—It’s just outrageous! She’s always posting these sickly sweet photos of her daughter on social media, captioning them with all these loving words, but she hasn’t spared her a thought in four years! What vile hypocrisy!—Olivia’s voice trembled with anger as she poured her heart out to her best friend over coffee.
They were sitting in a little café in Manchester, and Olivia couldn’t stop talking about her sister-in-law, who’d been working abroad for years, completely forgetting about her own child.
—Fine, there was the pandemic—she couldn’t travel then. But even before that, she couldn’t care less about her daughter! All she does is post pictures to make everyone think she’s this doting mother. How could anyone abandon their child for money?—Olivia gripped her mug so hard her knuckles went white.
Her husband’s niece, 14-year-old Emily, might as well have been an orphan with a living mother. Her grandmother, well into her seventies, could barely keep up with a teenager.
—My sister-in-law is a master at crafting illusions—Olivia went on.—But when I look at Emily, it breaks my heart. The girl’s growing up without a mum, and all hers does is send money like that solves everything!
Olivia and her sister-in-law, Madeleine, were the same age. Olivia had two kids, a mortgage on their flat, and a happy family despite the struggles. She and her husband, David, tried their best, but the shadow of Madeleine—his sister—always loomed over their home.
—Madeleine’s parents spoiled her rotten—Olivia explained.—When she was widowed nine years ago, they did everything for her: looked after Emily, gave her money. Then, a couple of years later, she met some German bloke, married him, and moved to Berlin.
Madeleine never planned to take Emily with her. She said she’d get settled first, then come back for her. But years passed, and she never did. In Germany, Madeleine landed a gig as a photographer at a fancy agency, earning a decent wage. Her husband was loaded, so she didn’t even need to work—living the high life.
—She tells everyone that in Europe, dragging kids from old marriages into new ones isn’t the done thing—Olivia said bitterly.—Like, oh, Emily would be bored, and who’d pay her any attention? Absolute rubbish! She just finds it easier to live without her daughter!
Emily waited for her mother for years. The first five, she really believed she’d come back for her—then she stopped hoping. Madeleine claimed Emily needed to finish school in England or she’d struggle with the language barrier. Olivia saw right through it.
—It’s easier for her to send cash and play mum from a distance—she sighed.—All the real problems? She dumped them on us.
Looking after Madeleine’s parents and Emily fell to Olivia and David. Whether it was flooded flats, hospital visits, or roof repairs at the family cottage, they were always running between their own lives and someone else’s mess. Meanwhile, Madeleine just wired money like it absolved her of responsibility.
A month ago, Madeleine suddenly turned up in Manchester. She wouldn’t leave Emily’s side, snapping photos for Instagram, showering her with gifts. The girl held her breath, praying her mum would finally take her home. But it never happened. When Madeleine flew back alone, Emily locked herself in her room, sobbing. Olivia tried to comfort her—but what could she say?
—The grandparents are getting older, struggling with a teenager—Olivia told her friend, voice shaking.—Emily’s a handful, needs constant attention. But Madeleine just buys her way out. She says, ‘I’ll cover the costs, you sort it out.’ But how’s that fair? David and I go to parents’ evenings, help with homework—where’s her mum?
Once, Olivia snapped and messaged Madeleine, trying to explain how much her indifference was hurting Emily. But her sister-in-law shut her down:
—Stay out of my family! It’s none of your business!
—Not my family?—Olivia fumed.—Then why am I carrying all her responsibilities? Of course, her mum defends her—what mother wouldn’t? Madeleine took the easy way out: no elderly parents, no moody teen to deal with. But on social media? She’s the perfect mum! Feed full of happy snaps, real life’s just… empty. The hypocrisy!
Olivia stared out the café window, rain tracing patterns on the glass. She thought of Emily, who checked her phone every night, hoping for a message. Of the exhausted grandparents, weighed down by someone else’s duty. And of herself and David, stuck running in circles between their own life and Madeleine’s mess.
Meanwhile, Madeleine carried on, carefree, uploading new photos captioned ‘My darling girl.’ But Olivia knew the truth—behind those pretty pictures was a broken-hearted teenager and a family she’d abandoned for the illusion of freedom.
What would you do in a situation like that?
