The Wise Mother-in-Law
When her youngest son married, the older children had long since moved awayher daughter had married and gone off to Manchester with her husband, while her son had headed north to Scotland for work. Margaret had always known the eldest wouldnt stay in the village longher daughter loved the finer things in life, covering her walls with magazine cutouts as a girl, while her son had maps pinned up, dreaming not of cowsheds and vegetable patches but of far-off lands. But her youngest, Edward, had always been her boy, and when her husband died, he promised:
“Mum, Ill never leave you. Ill always live with you.”
She had stood at the graveside, repeating, “How will I manage without you, James? How?” Her daughter wept, her eldest stood frozen as ice, but twelve-year-old Edward stayed by her side the whole time, offering his small shoulder to lean on. He kept his word, visiting almost every weekend even while studying. So when it came time to marry, he sought a wife willing to live in the village. He built a housethough on a different street, as there was no space nearby. He begged his mother to move in, but Margaret refused. “What good is a home with two mistresses?”
His bride was named Emily. She had big blue eyes and hair that fell past her waist. Edward had met her in the city while they were at university. He confessed to his mother that hed fancied Emily for ages, but shed never noticed himuntil now. The wedding was lively, with all the relatives gathering. Margaret liked her new daughter-in-lawa strong-willed girl, just what Edward needed. That she was hopeless at housework didnt matter. Margaret would teach her.
The first clash came a week later when Margaret dropped by to help make soupEdward had always had a weak stomach and needed it. Emily snapped at her, saying her hands were dirty from kneading bread. “What else am I supposed to use?” Margaret didnt argue. She left, and that evening Edward asked her not to visit when he wasnt homeEmily got nervous.
“Dont take it to heart, Mum. Emilys expectinghormones, you know.”
Margaret didnt mind. A grandchild was just what she needed to fill the hole in her heart since the others had left.
When the baby came, the house was packedparents, friends, even Emilys sister. Margaret tried to say it was too many visitors for a newborn, but Emily called her superstitious and shot Edward a look. He asked his mother to stop fussing and make tea instead. So she did. She fed everyone, washed the dishes, and stole glances at her granddaughterso tiny, so perfect. How she longed to hold her!
“May I?” she asked.
Emily eyed Margarets hands and said, “Wash them first.”
“But Ive just done the washing-up!”
“Exactly! Honestly, the mess!”
Emilys parents stared, and Margaret flushedmaybe she was out of touch.
In the end, she did hold the baby. How sweet she smelled! A beautiful little girl. Emily even relaxed her rules, allowing Margaret to visit while Edward was at workshe couldnt keep up with the house alone, and Margaret was glad to help. Still, Emily always found a way to snipe, and she rarely let Margaret hold the baby. But Margaret endured it. What else could she do? Her son loved this woman, so she had to adjust. The only thing that truly stung was when Emily refused the pink snowsuit Margaret had bought.
“Did you get this at a market? My daughter wont wear this! And besidesits April! No need to smother her!”
They named her Charlotte, after Emilys sister, and Edward promised the next daughter would be named after Margaret. She doubted Emily would want many children, so she didnt dwell on it. But she was wrong.
At Charlottes first birthday, Edward and Emily announced they were expecting again. Emilys mother groaned that it was too soon, but Margaret chimed in that her own children had been close in age, and it had been fine. Emilys sister pursed her lipsshe always did that when Margaret spoke. Still, everyone congratulated them, and Emily, flushed, said she hoped for a boy.
She got her wish. A son, named James, and Margaret weptshed never dreamed her grandson would carry her husbands name.
She adored him. Emilys second delivery had been difficult, and this time, she gave inletting Margaret help with the house and the children, especially little James, who spent most of his first year in her arms.
Emily stayed in bed, complaining of headaches. Shed gained weight and couldnt shed it, blaming Margaret for baking pies. But how could Edward go without his favourite treat? And Margaret didnt think Emily was fat at allplump, yes, but it suited her. Still, she stopped baking.
Then came little Henry. Pale, delicate, heartbreaking. Margaret expected Emily to take to her bed again, but this time, she surprised herthrowing herself into caring for him with a fierceness Margaret had never seen. She learned to cook, to massage, to keep the house spotless. Margaret took the older children, and no more help was needed.
The children grew. Henry remained sickly, so Margaret helped with school, especially after a local girl went missing. Police and volunteers searched for weeks before finding her in the riverand it wasnt an accident. Edward panicked and asked Margaret to walk the children to school. After, Emily or Edward would fetch them.
Henry had some rare condition. Margaret tried to ask Edward about it, but he only snappedunable to accept his sons frailty. Emily said Margaret, with her basic schooling, wouldnt understand. It didnt seem so direpale, yes, with a large head and downy hair, but bright as a button.
Emily doted on Henry, blind to all else. Margaret noticed before she did that Edward had taken to stopping by the shop to flirt with Katie. She tried to shield Emily, but gossip spread, as it always does.
One day, the children walked home alone. James told her when she arrived to collect them.
“Gran, we dont need you to walk us! Yesterday, I chased off dogs from Charlotte, and we didnt get lost.”
Charlotte was terrified of dogs. But what puzzled Margaret was why Emily hadnt met themshe always took Henry for a walk at that time.
She found Emily puffy-eyed, sniffling.
“How can I show my face? Everyone will point! I bought yoghurts for Henry from her every day!”
“Enough of that!” Margaret said sternly. “Wash your face and pull yourself together. Well go to the shop.”
To her surprise, Emily obeyed. An hour later, they marched to the high street, pushing Henry in his pramhe still struggled to walk. Katie, behind the counter, lifted her head and glared.
“Katie, we need butterthe good kind. Edward loves my cheese pie, and Emily makes it so well. And some of those expensive chocolatesEmily adores them, and my son spares no expense for his wife. His pay came in today; he said she could buy whatever she likes.”
Emily caught on and joined in. As they packed their shopping, Katie blurted:
“He promised me a phone tomorrow. With a camera. I dont need your chocolates!”
Margaret nudged Emilydont worry, that phone wont happen. They left, and that afternoon, they baked a pie togetherbut saved none for Edward. When he peeked under the towel, only crumbs remained.
“Didnt you leave me any?” he asked, hurt.
“Sorry, we didnt realise wed eaten it all,” Margaret lied. “Have some broth insteadbetter for you. Oh, and Emilys got a job. Remember Uncle Jack? Hes started a delivery service and needs a telephonist. Good pay, and the drivers are decent ladstheyll look after her.”
“But what about Henry?” Edward faltered.
“Thats what Im here for! You think I cant handle him? Now, give us moneyEmily needs proper clothes, a haircut. Come on, out with it!”
He didnt dare refuse. One note, then another, then anotheruntil Margaret had emptied his wallet. Now let him buy his mistress a phone with nothing!
Of course, she hadnt spoken to Jack yet, but hed once fancied her and couldnt say noEmily became his second telephonist.
“Dont row with Edward,” Margaret advised. “Act like nothings wrong. Just be coldno affection. Focus on the children, the house, and talk a lot about work.”
She praised Emily to Edwardwhat a homemaker, such a devoted mother, and so beautiful! What else could she do? If they split, Emily would take the children back to her parents.
The plan worked fast. Katie, furious over the missing gift, likely threw a scene, while home was peacefuland Emily, suddenly glamorous, left early each morning. Edward even started meeting her after work, especially after a driver dropped her off
