My child threw her arms around my neck and sobbed, Mum, I never want to go to Grandmas again. Please, Mum, dont make me go to Grandmas.
It had only been three days that the children had stayed with my husbands parents. They live out in the countryside, in their own detached house. My youngest is four, and the oldest is six. My father-in-law had insisted so strongly on having the children stay at their place. The reason, however, only became clear to me much later.
Charlotte, the main figure in this story, never got along with her husbands parents. More than once, her mother-in-law had made it clear she didnt think Charlotte was good enough for her son. Charlotte tolerated her, but she never liked the atmosphere in her mother-in-laws house. There were always rows and quarrels. Even her husband never looked forward to visiting them. After visiting his parents, his mood was always foul.
As time went by, they saw his parents only during holidays and special occasions. They couldnt turn down an invitation to her father-in-laws birthday celebration especially when the children hadnt seen their grandparents for ages.
The birthday went off without a hitch. For once, not a single unpleasant remark was made to Charlotte, which was a surprise to everyone. It was then that Grandpa persuaded the boys to spend a few days with them. He even promised to take them out on the quad bike, driving across the snowy fields.
The children were immediately enchanted by Grandpas offer. They begged Charlotte to let them stay, and eventually, she gave in. The fact that shed been wanting to paint the walls for ages, something impossible with the kids at home, also played its part. She could never have guessed what would happen next.
When the children returned, they burst into loud, bitter tears. The little one started, and soon the older one joined in. They wouldnt tell us what had happened and it took a while before we managed to piece together the truth.
Grandpa had indeed taken the boys out on the quad bike, and theyd had great fun whizzing through the wintry woods. But in the house, things took a turn for the worse. Grandma started berating their mother right in front of the children. When my eldest stood up for his mum, Grandma grabbed him by the collar and dragged him outside to the dog kennel, treating him as if he were some sort of animal. The poor lad was still in his indoor clothes and it was freezing cold. Then she shoved his older brother out as well and slammed the door shut behind them.
Grandpa was in the garage at the time. When he heard the boys crying, he ran out immediately. He was appalled by what he saw. For the first time ever, he lost his temper with his wife. He also begged the boys not to say a word to their parents. He loved his grandchildren dearly and feared he would never see them again.
