Id spent the morning giving the house a proper clean polished the floors till they shone, swept every nook and cranny. Just as I was catching my breath, my mother-in-law waltzed in and scattered pumpkin seed shells across the freshly mopped floor. She didnt even try to hide it. Intentional as a cat knocking a mug off a table.
“Honestly, Mum, why would you do that? I saw you!” I couldnt help but ask, flabbergasted.
She turned to me with a look she reserves for burnt toast and cold tea. Youll clean it again! It wont kill you, will it?
Pleased as punch with her little prank, she toddled off to her room, leaving me alone with my irritation. I fetched the dustpan and brush, muttering under my breath like an out-of-luck character from EastEnders.
She picked up her newspaper same one shed read so many times Im convinced she knows the horse racing results backwards and pretended none of it was happening.
Why do you dislike me so much? What have I ever done to deserve this? I cook for you, I do your laundry, I clean, and my daughter is always helping too! Why the grudge? I pleaded with her, hoping for a crumb of compassion.
But she didnt even look my way, let alone offer an explanation or, heaven forbid, an apology.
I burst into tears, finished scrubbing the floor, then left to run through my to-do list: laundry, a jaunt to the greengrocer for potatoes and carrots the usual housewifes marathon.
Endless chores, but at least when Im working, I dont stew over things. Time slips by without me noticing.
My husband passed away years ago, left me widowed when our daughter was just eight. Right after the funeral, my mother-in-law declared, Dont go anywhere, stay with me! I dont want the neighbours wagging their tongues about me kicking you out.
I agreed, didnt really have a choice. My sister had already packed her two kids into my parents place no room there for us.
I had hoped, perhaps foolishly, that my mother-in-law and I would find some common ground. But the Queens diplomatic skills I do not possess, and neither, it seems, does she.
Out in public, shed act perfectly civil, but once the door closed behind us, all bets were off. Her comments stung like weak tea on a cold morning.
Youre useless! Whod want you? No man will ever look twice at you! Youre stuck with me and Emily! When I pop my clogs, youll get the house but only if you toe the line. Otherwise, Ill leave everything to the cats, and youll be left high and dry!
I was petrified she was serious. So, I carried on, said nothing, did everything I possibly could for Emily.
And despite her doom-and-gloom, my mother-in-law was still going strong at nearly ninety. She never complained about her health and spent every penny of her pension on herself. Good food, top-notch biscuits nothing cheap for her.
Looking back, I realise I made a huge mistake agreeing to stay. Ive put up with so much over the years, swallowed my pride and kept going.
Emilys finishing university now, with a lovely boyfriend shes set to marry. After the wedding, shell be moving in with him. I hope with all my heart that she finds happiness and maybe, just maybe, learns to delegate the floor scrubbing.
As for me Well, my ruined lifes not exactly a comedy of errors, but at least I can say I survived it with a grin and clean floors, if nothing else.
