**The Wise Mother-in-Law**
When my youngest son got married, the older children had long since moved awaymy daughter had wed and gone off to Manchester with her husband, while my son had left for Scotland to work. I always knew the older two wouldnt stay long in our village. My daughter adored glamour, her childhood bedroom plastered with magazine cutouts, and my son had maps on his walls, dreaming of far-off lands, not cowsheds and vegetable patches. But my youngest, Edward, was always my boy. When his father passed, he stood by me at the graveside and said, “Mum, Ill never leave you. Ill always live with you.”
Id been numb with grief, repeating, “How will I manage without you, John?” My daughter wept, my eldest stood silent as stone, but Edwardjust twelve at the timestayed close, offering his thin shoulder. He kept his word, even when he went off to university, coming home most weekends. So when he married, he found a girl willing to live in the village. He built a house, though on a different streetno space nearby. He begged me to move in, but I refused. Two women running one home? No, thank you.
His wife was called Lily. Big blue eyes, hair down to her waist. Edward brought her from the citytheyd studied together. He confessed hed fancied her for years, but shed never noticed him. Until now. The wedding was lively, all the relatives gathered. I liked Lilya spirited girl, just what Edward needed. She mightve been a bit pampered, but I could teach her.
The first row came a week later. Id popped round to make soupEdwards stomach had always been delicatewhen Lily snapped that my hands were dirty, that Id touched the bread with them. Well, what else was I to touch them with? I didnt argue, just left. That evening, Edward asked me not to come when he wasnt home. “Dont take it to heart, Mum,” he said. “Lilys expectingshes on edge.”
I didnt mind. A grandchild would patch the hole in my heart. After my children left, the cold inside never let up.
When the baby came, Lilys parents, friends, even her sister turned up. I tried to say it wasnt wise to crowd a newborn, but she called me superstitious and shot Edward a look. He told me not to fuss and put the kettle on. So I did. Fed them all, washed up. And stole glances at my granddaughterso tiny, so perfect. I ached to hold her.
“May I?” I asked.
Lily eyed my hands. “Wash them first.”
“I just washed the dishes!”
“Exactly! Youve got detergent all over them!”
Her parents stared. I flushedmaybe I didnt understand modern ways.
I held her in the end. She smelled so sweet. A lovely little thing. Lily even softenedlet me visit while Edward was at work, since she was swamped. Gladly, I helped. Though she still found ways to needle me, and rarely let me hold the baby, I bore it. What choice did I have? My son loved her.
But it stung when she refused the pink snowsuit Id bought. “Did you get this at a car boot sale? My daughter wont wear this! Its Aprilshell boil!”
They named her Emily, after Lilys sister, and Edward swore their next daughter would be named for me. I doubted Lily would want more children, but I was wrong.
At Emilys first birthday, they announced another baby. Lilys mother groaned it was too soon, but I said my own children were close in age. My sister-in-law pursed her lipsshe always did when I spoke. Still, everyone congratulated them. Lily, glowing, said she hoped for a boy.
And so it was. They named him John, and I weptId never dreamed of a grandson carrying his grandfathers name.
I doted on that boy. Lily had a rough labour and gave inlet me help with the house and the children, especially little John, who spent his first year mostly in my arms.
Lily took to bed, complaining of headaches. Shed gained weight, couldnt shift it, and blamed my baking. But Edward loved my pies! Still, I stopped.
Then came Williampale, frail, heartbreaking. I expected Lily to take to her bed again, but no. She nursed him fiercely, learned to cook, kept the house spotless. I took the older two, and she needed little else.
Years passed. William stayed sickly, so I helped with school, especially after a local girl vanished. They found her in the river a month later. Edward panicked, begged me to walk the children to school. Lily or he would fetch them.
William had some rare condition. Edward snapped when I askedcouldnt accept his sons frailty. Lily said I wouldnt understand with my basic schooling. But he was clever, even if he looked delicate.
Lily adored him, blind to all else. I noticed Edward sneaking off to see Katie, the shop girl, before anyone else. Tried to shield Lily, but gossip spread.
One day, the children walked home alone. John told me when I came the next morning. “Gran, we dont need escorting! Yesterday, I chased off dogs for Emilywe didnt get lost.”
Emily was terrified of dogs. But why hadnt Lily fetched them? She always took William out then.
I found her red-eyed, puffy-faced. “How can I show my face? Everyones pointing at me! I bought yoghurts from her every dayevery day!”
“Stop that,” I ordered. “Wash up. Were going shopping.”
To my surprise, she obeyed. An hour later, we marched to the high street, pushing William in his pram. Katie at the till lifted her chin, bold as brass.
“Katie, do you have proper butter? Edward loves Lilys cheese pie. And fresh curdoh, and those posh chocolates Lily fancies. My boy spares no expense for his wife.”
Lily caught on, playing along. As we packed our bags, Katie blurted, “He promised me a phone tomorrow! With a camera! I dont want your chocolates!”
I nudged Lilydont fret, that phone wont happen. We left, baked a pie that afternoon, and left Edward none. He lifted the tea towel, scowling at crumbs.
“Didnt save me any?”
“Sorry, love,” I lied. “Eat your soupbetter for you. Oh, Lilys got a job! Remember Uncle Simon? Hes started a delivery serviceneeds a telephonist. Good pay, decent lads driving. Theyll look after her.”
“But William”
“Ill mind him. Give us your walletLily needs new clothes, a haircut. Go on, hand it over.”
He didnt dare refuse. I emptied his wallet. Now let him buy his fancy girl a phone with lint!
I hadnt spoken to Simon yet, but hed fancied me oncehired Lily on the spot.
“Dont row with Edward,” I advised. “Act like you dont know. Be indifferentno affection. Just tend the children, the house, chatter about work.”
I praised Lily to Edwardwhat a homemaker, devoted mother, such a beauty! What else could I do? If they split, shed take the children.
My plan worked fast. Katie likely threw a fit over the missing gift, while home was peaceful, his wife suddenly glowing, off to work early. He even met her after shifts, once a driver dropped her offmy idea, but I told her not to flirt, just ask a mate. Within months, Edward avoided that shop, and Lily shone. William missed her, but thrived with meno use writing him off. He had a sharp mind.
Before Easter, Lily arrived, rosy-cheeked. “Im expecting,” she said. “Saw the doctorits a girl!”
Id knownyou learn to tell.
“Shell be Margaret,” Lily said, smiling. “That pink snowsuitwhere is it? Itll fit perfectly. Im due in autumn.”
I beamed, hugging her. “Its stored away, with the booties and bonnet But” I hesitated. “Like Williams?”
She waved me off. “Alls well. I waited to be sure. No conditionthey tested.”
We both exhaled. Everything was right. So much joy ahead.
**Lesson learned:** Sometimes, kindness and patience mend what anger would only break. A mothers love stretches wide enough to shelter even those who once bristled at her touch.
