The car came to an abrupt stop. Alex, a serious young man, found himself acting out of character by offering a lift to a stranger—a girl waving for a ride by the roadside.
The cottage where Alex and his mother lived was located about 10 miles from the town. Living there during the summer was a delight. Alex would head out to work around 7 AM when the roads were empty and the surrounding woods filled him with pleasant thoughts and memories.
The girl jogged to the car and peered through the open window, beaming.
“Hello,” she practically sang, “Could you give me a lift to town?”
“Aren’t you worried about getting into a car with a stranger in the middle of a forest?” Alex asked with an involuntary smile.
“Oh, I’m not worried about you,” she replied. “With a car like this and such kind eyes, why would you want to do anything bad?”
Alex burst into laughter. He hadn’t encountered such simplicity and innocence in a long while, and honestly believed it no longer existed.
Growing up in the countryside, Leslie was open and trusting. So when Alex proposed three weeks after they met, she agreed without hesitation. He seemed so respectable and charming.
“Just like Aunt Noreen predicted,” Leslie thought quietly to herself, holding Alex’s hand and glancing apprehensively at his mother, who received the news of their upcoming wedding as if it were a mild earthquake.
After the wedding, Leslie and Alex moved to his apartment in the city. Living at the cottage was not very convenient, and Alex’s mother wasn’t particularly fond of her daughter-in-law.
“I’m amazed at your choice, son,” Victoria often remarked when Alex visited. “Was this country beauty the only suitable option you found?” She would sigh, melodically shaking her elegantly styled hair.
Alex would smile, choosing not to argue. He didn’t want to explain how content he felt within his small and cozy family. His mother, a reserved and steely lady, found Leslie’s warmth and affection to be an unexpected yet welcome complement blending the qualities of both a mother and wife.
A few years passed, and Leslie gave birth to a delightful baby girl they named Maisie. Leslie adored her, and even Victoria began to warm up over time. She saw how Leslie lovingly cared for her son and wisely raised her granddaughter. Despite being a firm and somewhat cynical woman, Victoria could acknowledge her errors.
Therefore, Alex wasn’t surprised when one day his mother extended an olive branch, inviting Leslie and her granddaughter for a stay at the cottage.
“Lex, I’m scared of her,” Leslie fretted, seeking any excuse not to visit her mother-in-law.
“Oh, she won’t bite you,” Alex laughed, kissing Leslie gently on the neck.
“She will, and she’ll have Maisie for dessert. Then you’ll be left lamenting and shedding tears when it’s too late,” Leslie concluded theatrically, shedding a sentimental tear.
But none of it worked. Alex took the basket of food from Leslie, loaded the cheerful blue-eyed Maisie into the car, and nudged his wife into the front seat despite her hesitation. The whole family, bickering and chattering, set off on their journey.
Victoria genuinely welcomed her guests, grinning at Leslie, who realized the hostilities were over, marking the start of a surprising friendship. With each passing day, the relationship between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law grew closer and more trusting.
Leslie returned to her job, and Maisie often spent time with Victoria, who would read to her, teach her piano, and indulge her interest in English. Victoria, a professional translator, shared amusing stories from her travels abroad, captivating the curious little girl with tales of intriguing encounters.
Several more years went by. One day, Leslie and Maisie appeared unexpectedly at Victoria’s door. Looking thinner and unusually tense, Leslie was quieter than usual.
“What happened, Leslie?” Victoria asked with concern. “Are you sick?”
Leslie sighed, took a seat, and burst into tears.
“Alex hasn’t been living with us for six months,” Leslie managed through her sobs. “At first, he wouldn’t come home, claiming late nights at work. Then he started vanishing for days. He’d come home just to change, kiss Maisie, push me away, and disappear again. I thought his work was troubling him; we haven’t seen much money in almost a year. But it doesn’t matter. I’m a nurse; I earn a decent living. We manage.
Then the doorbell rang one day. I opened it to find a well-dressed lady in a fancy hat and handbag, the kind you only see on TV,” Leslie calmed herself and continued, “She said, ‘You’re a pauper and not a match for Alex. He’ll be living with me now. Pack your things and take your silly daughter with you. Alex and I have no time for an unrefined child.’
“I’m not silly and very well-mannered,” Maisie suddenly interjected, turning away in frustration. Neither Victoria nor Leslie had noticed her quietly listening from the kitchen.
“Of course, you’re not silly,” Victoria confirmed, straightening her posture. “You’re a smart and well-behaved girl. We’ll live together, and we’ll take your mum with us too.”
Leslie wiped her eyes, surprised by Victoria’s resolve.
The iron lady had made a decision. When her son informed her about his impending divorce, and inquired whether she planned to revise the will for the house, she calmly accepted it. The will had already been revised.
Victoria just hadn’t mentioned to her son that the house was now owned by his ex-wife and blue-eyed Maisie, who was, as always, playfully tugging on her grandma’s beautifully styled hair.
