My sister’s face changed in a flash, and she quickly told her daughter to calm down and explain just what all good wives are supposed to do. “It’s soup, Mum,” Alina said—and we burst out laughing. “Don’t laugh at me! You never taught me how to make it! I tried recipes online but nothing tastes right!” So my sister and I quickly talked her through soup-making step by step, giggling all the while. That evening, my niece rang to thank us for our help—her husband had paid her a compliment, the soup was delicious, and now, she said, she finally felt like a proper woman!
You know, I still cant quite believe my niece actually ended up finding a husband and honestly, I think
La vida
03
For about a year, my son had been living with Kate, yet we’d never met her parents—which struck me as odd, so I decided to investigate
For about a year, my son had been living with Emily, yet wed never met her parents. Something about that
La vida
012
“I Don’t Want to Be a Mum! I Want to Go Out! – My Daughter’s Heartbreaking Words”
I dont want to be a mum! I just want to get out of this house! My daughter told me, her voice echoing
La vida
013
That’s Exactly What I Did When I Found Two Cruise Vouchers in My Husband’s Pocket—One in His Mistress’s Name
Thats exactly what I did when I found two cruise vouchers tucked in my husbands trouser pocket.
La vida
024
“I Don’t Want to Be a Mum! I Just Want to Leave Home!” – The Heartbreaking Words My Daughter Said to Me
I dont want to be a mum! I want to leave home!my daughter told me, her voice echoing oddly through the
La vida
06
“It’s All My Fault, Obviously! My Boyfriend’s Sister Is in Tears—She Never Imagined This Could Happen, and Now She Has No Clue What to Do, or How to Save Face My boyfriend’s sister got married a few years ago. After the wedding, it was decided the newlyweds would live with her mother-in-law. The husband’s family had a spacious three-bedroom flat with only one son. ‘I’ll keep one room, and the rest is yours!’ said the mother-in-law. ‘We’re all well-mannered people, so I’m sure we’ll get along just fine.’ ‘We can always move out!’ the husband assured his wife. ‘I see nothing wrong with giving life under the same roof as my mum a try. If we can’t get along, we can always get a flat of our own…’ And that’s what they did. As it turned out, life together wasn’t easy at all. Both mum-in-law and daughter-in-law tried, but things grew worse each day. Resentment built up, arguments became a daily occurrence. ‘You said we’d move out if we couldn’t get along!’ his wife sobbed. ‘Well, we’ve hardly tried!’ replied her husband with a patronising smile. ‘These are small things—no need to pack your bags over it.’ Exactly a year after the wedding, she became pregnant and gave birth to a healthy son. The arrival of her grandson coincided with her mother-in-law leaving her old job and struggling to find a new one, since most bosses don’t want to hire a woman nearing retirement. So mother-in-law and daughter-in-law found themselves spending nearly 24 hours a day together, unable to go anywhere, and the atmosphere at home just kept getting worse. The husband shrugged and listened to the complaints—he was now the family’s sole breadwinner. ‘Right now, we can’t leave mum on her own—she can’t pay the bills. I can’t abandon her, and I certainly can’t afford to pay both rent and support my mum. Once she finds a job, we’ll move out!’ But the young woman’s patience ran out. She packed up her belongings and her child’s and moved in with her own mother. As she left she told her husband she would never set foot in his mother’s house again. If he cared about his family, he would have to think of a solution. She was sure her beloved valued his family and would return immediately to get her back. But she was mistaken. It’s been more than three months since she moved back home, and her husband hasn’t lifted a finger to win her back. He’s still living with his mum and only talks to his wife and child by video call after work; at weekends, he visits them at his mother-in-law’s. Now, the man enjoys attention and care from two women, and his own mother has plenty of sympathy for the son abandoned by his angry wife, but takes no real responsibility for their child. The husband is on easy street—and the mother-in-law probably thinks life is grand! Meanwhile, the young wife is utterly miserable. She still loves her husband, even though she knows he’s in the wrong. ‘What did you expect when you left?’ asks her husband, ‘You can come back whenever you want.’ She probably isn’t planning to leave her mother or rent a flat, as she’s on maternity leave and just can’t afford it. Is this really the end for their family? Do you think there’s even the slightest chance for her to move back in with her mother-in-law—and come out of this with her dignity intact?”
No need to say it this is all my fault! Ellie, my mate Jacks sister, broke down in tears. I could never
La vida
07
Ruined My Daughter’s Life: A Mother’s Regret
Emily, love, youre turning thirtytwo today! Im so proud of you, and Ive got you a little something, said
La vida
07
People Adopt Children from Orphanages – So I Chose to Bring My Grandmother Home from the Retirement Home None of My Friends or Neighbours Agreed with My Decision. They All Pointed Fingers and Said: “Times Are Tough, and You’ve Brought Someone Like Her into Your Home!” But I’m Certain, No—I Know—I’ve Done the Right Thing. We Used to Be a Family of Four: Myself, My Two Daughters, and My Mum. Sadly, My Mum Passed Away Eight Months Ago, and There Were Only Three of Us Left. In These Months, My Daughters and I Realised We Still Had Plenty of Energy and Time to Care for Someone. I Had a Close Friend from Secondary School Who, Instead of Settling Down and Building a Life, Drank Himself to Death by the Age of Thirty. Saddest Of All, He Spent His Mother’s Pension Money on Alcohol. When She Stopped Giving It to Him, He Simply Put Her in a Home, Took Her Flat, and Drank Away Her Life. I’ve Known This Woman Since I Was a Child, Just as She’s Known Me. Once a Month, My Daughters and I Would Visit Her, Bringing Treats and Homemade Bakes. My Daughters Reacted Enthusiastically to My Idea, and the Younger One, Now Four and a Half, Shouted with Glee: “We’re Going to Have a Grandma Again!” But You Can’t Imagine Just How Overjoyed This Woman Was with My Proposal! She Wept Tears of Happiness for So Long That I Had to Calm Her Down. Now, Nearly Two Months Since We’ve Brought Grandma Home, We All Absolutely Adore Her and She Loves Us. However, We’re Still Amazed by How Much Energy Our Gran Has—Even in Her Late Seventies. Every Morning, She’s Up at Six, and We All Wake to the Smell of Freshly Made Pancakes or Crepes.
People are happy to take children from orphanages, so I decided to bring my grandmother home from the
La vida
03
“Mum, he wants me to do it for him… He says all good wives can do it… Am I not a good wife? Please teach me… If everyone else can, then surely I should be able to as well…” I still can’t believe my niece managed to find a husband—all thanks to her mother. When Alina was a child, my sister refused to let her go to nursery; as a teenager, she wasn’t allowed out—she spent all her time at home and became something of a recluse. When she studied at university in our town, her mum insisted she be home by 6pm every evening. Even when Alina turned 20, her mum would ring at half seven and shout if she wasn’t home—ridiculous, really. Alina met her future husband in her second year; they studied together in the library—he was two years older, always shared his notes, helped her, and soon enough, he’d fallen for her and started taking her out. That’s when my niece finally began to rebel against her mother’s rules. In the end, my niece got married, and her mother finally let her start a new life. Now, let me tell a story that happened not long ago. I was visiting my sister when Alina called—her voice a mix of tears and laughter, almost impossible to understand: “Mum, he wants me to do it for him… He says all good wives can… Am I not a good wife? Please teach me… If everyone else can, I should be able to as well…” My sister’s face changed in an instant; she told Alina to calm down and asked her what it was that “all good women” could do. “Soup, Mum,” Alina replied—and we burst out laughing. “Don’t laugh at me! You never taught me how to make soup, I’ve tried recipes online but they taste awful!” So my sister and I quickly walked her through the steps, giggling here and there. Later that evening, Alina rang back to say thank you—her husband had complimented her soup, and now she says she finally feels like a “proper woman!”
Mother, he wants me to do it for him… He says all good English women know how… So am I not good?
La vida
04
This Is Exactly What I Did When I Found Two Cruise Vouchers in My Husband’s Pocket — One Was in Another Woman’s Name
Diary Entry Tonight, as I reflect on everything, Im struck by the twist of fate that changed my life.