My child flung her arms around my neck and sobbed, Mum, I never want to go to Grandmas again. Please, Mum, dont make me go back there.
It had only been three days. Three days my girls spent with their father and his parents, tucked away in their country cottage. My youngest is just four, the eldest six. Their grandfather had been so insistent we let the children stay. Only later did I discover the real reason behind it.
Rebecca never got along with her husbands parents. More than once, her mother-in-law announced, in no uncertain terms, that Rebecca was not good enough for her son. Rebecca managed to bear her for the sake of family, but the atmosphere in her mother-in-laws home had always set her on edge. Arguments erupted over the smallest things. Even her husband would return home in foul spirits after visiting his family.
With time, their visits dwindled to just holidays. They couldnt say no to the father-in-laws birthday celebration, not when the girls hadnt seen their grandparents for months.
The party itself passed smoothly. Not a single snide remark from her mother-in-lawalmost unbelievable. And their grandfather persuaded the girls to stay over. He even promised to take them for a ride on his old quad bike across the fields.
The girls were thrilled by the idea. They pleaded with Rebecca to let them stay an extra few days. She relented, despite knowing the grandparents had never once bought them so much as a sweet. The truth was, Rebecca had been wanting to repaint the hall for ages and could finally get it done while the girls were away. Had she known what would happen
When the girls returned, they burst into heart-wrenching tears the moment they crossed the doorstep. The youngest began crying, then the eldest, and they wouldnt say a word about what happened. It took hours, but eventually, the story came out.
Granddad had taken them on a wild quad bike ride through the frosty woods. But later, their grandmother launched into one of her vicious tirades against their mumright in front of the children. When the eldest tried to defend Rebecca, the grandmother grabbed her by the collar as though she were a stray pup and dragged her out to the garden shed. She was still in her indoor clothes, the harsh English winter biting at her skin. The younger one was forced out too, and the door was slammed behind their backs.
Their granddad had been in the garage and rushed outside when he heard them crying. He said he was stunned by what he found. For the first time in his life, he lost his temper and lashed out at his wife. Then, trembling, he begged the girls not to breathe a word of what had happened to their parents. He loved his granddaughters and feared he might never see them again.
