Your son is so dullnothing good will come of him!
Emily froze in the doorway, nearly dropping the cake from her hands. Her mother glared at her disapprovingly, as if Emily had done something wrong.
“Mum, what are you talking about?” Emily set the cake on the table. “Whats this got to do with Ben?”
“Everything!” Her mother raised her voice. “Hes in Year 8 and still at a standard comprehensive school! No specialisations, no advanced programmes. How will he get into a decent university? How will he ever achieve anything?”
Emily bit her lip. The conversation was following the usual script, and a familiar sting of unfairness burned in her chest.
“Mum, Ben gets top marks in most subjects. He has a maths tutor and wants to go into programming, just like James did.”
“Thats exactly the problem!” Her mother threw her hands up. “Programming! Sitting at a computer like your James. A mediocre job, a mediocre salary. And what about you? A teacher! A tutor! Barely making ends meet. Do you even feed that boy properly?”
Emily clenched her fists. Her mothers words struck too close to home. Yes, she and James werent wealthythey had to budget carefully. But their son Ben was happy.
“Were doing fine. And Ben is happy.”
“Happy!” Her mother scoffed and walked to the window. “Now, Thomass boytheres a real treasure. Oliver goes to a specialist language school. Imagine? English and French from Year 1! Fluent already. Thomas and Claire are doing everything rightinvesting in him, no expense spared.”
Emily listened silently. Her brother had always been the favouritestarted his own business, bought a bigger house, while Claire stayed home to raise their son. And every time, her mother made sure to compare them.
“Oliver is so talented!” her mother went on warmly. “Hell go far. Thomas says theyre sending him abroad for summer language courses. At thirteen! Thats proper ambition. Not this ordinary school business.”
Emily stepped closer. Her mothers shoulders were stiff, her expression stern.
“Mum, I know you want the best for your grandsons. But Ben isnt worse than Olivertheyre just different.”
“Different paths!” Her mother spun around. “One leads to success. The other to mediocrity. Is that what you want for him? A life of struggle?”
Something inside Emily twisted.
“Were not struggling. We live within our means. And Ben will grow up kind, hardworking, and clever.”
“Hardworking!” Her mother snorted. “Thats not enough these days, love. You need connections, money, prestige. What does Ben have? A state school and a mum who barely scrapes by.”
Emily looked away. The cake shed baked with care now seemed pointless.
“Mum, I dont want to argue. Were raising him our way, and hes happy.”
“His future is what matters!” Her mother stepped closer. “Youre failing him by not pushing harder. Thomas understands. Hes making sure Oliver becomes someone. Youre just drifting.”
Emily shook her head. Arguing was useless. Her mothers mind wouldnt change.
“Fine, Mum. Lets just have lunch. James and Ben will be here soon.”
The meal was as tense as expected. Her mother boasted about Olivers achievements while Ben ate quietly, glancing at Emily. She smiled back, trying to reassure him.
After that day, Emily realised she had to distance herself. The constant comparisons hurt too much.
She still called her mother and Thomas for birthdays and holidays but stopped family gatherings. Her mother sulked, but Emily held firm. Ben didnt need that poison.
Years passed. Ben grew up, studied, and pursued programming. Occasionally, Emily heard updates about Oliverhis top grades, his place at a prestigious university (with Thomass connections helping).
Ben graduated too, got into a decent polytechnic on merit alone. By his third year, he was working at a small IT firm. Emily was proud. James was proud. Her mother still only talked about Oliver.
More time slipped by. Both grandsons were nearing thirty. At her mothers birthday party, the family reunited. Thomas and Claire arrived, and so did Olivertall, handsome, with artfully messy hair. Hed quit his job after uni to start a band. Thomas funded the equipment, but two years later, they were still unknown. Oliver lived at home, jobless.
Emily watched her mother fawn over him, blind to his indifference.
Ben sat with his wife, Anna. Theyd married recently, and she was expecting. He worked for a major tech company, earned well, and was saving for a house. His grandmother barely glanced at him.
Jamess jaw tightened. Anna looked worried, but Ben just smiled, squeezing her hand.
The evening dragged on. Her mother gushed about Olivers “brilliance” while he scrolled on his phone. Emily stayed quiet.
Finally, they left. James, Ben, and Anna went ahead to the car while Emily lingered in the hallway.
“Wait,” her mother said softly. “I need to say something.”
Emily turned.
“Your Ben is so dull, love. Grey. Ordinary. Just like you and James. No spark. Oliver? Now theres a star. Hell prove it someday. But Ben he just exists. Works, married, soon a father. Nothing special. Hes like millions of others.”
Emily exhaled slowly. Something inside her cracked.
“You know, Mum, I used to think you criticised because you cared. That you wanted me to do better for him.”
Her mother frowned, but Emily held up a hand.
“But no. You just never loved my son. All those years of comparisons, of praising Oliverit wasnt about making Ben better. It was about making sure I knew hed never be enough.”
Her mother paled. Emily buttoned her coat.
“But guess what? My son is brilliant. Kind, hardworking, decent. Hell be a wonderful father. Because I never let him feel your disdain. I protected him from you.”
Her mother stared, speechless.
“Keep your opinions to yourself. I spent years begging for your love. Not anymore. Love who you want. Im done playing this game.”
She walked out, shutting the door behind her.
James hugged her. Ben smiled. As she sank into the car seat, an unfamiliar calm settled over her.
It had taken years, but she was free.
She had everything that mattered.
A real family.
And that was enough.
