We don’t need anything from you
“Son, think this through before it’s too late! That boy doesn’t look like you at all! Your Mary had him with her ex and is now trying to pin him on you! I know it for a fact!”
“Mum, enough! Ben is my son… Why do you always stir things up? I’m heading home.”
Margaret had raised her son, Alex, alone her entire life. Their bond was special: he never talked back or argued, did well in school, and grew up to become an engineer, just as she had hoped. Now it was time to sort out his personal life, and she had the perfect bride in mind. A lovely girl named Lucy, the daughter of her friend, Anna.
Under his mother’s persuasion, Alex and Lucy started dating. However, any romance was short-lived, and after several months of trying, they split up. It wasn’t long before Alex met Mary. Their relationship developed quickly, and he saw a kindred spirit in the charming woman. Despite Margaret’s dismay, they married three months later. Six months later, Mary was pregnant, and they had a son, Ben. Despite the arrival of their child, Margaret couldn’t warm up to her daughter-in-law, constantly complaining whenever she saw Alex, even four years into the marriage:
“Look at what she’s done to you! Always looking so scruffy and unkempt.”
“Mum, I’m not scruffy! My shirt just got a bit creased in the washing machine…”
“Sit down and have something to eat. I bet she’s not cooked anything for you. You’ll starve!”
“Mum, I’ll have dinner at home. Mary cooks well.”
“I know her ‘cooking’… Ready-made meals from the shop or worse, microwave dinners. Meanwhile, Lucy’s taking baking classes. Such a talented girl, that one…”
Alex valiantly defended against his mother’s criticisms, never letting them get to Mary, since they were unfounded anyway. But Margaret continued her quiet campaign against Mary, and eventually, her strategy began to bear fruit…
“Hey, son… Your Mary’s avoiding me. You always visit alone!”
“Mum, how can she visit when you criticize her for every little thing?”
“If she deserves it, I’ll point it out. Believe me! I bet while you’re here chatting away, she’s meeting her ex. I know she was with that irresponsible Tom before you! The boy even looks like him. She had a fling, and you’re the one footing the bill.”
That evening, Alex had a huge falling out with his mother. He had endured enough of her constant complaints and gossiping. He returned home in a foul mood.
“Dad, Dad, hi!” little Ben rushed to greet him.
“Hello, son. How’s it going? What did you do today?”
“Mum and I went to the playground. Uncle Tom was there. He bought me chocolate and juice!”
A sudden thought crossed Alex’s mind—could his mother be right? That night, he questioned Mary.
“Why did you meet your ex today?”
“Alex, we ran into each other by chance. We were out for a walk, he happened to pass by, and we chatted. Then he walked us home.”
“Why is he seeing my wife and son home? Is Ben even mine or his?”
“Alex, what are you saying? Are you serious?”
The couple had their first major argument that night since getting married. From then on, arguments became frequent in their household. In time, Mary had enough, packed her belongings, took their young son and moved back to her hometown to live with her parents.
Eventually, they got divorced, and Alex was ordered to pay child support. He was certain Ben wasn’t his son but chose not to contest it and just pay up. Margaret, ever-satisfied with the situation, began pushing for Alex to rekindle his relationship with Lucy, calling her the “perfect daughter-in-law.”
In the end, she succeeded. Alex married Lucy. Immediately after their wedding, her true colors emerged. Constantly nagging him about everything, she desired a lavish lifestyle with extravagant meals and drinks.
“Emma’s husband just bought her a second fur coat! The Browns traded up to a luxury car. And I walk around in last year’s winter coat, driving a common car! What kind of husband are you?”
Fifteen long years passed this way. Alex worked two jobs tirelessly, while Lucy indulged herself with holidays, sparing no expense. She wasn’t interested in having children, saying she wanted to live her life first before considering it. Margaret thought she could impose her rules here too, but Lucy quickly set her straight.
One day, Alex got a call from the hospital. Margaret had been rushed there with a stroke. She was gravely ill and needed care after discharge. Lucy immediately stated:
“I’m not spending my days and nights at her bedside. She should go to a care home.”
“Lucy, maybe I should quit my job…”
“Have you lost your mind? How will we manage then? We still have four years on the car loan…”
So, Margaret went to a care home, Alex left for another round of work, and Lucy stayed home. A month later, Margaret passed away. Returning home to attend her funeral, Alex forgot to inform his wife. Using his key, he opened the door to find Lucy in an embrace with their neighbor… He didn’t argue, just packed his things and moved into his mother’s apartment.
After Margaret’s funeral, Alex locked himself away in her apartment, bitterly remembering her ‘valuable’ advice and wondering why he ever listened… Now he was over forty, with most of his life gone by. And as he realized, no family, no kids, no friends… He didn’t even own a car—everything was always for Lucy… As Alex replayed his life in his mind, he recalled Mary and Ben. He never found out if Ben was his son or Mary’s ex’s. But by now, it didn’t matter.
“Ben must be nineteen by now… All grown up… I wonder what he’s like?” Alex said to no one in particular, and there was, of course, no response.
The next morning, he took a train ticket and headed to Mary’s hometown. Arriving at the familiar building, he rang the doorbell, but no one answered. “At work, probably,” he thought, deciding to wait nearby. As he stood there for twenty minutes, he turned his head and froze… Walking towards the entrance was a young man, a spitting image of himself from twenty years ago.
“Ben… Ben… Son…”
“You?… What are you doing here?” Ben asked coldly.
“Son, I’m so sorry… Look at you… You’re just like me, like two peas in a pod! Where’s your mum?”
“My mum’s gone. She died ten years ago in a car accident.”
“And you? Who do you live with? Can I help you with anything? I have money. Just tell me!”
“I live with my grandmother. We don’t need anything.”
“But son. I wanted, I…”
Alex didn’t finish. Ben walked into the building and shut the door behind him.
“Son! Son, open up! How can this be, son? I’m your father! Your father!!!”
He stood outside the closed entrance for a while, softly crying what might have been mistaken for tears or rain. He returned several times, hoping to mend things with his son, pleading, begging, trying to explain. But Ben refused all contact.
