Under Mum’s Wing

Emily, is that really how you do it? Mrs. Hargreaves scolded. James loves you,s been making plans, you two have already started living together. And you throw it all away over a single joke, giving him no chance at all.

Mrs. Hargreaves, I already gave him a chance. You heard what he said to me, didnt you? He was talking right in front of you The phone crackled, a female voice announced, Subscriber is offline or out of coverage, and the line clicked. Emily pressed the hangup button, steadied her shaking hand and dialed another number.

Disturbing an elderly neighbour wasnt the ideal move, but when a young man who never stayed out late was missing at three in the morning, it was a clear sign something had gone wrong. Only family could sort it out, and Emily hadnt yet been counted as family.

She and James had only moved in together a month ago; they never registered the relationship, and she had no idea how to involve the authorities. What could she be told? Right she wasnt his wife, so legally she could do nothing.

If his mother started digging for the truth, that would be another matter entirely.

Hello? the line answered immediately. Before Emily could speak, Jamess voice came through.

Hed been asking his mother something, and she, distracted for a split second, replied to him. Then she turned back to the young woman on the other end.

Whos this?

Mrs. Hargreaves? Its Emily, Jamess girlfriend. Is he there?

Could you put him on the line? Its three a.m. and hes not home. Im starting to worry

James? there was a sudden rustle, and moments later a calm voice said, Im listening. Who is this?

Its me. James, whats happening? You couldve at least let his mum know youd be staying over, or not switched off your phone.

Im fine, really. I just Im fed up with you. Im moving to Leeds, dont call me again. Ive taken my stuff, sort out the flat yourself. The line went dead. Emily sat on the bed, mouth agape, phone pressed to her ear, trying to process what had just happened.

Shed been dumped, plain and simple. It didnt feel shocking or particularly unpleasant after a month together, shed halfexpected a line like, Were not right for each other, sorry. Shed even been ready to say it herself. After all, what if you lived with someone for a month and discovered they left unwashed socks under the pillow? That they had a sudden obsession with garden gnomes? Or that they were just plain odd?

Shed previously broken off a relationship because of temperament differences he wanted less, she wanted more, and theyd simply let each other go.

In every past split, the ending had been a conversation, a clear line drawn, a polite signoff that let both parties move on. Being abandoned over the phone, on someone elses handset, without any warning, was new territory for Emily. She spent the next three weeks with her best friend, Kate, trying to piece together theories.

Maybe he was scared youd expose him, or that youd get violent? Kate suggested.

Who? Me? Emily blinked.

With a nickname like Halfpint and a weight of fortyfive kilos, a fight was the last thing on her mind, especially against blokes twice her size and a foot taller.

Even if that were the case, he couldve arranged a public meetup or at least answered his own phone. Or sent a message. We both have three messaging apps, you know.

No, breaking up via text isnt very manly, Kate snorted.

So this is how it turned out manly? No explanations, no proper talk, just this She ran out of words, only empty phrases, none of which made sense. I have no idea what I did wrong.

Whatever you think you did, you cant outpower Mother Nature, Kate muttered, then added, Forget him. He was only a blip. How long were you together?

A month living together, a month dating before that.

Ah, thats nothing. The rubbish was so polite it packed itself out of your flat.

It wasnt mine, it was a rented room.

But you liked it anyway. You bragged about it when you first moved in. Kate laughed. If you hadnt had those almostrelationships, youd still be crashing on a friends council flat. For the same price, even if you paid yourself, you couldve found a better place.

Exactly. I wouldnt have moved in with a bloke who found the city centre inconvenient unless there was a solid reason. And Id never have left that flat psychologically.

See? Something good emerged from that mess. Well find you a proper man, dont worry. Thats what friends are for! Kate kept her promise. A week later Emily went on a date with the brother of a mate not a husbandmaterial, just a decent bloke for a night out.

She returned to the flat, arms full of flowers, and let out a startled yelp when James burst out of the hallway by the mailboxes.

Boo! Scared you, didnt I? he teased.

What the hell are you doing here? Emily demanded.

I didnt get it By the way, whats that broom? he laughed, holding a bunch of blossoms.

These are flowers. The new guy gave them. You dumped me, got a dissociative episode and forgot what I told your mum on the phone?

Emily, are you serious? I was only joking! I just needed to stay with my relatives for a couple of weeks.

And you thought a joke was enough? A note, a text? Emily shot back. Did you realise if you tell someone youre leaving, theyll stop hoping?

If Id just vanished, youd have kept calling me every day for two weeks. I wanted peace and quiet.

My mother always says she ran away at thirteen and lived with her grandma. Same story. Emily rolled her eyes. She wasnt Jamess mother, and she didnt think a twentysomethings behaviour that might be excused for a teenager was acceptable.

She sent James on his way, far off to a tiny village in the Yorkshire Dales. That very evening, Jamess mum turned up at Emilys door, demanding an explanation.

Emily, how could you? James loves you, made plans, you both started living together, and you ruin it over a joke, giving him no chance.

Mrs. Hargreaves, I already gave him a chance. You heard what he said to me, didnt you? He was speaking in front of you

He said it, he made a poor joke. He has quirks, but that doesnt make him a secondclass person, does it?

Im not sorting people, Im living my life. I dont need someone who creates chaos.

I get it, you think hes a bit off, but most women I know, including myself, wouldnt put up with that.

A loving woman accepts her partner as he is, with all his strengths and flaws.

So good luck to James in his search.

Emily, he still loves you. Think of his feelings. Emily began to see why James seemed so thickskinned. Constant maternal coddling had taught him the world revolved around him, and everyone else had to bend.

Life, however, works differently, a lesson James would learn repeatedly through hard experience, perhaps finally drawing his own conclusions or spending his whole life under his mothers wing.

Emily never intended to shoulder his problems, and she let the prospective motherinlaw know in no uncertain terms, sending James off to the Dales to chase his mothers son.

Whether he ever caught up with her is unknown, but judging by the fact they never returned to Emily, the plan worked.

Five years later, after marrying Stuart, Emily heard from mutual friends that James still lived with his mum, hadnt found a suitable partner, and blamed everyone but himself. No epiphany, just the same old story. Better that way some families are better left unstarted.