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A Wife and a Father: When Karina Meets Her Fiancé’s Parents and Discovers Her Own Secret Past with Her Future Father-in-Law, Setting Off a Dangerous Game of Secrets, Threats, and Family Drama in a Proper English Home
Wife and Father
So, Katie had been pretending she was super keen to meet Toms parents. Truth was, why on earth would she want to? It wasnt like shed be living with them, and Toms dadwell, he was well-off by all accounts, but all you get with people like that is trouble and judgement.
But if youre going to go through with getting married, you have to play the part, right till the end.
Katie got dressed up, but kept it simplenothing flashyso theyd see her as that nice, down-to-earth girl. Meeting your fiancés mum and dad is always a minefield, but meeting clever parents? Thats basically an obstacle course.
Tom was convinced she needed a pep talk.
Dont be nervous, Kate, honest, just dont stress. Dads a bit grumpy, but hes reasonableyoull see. They wont say anything awful, and theyll love you. Dads definitely a bit eccentric, but Mum is a total star, he reassured her, just as they reached his parents house.
Katie just smiled and flicked her hair back, thinking: grumpy dad, sociable mum. Good combo. She had to laugh, really.
The house didnt shock hershed been to far fancier. No big deal.
They were welcomed straight in.
Katie didnt feel nervous. Why should she? They were just people, nothing more. She already knew a bit about them from Tomhis mum, Linda, had been a homemaker for years, occasionally holidaying with her friends, a nice enough woman. His dad, Richard, hardly a jolly soul, but at least he wasnt chatty. And that nameRichardthere was something familiar about it
And then they met.
Thats where everything ground to a halt for Katie. She froze on the doorstep. Total disaster. Toms mum was a strangerbut Toms dad? She memorised him in a split second. Theyd met before. Not often, but it had been mutually beneficial. Bars, hotels, quiet restaurants. Obviously, neither Linda nor Tom had any clue.
Brilliant.
Richard recognised her, too. There was a flicker in his eyesmaybe shock, maybe horror, maybe schemingbut he kept quiet.
Completely clueless, Tom beamed as he introduced her.
Mum, dadthis is Katie. My fiancée. Would have brought her around sooner, but shes really shy.
Lovely
Richard reached out and shook her hand. Steady, almost intimidating grip.
Very pleased to meet you, Katie, he said, but there was an unmistakable edge in his voice. It was hard to tell. Maybe a threat. Maybe a warning. Maybe more.
Katie braced herself for Richard to out her, expecting him to blurt out everything.
Lovely to meet you, Richard, Katie played along, forcing herself to seem normal, and shook his hand, heart pounding. What was going to happen now?
Nothing.
Richard managed a half-smile and even pulled out her chair at the table.
Yeah, maybe hed humiliate her later, but for now, nothing.
And in that moment, she realised: he wouldnt say a word. If Richard exposed her, hed be exposing himself too.
After the tension eased, things relaxed. Linda, as expected, launched into stories from Toms childhood, while Richard pretended to take an interest in Katie, asking about her job. The irony was, of course, he actually knew plenty about herfar too much. But his sly remarks just slid right off her. He even made a couple of jokes, and, to her surprise, Katie found herself laughing. But every joke he made was laced with hints they both understood.
For example, when he looked straight at her and said,
You remind me of a former colleague, Katie. She was smart. She had a knack for handling people. Any people.
Katie was quick:
Everyone has their own talents, Richard.
Tom, hopelessly in love, kept shooting Katie these adoring glances, never picking up on the subtext. He really adored her, and, honestly, that was both sweet and heartbreaking. For him, mostly.
Later, when the conversation shifted to holidays, Richard, barely disguising his meaning, said,
I like quiet places, myself. Somewhere you can just sit, read, and think, without fuss. How about you, Katie?
Trying to catch her out.
I prefer being surrounded by peopleits always more lively. Sometimes, though, too many eavesdroppers can be dangerous, she answered, refusing to take the bait.
For a split second, Linda seemed to pick up on somethingher brow furrowed, but then she brushed it away.
Of course Richard knew Katie wasnt one for peace and quiet. And he knew exactly why.
When the evening wound down, Richard hugged Tom and said,
Look after her, son. Shes special.
It was equal parts compliment and warningthough only Katie caught it.
The air in the room felt icy. Special. Could he have picked a more pointed word?
***
Later that night, when the house was sleeping, Katie couldnt rest. She lay there, turning over everything that had just happened, and trying to work out what to do now. The situation was far from ideal. She suspected Richard, like her, wasnt sleeping either. Neither of them could.
Katie pulled on a hoodie over her shorts and tee, the one she only wore around the house, and crept downstairs, deliberately treading so anyone awake might hear, and headed out onto the patio. She guessed Richard would find her, and she was right.
Cant sleep? he asked, appearing behind her.
Just one of those nights, Katie replied.
A gentle breeze passed, carrying the familiar scent of his aftershave.
He studied her, long and deliberate.
What do you want with my son, Katie? he said, no pretence left. I know what youre capable of. I know there have been plenty like me in your life. I know youve always been after money. Not that you ever really hid that. You always set a price, subtly or not. Why Tom?
Since he didnt care to sugarcoat things, neither would she. Katie bared her teeth:
I love him, Richard. Why shouldnt I?
He wasnt convinced.
You? Love? Dont make me laugh. I know what sort you are, Katie. And Ill tell Tom everything. About what you used to do. Who you really are. Do you think hell still want to marry you after that?
Katie stepped forward, closing the gap between them, and looked him over as if she hadnt seen enough already.
Go ahead, Richard, she said calmly, drawing out each word. But then your wife will find out our little secret, wont she?
Thats
Its not blackmail. Call it mutual understanding. You tell them about me, and Ill fill in the details of how we met, and what we got up to. Trust me, I wont skimp on the details.
Thats not the same
Oh really? Youll say that to Linda?
Richard went silent. His threat had backfired. He wasnt in control. They were stuck together now.
So, what exactly would you tell her? he asked quietly.
Not just her. Everyone. Tom, too. Ill tell them what kind of family man you are, all those nights you worked late. It wont matter anymoreIll have nothing left to lose. If you really want to save Tom from me, go ahead.
Stuck between a rock and a hard place. If he warned Tom off marrying her, it would cost him his own marriage.
Youd never dare.
Oh, wouldnt I? Katie grinned. You tell your son about my so-called greed, when youve got enough dirt to get yourself kicked out? You know Linda values loyalty more than anything.
He had confessed everything to Katie once, sloppy drunk, how Linda was so good and faithful, and he was not. Linda would never forgive him. Never. This time, he really had to choose.
She wasnt bluffing. He knew it.
Fine, he grunted. Ill keep quiet. And you you keep your mouth shut, too. Nobody says a word. We forget everything.
Thats why Katie wasnt worried. He had far more to lose than she did.
Whatever you say, Richard.
The next morning, Tom and Katie left his parents house, with Richard eyeing her like he wanted her out of his life. Linda, meanwhile, hugged her goodbye and managed to call her dear. Richards eye twitched at that.
He hated that he couldnt warn Tom about the woman he was marrying, but he was even more terrified of blowing up his life. Lose Linda, and hed lose his wife, not to mention a good chunk of his moneyshed hardly leave with nothing. And Tom, well, wouldnt forgive him either.
A few weeks later, Tom and Katie went to stay with his parents for a couple of weeks of holiday.
Richard tried his best to avoid Katie, always too busy with something. But one morning, when he was home alone, curiosity got the best of him. He poked through Katies handbag, searching for anything he could use.
He rifled through her makeup bag, planner, little notepads. But then he saw it. Blue and white. A pregnancy test. Two clear lines.
I thought the worst was my son marrying you. But thisthis is a bloody disaster, he thought, shoving the test back just as Katie walked in and caught him red-handed.
Well, isnt this lovelyrummaging through other peoples things, she said, dry as you like, though she didnt seem all that bothered.
Richard didnt deny it.
Are you pregnant, Katie? With Toms baby?
Katie walked right over, grabbed her bag, looked him in the eye.
Looks like youve ruined the surprise, Richard.
He was livid. Now she was cemented in his sons life. If he told anyone, that would be it. For everyone. He had to keep quiet, and it was tortureknowing the trap Tom was in.
***
Nine months, then another six, went by.
Tom and Katie were raising a little girl, Alice.
Richard stayed away. He couldnt bear to visit, wouldnt even look at photos. As far as he was concerned, Alice wasnt really his granddaughter, and Katie terrified him. That indifference to Tom, the secrets in her past.
And then
Linda announced she was popping over to see Tom, Katie, and the baby.
Richard, coming?
No, got a bit of a headache.
Again? Sounds a bit serious.
No, just tired today. You go on.
That was his usual actmigraines, sore throat, dodgy anklehe always found a reason to stay home. He even popped a paracetamol or two for good measure. He just couldnt face Katie. Couldnt stand her. But he couldnt bring himself to come clean, either.
The evening dragged. He lay about, read a bit, though his mind raced.
Suddenly he realised Linda was late. Really late. It was past eleven, and still no sign of her. And she wasnt answering her phone.
He called Tom.
Everything alright? Has Mum set off yet? She hasnt come home.
Dad, youre the last person I want to talk to right now, Tom snapped, and just hung up.
Richard was just about to head over himself when Katies car pulled up outside. Something was clearly off, but when he saw Katie, it almost gave him a heart attack.
What are you doing here? he demanded, shaking with nerves. Whats happened?
Katie poured herself a glass of wine, sat down, utterly unbothered.
Its all come crashing down, she said, matter-of-fact.
What do you mean, crashed down?
Our whole cover. Tom was booking something for our anniversary, checking out a cafés website, and thereposted for all to seewere photos from that party four years ago at The Oasis. Remember? The ones you didnt want taken. Well, there we are, caught on camera for the world to see. Toms furious. Your Lindas threatening divorce. And me? Looks like youll finally get your wishI’m probably getting divorced too, from your son.
Richard just stared at her, as dozens of memories flashed by. That cursed party, those cursed photos. He knew nothing good would come of itno matter how much hed asked them not to post them. But who could have predicted this mess?
He slumped down beside her on the floor.
So why are you here?
I just needed a breather, Katie said, smiling. Its chaos at home. Alice is with the nanny. Fancy some wine?
She offered him his own wine.
They sat on the patio, silent except for the evenings hum, cicadas rasping in the backgroundabout all they had in common at that moment.
This is all your fault, Richard said.
Katie didnt look up from her glass.
Yep.
Youre impossible.
True.
You dont even feel sorry for Tom.
I do. Just not as sorry as I feel for myself.
You only really care about yourself.
I won’t argue with that.
Suddenly he reached out and took her chin in his hand, tilting her face to his.
You know I never loved you, right? he whispered.
I believe you, she replied.
***
The next morning, when Linda finally showed up to make peace and save her marriagenever mind what it cost hershe found Katie and Richard, together. Still in the same room.
Whos there? Katie asked, sitting up.
Just me, Linda said, watching her world fall apart.
Katie, seeing her, just smiled calmly. Richard woke a bit later but never went after his wife.
A Carer for the Wife — “What do you mean?” Lida thought she’d misheard. “Where am I supposed to move out to? Why? For what reason?” — “Oh, let’s not have a scene, alright?” He grimaced. “What’s not clear here? There’s no one left for you to care for. Where you go is no concern of mine.” — “Ed, what are you talking about? Weren’t we supposed to get married?..” — “That’s what you came up with. I never promised anything like that.” At 32, Lida decided it was time for a drastic change and to leave her little English village behind. What was left for her there? To keep listening to her mother’s nagging? Her mum just wouldn’t let it go, always bringing up the divorce—how could Lida let her husband slip away? And that Vas—he was never worth a kind word anyway—always drinking and running around! How did she ever manage to marry him eight years ago? Lida didn’t even feel upset when the divorce happened—on the contrary, she actually felt as though she could finally breathe. But she and her mother were always at loggerheads over it. And over money too—there just never seemed to be enough. So Lida decided she’d head to the local city centre and sort her life out there! Take her school friend Sally—she’d been married for five years to a widower. So what if he’s sixteen years older, and not much to look at, at least he’s got his own place and a bit of money. And Lida was every bit as good as Sally! — “Well, thank goodness! You’ve come to your senses!” Sally cheered her on. “Get packing, you can crash with us to start, and we’ll sort you out with a job.” — “Are you sure your Pete won’t mind?” Lida asked doubtfully. — “Oh please! He does whatever I ask! Don’t worry, we’ll be just fine!” Still, Lida didn’t want to overstay her welcome. She stayed for a couple of weeks until she’d earned enough for a room of her own. Then, only a couple of months later, luck finally smiled on her. — “Why is a woman like you selling vegetables at the market?” asked a regular customer, Mr. Edward Byrne, with a hint of sympathy. Lida knew all her regulars by name now. — “It’s cold, it’s miserable—I’m just trying to get by.” She joked, “Unless you’ve got a better offer?” Edward Byrne hardly looked like the man of her dreams—a good twenty years older than her, jowly, balding, with sharp eyes. He always chose his vegetables carefully and paid down to the last penny—but dressed smartly and drove a nice car, so he was no down-and-out drunk. He also wore a wedding ring, so husband material he definitely was not. — “I can see you’re a responsible, no-nonsense, clean sort,” Edward shifted to first names easily, “Ever cared for a sick person before?” — “I have, actually. I cared for a neighbour who had a stroke. Her kids live miles away and couldn’t be bothered. So they asked me.” — “Perfect!” said Edward, putting on a mournful face. “My wife, Tamara, had a stroke too. The doctors say she’s unlikely to recover. I’ve brought her home but don’t have time to care for her. Can you help? I’ll pay good money.” Lida didn’t have to think twice. Anything was better than freezing for ten hours at the market dealing with picky shoppers! Besides, Edward offered her a room—no more rent! — “There are three separate rooms! You could play football in there!” she told Sally happily. “No kids or anything.” Tamara’s mother was a real character too—at 68 still trying to look 40, recently remarried, always busy with her new husband. No one to care for her sick daughter. — “Is she really that ill?” Sally asked. — “Not much hope I’m afraid—she’s bedridden and just moans. She probably won’t get better.” — “And you’re happy about that?” Sally shot a look at her. — “No, of course not,” Lida glanced away, “but Edward might be free someday…” — “You serious, Lida? Wishing someone dead over a flat?” — “I’m not wishing anything! I just won’t miss my chance. Easy for you to judge—you’ve got everything perfect!” They fell out then, and for half a year didn’t speak—until Lida finally confided things had turned romantic with Edward. They couldn’t live without each other, but of course he’d never leave his wife—not his style. So for now things had to stay as they were. — “So you’re playing happy families while his wife’s dying in the next room?” Sally scolded. “Do you even see how awful that is? Or are you only blinded by his supposed riches?” — “You never have a kind word for me!” Lida snapped. And once again they stopped speaking. Still, Lida hardly felt guilty (well, maybe just a little). Everyone’s so holy! The well-fed can’t understand the hungry, after all. Never mind—she’d make it on her own. She cared for Tamara with real dedication. Since her romance with Edward began, she took on every other household task too. After all, a man needed more than just warmth in bed—he needed good meals, shirts washed and ironed, floors mopped. Edward seemed perfectly content, and so was Lida. In fact, she’d almost failed to notice he’d stopped paying her for caring for his wife altogether. But why fuss about money—they were almost husband and wife by now! He gave her money for food and a bit extra, and she kept track of the budget—not noticing it barely covered basics. His salary was sizeable, but never mind—once they were married, it’d all get sorted. Their passion faded over time, and Edward didn’t hurry home these days, but Lida blamed his tiredness from having a sick wife. Why he was tired, she couldn’t say—he barely popped in to see Tamara once a day—but she felt for him. Lida still wept when Tamara died, though it was hardly unexpected. After all, she’d given a year and a half to that woman—it’s not like that time just vanished. Lida organised the funeral—Edward was stricken with grief. He gave her just enough money for it, but Lida made sure everything was decent. No one could criticise her. Even the neighbours, who’d always shot her dirty looks for her affair with Edward—nothing escapes them—even they nodded at the funeral. The mother-in-law was pleased too. Lida never expected what Edward hit her with next. — “As you can imagine, I’ve no further need of your services, so I’m giving you a week to move out,” he told her dryly, ten days after the funeral. — “What do you mean?” Lida thought she’d misheard. “Where am I supposed to go? Why?” — “Oh, please, spare the drama,” he replied coldly. “You’ve got no one left to look after. Where you go’s your problem.” — “Ed, what’s this? Weren’t we getting married?..” — “That was all in your head. I never promised anything.” The next morning after a sleepless night, Lida tried again, but Edward just repeated himself and insisted she leave soon. — “My fiancée wants to renovate before the wedding,” Edward revealed. — “Fiancée? Who?” — “None of your business.” — “Oh, it’s not, is it?! I’ll leave, but you’ll pay me for my work. Listen here! You promised £1,000 a month. I only got it twice. You owe me £16,000.” — “Look at you, quick with numbers!” he mocked. “Don’t get your hopes up…” — “Oh—and there’s extra for being your housekeeper! I’ll let it go for £25,000—then we’ll be done.” — “And if not? Sue me? You’ve not even got a contract.” — “I’ll tell Pamela—you know, your mother-in-law. She bought this flat for you, remember? After my story, you’ll be out on your ear. You know her better than I do.” Edward’s face changed, but he quickly controlled himself. — “Who’ll believe you? Don’t try and scare me. In fact, I want you out now.” — “You’ve got three days, darling. No money—there’ll be fireworks.” Lida packed up and went to a hostel. She’d managed to squirrel away a bit from grocery money. On the fourth day, she still hadn’t heard from him, so she turned up at Edward’s flat. Luckily, Pamela was there too. Lida could tell from Edward’s face he’d never pay up, so she immediately spilled everything to his mother-in-law. — “She’s making things up! Rambling! Don’t listen to her!” cried the widower. — “I heard things at the funeral—didn’t believe them then,” Pamela said coldly. “Now it’s all clear. And you, son-in-law, don’t forget—the deed’s in my name.” Edward froze. — “I don’t want to see you here in a week. No, make that three days.” Pamela hesitated by the door, then turned to Lida. — “And you, dear, what are you waiting for? A medal? Leave!” Lida bolted from the flat. No chance of seeing any money now. She’d have to return to the market—there’s always work there… **The Carer for the Wife: When Lida Leaves Her Village for a Second Chance, Only to Find Herself Out on the Street After Her Employer’s Wife Dies**
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Shutting the Door on Our Own Daughter — “Why didn’t you let her in?” Veronica finally asked the question that haunted her most. “You used to always let her in…” Her mother gave a bitter smile. “Because I’m scared for you, Nicky. Do you think we don’t see the way you hide in the corner when your sister barges in at night? The way you hide your textbooks so she won’t ruin them? She looks at you and gets angry. Angry because you’re normal. Because you have a different future ahead of you, but she’s drowned hers in a bottle…” Veronica hunched over her open textbook, flinching as yet another row kicked off in the next room. Her father didn’t even take off his coat—he stood in the hallway, phone in hand, shouting into it. “Don’t try and fob me off!” he roared. “Where’s it all gone then? Two weeks after payday, Larissa! Two!” Tatiana peered out from the kitchen. She listened to her husband’s tirade, then asked, “Again?” Valery waved her off and put the phone on speaker—immediately met by sobbing. Veronica’s older sister had a natural talent for making even stones melt in pity. But their parents had developed a tough skin after so many years. “What do you mean ‘he threw you out’?” Valery started to pace the cramped corridor. “Damn right. Who’d put up with your never-ending drunkenness? Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror? You’re thirty, but you look like a battered dog.” Veronica crept her door open an inch. “Dad, please…” The sobs suddenly cut out. “He put my things out on the landing. I’ve nowhere to go. It’s cold, it’s raining… I’ll come to you, okay? Just for a couple of days. Just to get some sleep…” Mother lunged for the phone, but Valery turned away. “No!” he barked. “You’re not coming in this house. We agreed last time—after you hocked the TV while we were at the cottage, the door to this family shut for you!” “Mum! Mum, say something!” came the desperate cry. Tatiana covered her face. Her shoulders shook. “Larissa, how could you…” she sobbed, avoiding her husband’s eyes. “We took you to the doctors, we… You promised. The last treatment, they said it would last three years. You didn’t even last a month.” “Those treatments are rubbish!” Larissa snapped back, her voice suddenly venomous. “They’re just taking your money! I’m suffering here! Everything’s burning inside, I can’t breathe! And you’re worried about a TV! As if I won’t buy you a new one!” “With what?!” Valery stopped, glaring at a spot on the wall. “With what, when you’ve spent everything? Borrowed from your drinking friends again? Or sold something from your boyfriend’s flat, what’s his name?” “Doesn’t matter!” Larissa yelled. “Dad, I’ve nowhere to go! What do you want, for me to sleep under a bridge?” “Go to a shelter. Go anywhere,” her father’s voice went cold. “But you aren’t walking through this door. I’ll change the locks if I see you on our street.” Veronica sat on her bed, knees hugged to her chest. Usually, when her older sister pushed their parents into rage, the anger bounced on to her. “What are you doing there, on your phone again? You’ll end up as useless as your sister!” Words she’d heard for three years. But tonight, she was forgotten. No shouting, no snipes. Her father hung up, took off his coat, and her parents moved to the kitchen. Veronica carefully stepped into the hall. “Val, you can’t…” her mother pleaded. “She’ll be lost. You know how she gets in that state. She’s not responsible for herself.” “Why should I be responsible for her?” her father slammed the kettle on. “I’m fifty-five, Tania. I want to come home and sit in my chair in peace. I don’t want to hide my wallet under my pillow! I don’t want to apologise to neighbours who saw her with dodgy characters in our building!” “She’s our daughter,” mother whispered. “She was our daughter until she was twenty. Now she’s just someone draining the life out of us. She’s a drinker, Tania. You can’t cure that if she doesn’t want to quit. And she doesn’t. She likes this life. Wake up, get a cheap bottle and pass out!” The phone rang again. The parents froze, then her father’s voice came: “Yes?” “Dad… I’m at the station. Police are everywhere. They’ll arrest me if I stay here. Please…” “Listen to me, closely,” he cut in. “You’re not coming home. Period.” “So, should I just go and kill myself then?” Larissa’s voice held a note of challenge. “Is that what you want? A call from the morgue?!” Veronica froze. That was Larissa’s classic trump card— when nothing else worked, threaten tragedy. It always worked before. Mum would break down, dad would clutch his heart, and Lari would get money, a bed, food, and a clean-up. Not tonight. Her dad didn’t bite. “Stop with the threats,” he said. “You love yourself too much for that. Here’s the deal. I’ll find you a room. The cheapest I can, at the edge of town. I’ll pay a month’s rent. Some food money. That’s all. After that, you’re on your own. Get a job, shape up—you can manage. If not, in a month you’re back on the street. That’s it for me.” “A room?! Just a room, not a flat? Dad, I can’t do it on my own. It’s scary. The neighbours might be weird. And I don’t even have bedding—he kept it all!” “Mum will pack you some. I’ll leave it with the concierge. Collect it, but don’t even try upstairs. I’ve warned you.” “You’re animals!” Larissa screamed. “Chuck your own daughter out! Living comfortable in your three-bed while I have to crawl into some hovel?!” Mum couldn’t take it, snatching the phone. “Larissa, that’s enough!” she shouted, making Veronica jump. “Listen to your father! This is your only chance. Take the room, or it’s the streets. Choose now, or he won’t even pay for that!” Silence came from the other end. “Fine,” Larissa finally snapped. “Send me the address. And money. I’m starving.” “No money,” Valery cut in. “I’ll send you food. I know exactly what your ‘food’ budget goes on.” He hung up. Veronica decided now was the time. She tiptoed to the kitchen for a drink, expecting a backlash. Her dad would comment on her scruffy t-shirt. Her mum would chide her indifference—how could she just wander the house with all this going on? But neither even looked at her. “Veronica,” her mum said quietly. “Yeah, Mum?” “In the wardrobe, top shelf. Old bedsheets and pillowcases. Pack them in the blue bag from the cupboard.” “Okay, Mum.” Veronica found the bag and emptied it, dazed. How would Larissa live alone? She couldn’t boil pasta, let alone stay off the bottle… Veronica returned, climbed on a stool, and started packing the linen. “Don’t forget towels!” called Dad. “Already packed,” Veronica replied. She saw her father stomp out, grab the bags, and leave. Off to find this “hovel,” presumably. Veronica wandered into the kitchen. Mum sat, unmoving. “Mum, want me to get you a tablet or something?” she whispered. Mum looked up. “You know, Nick,” she began, her voice hollow, “when she was little, I thought: she’ll be my helper. We’ll talk about everything. Now all I can think is—please, let her remember the address, let her get there…” “She will,” Veronica perched beside her. “She always manages.” “Not this time,” Mum shook her head. “Her eyes… they’re empty now. She’s just a shell that needs its poison.” Veronica fell silent. She’d always thought her parents didn’t notice her fear, too busy saving ‘lost’ Larissa. “I thought you stopped caring about me,” she whispered. Mum reached out, stroked her hair. “We care. But we’re out of strength. It’s like on a plane—you put your own mask on before the child’s. We tried putting a mask on her for ten years, Nick! Rehab, quacks, expensive clinics. Nearly suffocated ourselves in the process.” The doorbell rang. “Is it her?” Veronica asked. “No, Dad’s got the keys. Probably the food delivery.” Veronica fetched the shopping—groceries, tinned goods, basics. Nothing extra. “She won’t eat this,” Veronica said, setting aside buckwheat. “She only eats takeaways.” “If she wants to live, she’ll cook,” Mum snapped, her old firmness returning briefly. “No more coddling her. Our kindness is killing her.” An hour later, Dad came home, haggard. “Found it,” he grunted. “Keys are here. Landlady’s an old retired teacher, strict as they come. She said one whiff of drink or any trouble, she’ll boot her straight out. I told her, ‘Do it.'” “Valery…” Mum sighed. “What? I’m done lying. She deserves to know.” He grabbed the bag, picked up the groceries and left. “I’ll drop this at the concierge. If she calls, don’t answer the house phone.” He left. Mum locked herself in the kitchen and wept. Veronica’s heart ached. How did it come to this? A sister not really living, only existing for the next drink—and parents barely surviving her… *** Her parents’ efforts failed—within a week, the landlady rang Valery. The daughter, with three men, partying all night: thrown out with the police. Still, the parents couldn’t abandon her. Larissa was sent to a secure rehab centre that claimed to ‘cure drinkers in a year.’ Maybe this time, there’ll be a miracle? **Shutting the Door on Our Own Daughter: When Love Fights to Survive Addiction’s Grip in an English Family**
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Through Thick and Thin: The Bittersweet Life of Antonia—Early Widowhood, a Distant Daughter Up North, the Loss of Her Job at the Village School, and Her Struggles to Make Ends Meet with Milk, Eggs, and Cottage Cheese, Until Unexpected Neighbours, a Volatile Marriage, and Community Gossip Turn Her World Upside Down
Both in Sorrow and in Joy I lost my wife far too early, when I was just forty-two. By then,...
A Wife and a Father: When Karina Meets Her Fiancé’s Parents and Discovers Her Own Secret Past with Her Future Father-in-Law, Setting Off a Dangerous Game of Secrets, Threats, and Family Drama in a Proper English Home
Wife and Father So, Katie had been pretending she was super keen to meet Toms parents. Truth was, why on...
The Country House Standoff: Daughter Claims Back What’s Rightfully Hers
Summer EscapeA Daughter Takes Back Whats Hers Lucy, you must see my position is desperate, said my father Peter Wright,...
His Wife Packed Her Bags and Vanished Without a Trace — When Manipulation Backfires and Family Ties Are Tested
His wife packed her things and disappeared without a trace. “Stop acting like a saint. Itll all work out. Women...
Grandson Doesn’t Matter: When a Mother-in-Law Favors One Grandchild and Ignores the Other, a Father’s Loyalty is Tested
Mum thinks that Sophie cant cope, my husband finally muttered. She says she needs more help because she hasnt got...