Emily and her husband cherish their cottage in the English countryside. Yet, according to Charlotte, their daughter-in-law, theres nothing particularly wonderful about it. There are no modern luxuries, the lavatory is out in the garden, and endless hours are spent tending to the vegetable patch and greenhouses. Nevertheless, Emily and her husband live there from April to October each year. If it were up to them, the elderly couple would even spend the winters there, but making the cottage habitable for the cold months would demand hefty investments. Itd surely make more sense for them to go to a seaside resort for a holiday, Charlotte remarks.
Nearly five years ago, Emily and her husband asked their son and daughter-in-law to lend them a handand a bit of moneywith the cottage renovations. The young couple had a tidy sum tucked away in the bank, with no immediate use for it. So, quite happily, they lent the parents £10,000.
Emily and her husband assured them the debt would be paid back within two years. Shortly after the funds were handed over, Charlotte gave birth to twins. All through that time, Emily was her unwavering support. I truly cant picture how I would have managed without my mother-in-law, Charlotte reflects. She visited daily, even ignoring her beloved garden. My own mother couldnt help much, still working as she was. During those two years, Emilys husband tended the land by himself.
Over those years, Emily frequently brought up repaying the loan, trying to reassure her son and daughter-in-law theyd manage it. But as time passed, the talks fizzled out. Emilys husband couldnt work for a year due to illness, and she had already spent six years in retirement. Now, they simply cannot return the borrowed money.
A friend of Charlottes whispers, Lets just forget about the money. Emily helped us out, brought us baskets of vegetables and berries from her garden. Her friend agrees, Debts between parents and children just dont work. Yet, Charlottes own mother stands firm: They borrowed the money. They said theyd pay it back.
Caught between her mothers principle and her friends practicality, Charlotte wavers, unsure what step to take next. In the misty haze of her dream, she wonders, what would you do?
