Why should we visit someone we don’t even remember?
“Hello, Marianne!”
“Hello!” Marianne replied, surprised. The number was unidentified, and the voice was unfamiliar, but they used her name.
“This is Aunt Liz from Blackpool, Andrew’s aunt. We couldn’t make it to your wedding, but now that things are settled, we thought we’d come visit and meet the new family members.”
Marianne was taken aback and didn’t know how to respond. She wasn’t aware that Andrew had an aunt in Blackpool. It’s been more than a year since the wedding, and there had never been any mention of an absent aunt.
“I think you have the wrong number.”
“Aren’t you Marianne?”
“Yes, I am, but I’ve never heard of Andrew having an aunt from Blackpool.”
“Is your husband Andrew Nichols?”
“Yes, he’s my husband.”
“Well, I’m his aunt.”
“That’s nice, but there’s no need for you to visit us.”
“Why not?”
“We’re not working so we’re not having guests over.”
“What kind of hospitality is that? I didn’t expect that…”
“Sorry, I don’t have time to chat right now.”
With that, Marianne ended the call. She wasn’t one to get flustered easily and always stood her ground.
“Great, just what we needed, unexpected guests. I’ll ask Andrew about this Blackpool aunt when I get home,” she decided and went about her day.
In the evening, her mother-in-law called.
“Hello, Marianne! It’s been a while since you visited.”
“Hello, Irene! I’ll stop by tomorrow, bring you some groceries, and I’ve bought vitamins for you.”
“Thank you, Marianne. We have everything we need, we just miss you. Did Elizabeth call you?”
“Yes, a woman called claiming to be Andrew’s aunt and wanted to visit. I told her we’re not up for guests.”
“She called me to complain that you were rude to her.”
“Irene, could I really be rude? You know me.”
“Oh, I know you well,” her mother-in-law replied with a hint of sarcasm.
“I’m driving now. Let’s talk tomorrow.”
Marianne’s relationship with her mother-in-law wasn’t smooth from the start.
Andrew grew up in a military family. His father, Peter, was a strict man who taught Andrew order. When in his father’s presence, Andrew always behaved impeccably. But since his father often went away on duties, during those times, Andrew was hard to manage.
His mother’s constant oversight greatly annoyed him. The more she tried to control him, the more he rebelled. He’d ditch school and skip sports practice. His mother never told his father, knowing a punishment would be severe and wanted to spare her son.
Even as an adult, Andrew was still under his mother’s watchful eye. She called him several times a day and sometimes even reached home at the same time as he did, pretending it was a coincidence.
Andrew’s friends all got married as he approached thirty, and his mother started to worry that her handsome and smart son might remain a bachelor.
She began looking for potential brides amongst the daughters of her friends, much to Andrew’s amusement. But despite his charms, there weren’t any eager brides queuing up.
Finally, the moment arrived. Andrew announced he’d introduce his parents to his fiancée over the weekend.
His father approved of Andrew’s choice, but his mother wasn’t pleased. Irene was used to making decisions in the family, and the men would comply.
From Marianne’s demeanor, she realized she wouldn’t be able to control her daughter-in-law. Observing Andrew’s tenderness and love towards Marianne, she saw her as a rival.
Marianne was confident and didn’t rely on her mother-in-law’s advice. If any disputes arose, Andrew always sided with his wife.
They lived in an apartment that Andrew bought with help from his parents before the marriage.
Initially, the mother-in-law would drop by anytime to inspect the place, but Marianne firmly addressed it.
“Please don’t come by unannounced or when we’re not home, or we’ll have to take the keys back or change the locks.”
“This apartment is not just our son’s; we helped him buy it. That gives me the right to come by at any time.”
“Why do you need to be here?”
The mother-in-law hesitated; saying it was to check on tidiness seemed silly. Marianne continued,
“I’m now the lady of the house as Andrew’s wife, and I demand my conditions be respected. You have the keys for emergencies, not to drop by whenever you want.”
“I’m his mother, we raised and provided for him. You’ve come into this household with everything ready…”
Marianne interrupted,
“Thank you for raising him! But my husband brought me into this home, and as his wife, I’m in charge here. I won’t agree to anything else.”
Andrew supported his wife, his mother was upset, but the young couple paid little attention to her grievances. She sulked for a couple of weeks before accepting it.
She no longer used her key to open the door but visited when Marianne was home, calling ahead of time. Marianne always welcomed her well, offering tea or a glass of wine.
At first, the mother-in-law would comment on untidiness, but Marianne never took offense; she could turn such remarks into jokes or even offer help.
“Sorry, I’ve been swamped at work. If you’re uncomfortable with the mess, feel free to tidy up, I wouldn’t mind as I’d rather relax.”
“What? You haven’t cooked anything, what do you eat?”
“There’s plenty in the fridge; whoever gets hungry first cooks. Feel free to help yourself.”
Gradually, her mother-in-law’s attitude changed, and they eventually became friends. She enjoyed visiting with treats.
And Marianne and Andrew visited her for dinners, bringing groceries along. Andrew’s father, after retiring, continued working, but his mother-in-law needed some company.
“What should I bring you? I’m driving, no need for you to carry bags.”
This time, Marianne stopped by her mother-in-law’s, and they had dinner together. She packed some homemade food for her son, so Marianne wouldn’t have to cook at home. Naturally, the subject of the aunt came up.
“What did Aunt Liz say to you?”
“She wanted to visit. I told her we weren’t up for guests.”
“You did the right thing. How did she get your number?”
“I have no idea.”
“She called me again. She’s my cousin. We hardly ever talk. She had a tough life, divorced once, then her second marriage also ended badly. Now she lives in Lancashire, apparently remarried. They have a farmhouse, a garden, and some animals. Her daughter wants to apply to university in London this year.”
“And where do we fit in?”
“She hopes to visit and catch up. She’s concerned about her daughter, would like someone to look out for her.”
“So, basically she wants to house her daughter with us.”
“It’s awkward not to help family.”
“What’s awkward about it? When did you last speak to them? Andrew doesn’t remember them. Do you have their address?” Marianne continued without waiting for an answer, “Let’s not invite trouble. I don’t know them, and it’s the first I’ve heard of relatives like these.”
Saying goodbye to her mother-in-law, Marianne drove home. She told Andrew about the call, but he was nonchalant, and the story was forgotten – for now.
A week passed, another weekend arrived. Marianne and her husband made no plans, deciding just to catch up on sleep and relax. Around noon, the buzzer went off.
Marianne was in the kitchen at the time, and Andrew didn’t feel like getting up from the couch.
“Are you expecting anyone?”
“No! Could you get that? My hands are messy.”
“Why should I if we aren’t expecting anyone?” Andrew grumbled but went to open the door.
Standing there were three people. Andrew guessed it might be Aunt Liz and her family, though he didn’t recognize her immediately, having last seen her as a child.
“You weren’t expecting us, but we’ve arrived.” She cheerily announced, bringing in bags, while the man went back down for more luggage.
“Yes, we weren’t expecting anyone today,” Marianne said sadly. For some time, she watched silently, glancing at her husband. Left with no choice, she invited the guests inside.
“Well, guests, do come in.” She said with irony, “You must be Aunt Liz.”
“Yes, Elizabeth Andrews. This is my daughter, Lisa, and husband, Alan. Don’t worry, we’re just here for a short visit.”
Marianne let the guests freshen up from their journey and invited them to the table, mentioning that visiting uninvited wasn’t good manners.
“You weren’t expected, and nothing’s prepared, so make do with what’s in the fridge.”
“Oh, we brought everything with us; we have goodies, all homemade. We raised it ourselves.”
Aunt Liz bustled about, unpacking bags, placing homemade cheeses, cold cuts, and fragrant smoked goodies on the table. Another bag contained honey, jams, and dried fruits.
“Why so much? We can’t eat all this, there’s nowhere to store it.”
“Share with family. Everything here is organic, no chemicals. The jams and pickles don’t need refrigeration.”
While Marianne sorted through bags with the guests, Andrew called his mom; she and his dad were already on their way. Aunt Liz soon revealed the reason for their visit.
“We’re here not just to meet the family but also because Lisa finishes school this year and plans to apply to university. It’s good to be acquainted with family just in case she needs help. There’s campus accommodation, she’ll live there. She’s a good, smart girl.”
The initial awkwardness soon faded. Elizabeth was warm and likable, Andrew quickly bonded with her husband, and then his parents arrived.
The gathering turned lively. Marianne warmed up and genuinely smiled. All loved Elizabeth’s homemade delicacies. The smoked cheddar, baked ham, and cured meats were delicious.
The unexpected guests turned into a cozy family reunion. Stories of families, past years, youth, and familiar relatives were shared. Elizabeth fondly reminisced about her old home.
“I’d love to visit my village; it’s been so long. Everyone’s probably moved to the city.”
The mother-in-law invited the relatives to stay over at her place to avoid the cramped apartment. After discussion, they decided Lisa would stay with the younger couple, and Elizabeth and her husband would stay with Andrew’s parents. On Sunday, Marianne and Andrew took Lisa around London, showing her the sights like Buckingham Palace and Hyde Park.
Early Monday morning, Aunt Liz and her husband came to pick up Lisa. Marianne and Andrew saw them off and rushed to work; a new workweek awaited.
In the evening after work, they reflected on the unexpected visit. Marianne found it odd they came to see them and not Andrew’s parents.
“They’re lovely, I’m glad we met. But why did you lose touch for so long?”
“Dunno, you should ask mom. I was in second grade when Aunt Liz visited last with little Lisa.”
“They invited us over. We should plan a summer trip by car to the seaside, stop by their place for a few days. Pick Lisa up on our way back to London. I hope she gets into university.”
Lisa was accepted into university, staying with them for a few days before moving into campus accommodation. She occasionally stopped by, but Andrew and Marianne had to delay their seaside trip as they were expecting a new addition to their family.
