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Your Son Is So Dull and Uninteresting
Your son is so dullnothing good will ever come of him!
Emily froze in the doorway, nearly dropping the cake from her hands. Her mother stared at her with disapproval, as if Emily had done something terribly wrong.
“Mum, what are you talking about?” Emily set the cake down on the table. “Whats this got to do with Ollie?”
“Its got everything to do with him!” Her mothers voice sharpened. “Hes in Year Eight and still at a regular comprehensive! No grammar school, no special programmes. How is he supposed to get into a good university? How is he supposed to *achieve* anything?”
Emily bit her lip. The conversation was following its usual script, and a familiar ache of injustice burned in her chest.
“Mum, Ollie does well in school. He gets top marks in most subjects. He has a maths tutorwants to go into programming, like his dad.”
“Exactly!” Her mother threw up her hands. “Programming! Sitting at a computer, just like your Simon. A normal job, a normal salary. And youa teacher! A tutor! Barely scraping by. Do you even feed that boy properly?”
Emily clenched her fists. Her mothers words struck every raw nerve. Yes, she and Simon werent wealthythey had to budget carefully. But Ollie was happy.
“Were fine. Ollie *is* happy.”
“Happy!” Her mother scoffed and turned to the window. “But look at your brothers boynow *thats* a proper lad. Tobys at a private school with an international baccalaureate. Imagine! Fluent in French since primary. James and Claire are doing it rightinvesting in their child, not cutting corners.”
Emily listened in silence. Her brother had always been the favouritebuilt a small business, bought a bigger house, with Claire staying home to raise Toby. And every time, her mother made sure to remind her of the comparison.
“Tobys brilliant!” Her mothers voice softened. “Hes going places. James says theyre sending him to Switzerland for summer school. At thirteen! Thats what proper ambition looks like. Not this *comprehensive* nonsense.”
Emily stepped closer. Her mothers shoulders were rigid, her expression unyielding.
“Mum, I know you want the best for them. But Ollie isnt worse than Tobytheyre just different.”
“Different!” Her mother spun around. “One path leads to success. The other? Mediocrity. Is that what you want for your son? A life scraping by?”
Something inside Emily twisted.
“Were not scraping by. We live within our means. And Ollie will grow up decentkind, hardworking, clever.”
“Hardworking!” Her mother snorted. “Thats not enough in this world, love. You need connections, money, prestige. What does Ollie have? A state school and a mother who cant afford better.”
Emily turned away. The cake shed baked with care, topped with fresh berries, now seemed pointless.
“Mum, I dont want to argue. Were raising him the best we can. He *is* happy.”
“His *future* matters!” Her mother stepped closer. “Youre ruining him with this complacency. James understands. Hes making sure Toby *amounts* to something. You? Youre just drifting.”
Emily shook her head. There was no winning. Her mother had made up her mind long ago.
“Fine. Lets just have lunch. Simon and Ollie will be back soon.”
As expected, the meal was tense. Her mother raved about Tobys achievements, how proud James was. Ollie ate quietly, glancing at his mum. Emily smiled at him, silently reassuring.
After that day, she knewshed have to keep her distance. The constant comparisons hurt too much.
She still called on birthdays and holidays, but the family gatherings stopped. Her mother sulked, but Emily held firm. She had to shield her son.
Years passed. Ollie grew, studied, pursued programming. Emily heard occasional updatesToby graduated with top marks, got into a prestigious university (though not without James pulling strings).
Ollie went to a polytechnic on merit. By his third year, he was working at a start-up. Emily was proud. Simon was proud. But her mother only ever spoke of Toby.
Another decade slipped by. At her mothers seventieth, the family reunited. James and Claire arrived, Toby in towtall, handsome, with artfully tousled hair. Hed quit his corporate job after two years to “pursue music.” James funded his equipment. Two years on, the band went nowhere. Toby still lived at home, unemployed.
Emily watched her mother fawn over himhugging him, stroking his hair, asking about his “art.” Toby gave lazy answers, scrolling through his phone. But her mother didnt see his indifference. For her, he was still golden.
Ollie sat with his wife, Alice, newly pregnant. He worked for a major tech firm now, earned well, rented a flat, saving for a home. But her mother barely glanced at him.
Simons jaw tightened. Alice shot Ollie a worried look. But Ollie just smiled, squeezing her hand.
The evening dragged. Her mother boasted to guests about Tobys “inevitable” fame. Toby nodded absently. Emily said nothing.
Finally, it ended. Simon, Ollie, and Alice left first, waiting by the car. Emily wrapped her scarf in the hall when her mother stepped close.
“Emily, wait. I need to say something.”
Emily stilled. Her mothers voice was quiet but firm.
“Your Ollies so dull, love. Grey. Ordinary. Like you and Simon. No spark. Toby? *Hes* special. A genius. Hell show them all. But your boy? Just exists. Works, married, soon a father. Nothing remarkable. Hes like millions of others.”
Emily stared. Something inside her shattered.
She exhaled slowly, meeting her mothers gaze.
“You know, Mum, I used to think you just wanted me to be better. Push Ollie harder, give him more. I thought your criticism came from lovethat you wanted the best for him.”
Her mother frowned, but Emily raised a hand.
“But the truths simpler. You never loved my son. And all these years, youve made sure I knewthrough your comparisons, your praise of Toby. You didnt want him to succeed. You just wanted me to feel he wasnt enough.”
Her mother paled. Emily buttoned her coat calmly.
“But heres the thing. My son *is* enough. Clever, kind, hardworking, decent. Hell be a wonderful father. Because I *protected* him from ever knowing he was unloved by you. I kept your poison away. And he grew up happy.”
Her mother stood speechless. Emily picked up her bag.
“Keep your opinions to yourself. Ive spent too many years begging for your approval. Im done. Love who you want. Ill be too busy loving *my* grandchild the way they deserve.”
She walked out, shutting the door behind her. Downstairs, Simon hugged her. Ollie grinned. Alice squeezed her arm.
Emily leaned back in the car seat, breathing deep. A strange calm settled over her.
It had taken decades, but she was finally free.
She had her family. She had everything that mattered.
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