Dan and Emily decided to celebrate the anniversary of their first meeting at a cosy café in central Manchester. They returned home well past midnight.
“Finally decided to show up!” snapped Dan’s mother, Margaret, arms crossed as she stood in the doorway. “Where have you two been? I’ve been here alone looking after the kids!”
“Mum, what’s wrong?” Dan asked, confused. “You love Lucy’s kids.”
“Was it really so hard to watch them?” Emily added, unbuttoning her coat.
“Out enjoying yourselves while I’m run ragged!” Margaret shot back. “And where’s their mother, then?”
“She’s busy, while you two get to relax!” Margaret jabbed a finger toward the kitchen. “Wash the dishes! Had your fun, now do your part!”
Dan frowned and opened his laptop. Then his expression froze, his fingers tightening around the lid. What he saw made his blood run cold.
—
After their wedding, Dan and Emily had rented a flat. But money grew tight, and they had to move in with Dan’s mum. Emily’s parents lived in a cramped one-bed with her younger brother—no space for them. Dan had taken a lower-paying job, hoping for a promotion.
“Em, it’s temporary,” Dan had insisted. “We’ll save money at Mum’s. She lives alone—just my sister popping in sometimes, leaving her kids. We’ll manage.”
“I could pick up extra work, and so could you,” Emily suggested.
“What, grind ourselves to the bone?” Dan snapped. “I’m at the office all day—then run off to another job? Come home just to sleep? When do we actually live?”
“And living with your mum counts as living?” Emily sighed.
“Look, we’re broke! If Mum’s okay with it, we’ll save faster for our own place.”
Emily stayed silent. She didn’t want to live with her mother-in-law. She’d met Dan’s sister Lucy’s kids—loud, spoiled—once at the wedding. Not a great impression. But they had no choice.
“What’s the problem?” Margaret greeted them. “Better than wasting rent on strangers. We’ll split bills three ways—you two pay two shares, I’ll pay one. Groceries the same. I’ll cook; you clean.”
“Fine, Mum,” Dan agreed. “Em, that alright?”
“Yeah,” Emily exhaled.
At first, it worked. They came home to hot meals, breakfast waiting. Emily took online freelance work. But weekends were ruined by Lucy’s kids—dropped off Friday, picked up Sunday, Lucy barely there.
Cleaning was impossible with them around—chaos in every room, barging into the bedroom if Dan and Emily slept in.
“Dan, tell your mum to take them,” Emily begged. “We’re still asleep!”
“They’re just kids,” he’d wave off. “My nieces, so yours too. Deal with it.”
“I was working half the night!”
“Nobody forced you. Fine, I’m up. Meeting the lads for fishing. Back by evening.”
“And me? Left alone again?”
“Mum’s here. Want quiet? Give them your laptop.”
“Brilliant! Give them yours,” Emily scoffed.
“Mine’s got work files,” Dan cut back. “What’s on yours, more important?”
“I’ve got a deadline today!” she shot back. “Go, I’ll handle it.”
This kept happening. Dan was always out—fishing, barbecues, nights with mates. Today, he was gone again.
—
Margaret fed the kids.
“Emily, sit,” she said sharply. “Not many pancakes left, but you’ll manage. Dan said they could play on your laptop.”
“That’s not true!” Emily protested. “I never agreed. I’ve got work—deadline today!”
“Stingy,” Margaret sniffed. “We’re family! Lucy won’t let them touch hers—too expensive.”
“A week’s work is on there!” Emily snapped. “I’m working now.”
“Wash the dishes,” Margaret tossed over her shoulder, picking up her phone.
Emily scrubbed plates, fuming that no one even rinsed a cup. Margaret was already chatting away:
“Sharon, of course we’ll meet! An hour at the shopping centre. The noise? The grandkids. Don’t worry—Emily’s watching them. Good practice, since she’s got none of her own.”
Emily nearly dropped a plate. Quietly, she packed her laptop and left. Margaret said nothing—probably planning to spring her exit last-minute.
Emily headed to an internet café where she often worked. Settling in a corner, she ordered coffee and focused. Half an hour later, Dan called:
“Em, where are you? What’s going on?”
“Working,” she said flatly. “Deadline today.”
“Mum’s panicking! Where’d you go?”
“Can’t work with that noise,” she shot back.
“You ruined Mum’s plans with her friend!”
“Invite her over, then.”
“With those terrors?”
“Then you stay with them. They’ve got a mother!”
“You’re making things up,” Dan snapped.
“Or are you?” Emily countered. “Your mum was so welcoming, but we pay for it. This month, she ‘ran short’—took extra cash from us. You don’t notice?”
“You’re being petty!” he snapped.
“And where’s your money going?” she fired back. “Not a penny for your mum—that’s on me. But always enough for your mates! Twelve days a month, your nieces eat our food. Mum buys them sweets, ice cream—us, nothing. Best bits go to them. Lucy takes them home with full bags. When we rented, we spent a third less! Call this saving? Want this life? I’ll get my project money and leave. You coming, or are we done?”
“Em, where are you?” Dan’s voice wavered.
“Why?”
“Fishing fell through. Don’t want to go home. Let’s spend the day together.”
“I’m working,” she said.
“I’ll sit quietly. At our café?”
“Fine. I need an hour—wouldn’t have finished at home.”
Dan arrived with flowers.
“What’s this?” Emily asked.
“Anniversary of when we met,” he smiled. “I’ll get your favourite scones and tea.”
“Oh, right—forgot,” she sighed. “Let me finish this and send it.”
They wandered till late, deciding to flat-hunt. Emily was right—Margaret had been milking them, turning Dan against her, calling her tight-fisted.
—
They got home late.
“Decided to grace us!” Margaret hissed. “Where’ve you been? I’ve been stuck with those monsters!”
“Mum, you adore them,” Dan said calmly.
“I’ve had enough today!” she barked. “Sharon wanted a café, but I had to invite her here. She hated it! Where was Lucy?”
“Busy,” Dan shrugged. “If she saw us out, she could’ve taken them.”
“Wash the dishes!” Margaret snapped. “Had your fun—now work!”
Emily changed, heading to the kitchen, but Dan stopped her. He opened his laptop—then froze. The screen was cracked; crucial files were gone.
“What—?” he whispered, pale. “Em, I left this on the shelf!”
“I didn’t touch it,” she said. “Ask your mum.”
“Mum!” Dan shouted. “What happened to my laptop?”
“Keep it down—kids are asleep!” Margaret hissed. “I’m exhausted.”
“Why did you take it? Where are my files?”
“They played on it,” she shrugged. “Tiny crack, no big deal. At least they were quiet.”
“They deleted everything!” Dan exploded. “They’re ten and eight—they knew what they were doing!”
“Your own nieces?” Margaret gasped. “You’re their uncle!”
“Enough!” he roared. “Em, we’re finding a flat. Get your laptop—I’ll sort mine.”
“Who’s washing dishes?” Margaret demanded.
“Whoever dirtied them,” Dan shot back. “We weren’t here.”
Emily, watching Dan’s fury, searched for flats. She’d never seen him like this. The laptop was expensive—saved for since uni.
“Dan, don’t stress—we’ll get a new one,” she soothed.
“No, I’ll fix it,” he muttered. “Password was on the lid—my fault. Never thought Mum would do this. You were right this morning—I almost gave them yours. Sorry for everything. We’ve got money—enough for now.”
—
Next morning, they left without a glance at the kitchen, laptops in tow. They viewed a few flats, settling on one—affordable, walking distance from work. Signed the lease, got the keys.
“Need to grab our things,” Dan said. “I’ll call the lads—need a van.”
No one answered—suddenly, everyone wasThe next time Dan’s phone rang with Lucy’s name flashing on the screen, he simply turned it off and tossed it into the drawer, knowing some bridges were better left burned.
