Either Mum Comes Along, or Nobody Does: The Story of a Marriage Shared with a Mother-in-Law

Either Mum or No One

Hannah, well need to get one more ticket for the theatre.

Hannah raised her head from her plate. Dinner hadnt even cooled, but William was already bent over his phone, tapping away as if sorting out some affair of national importance.

Another ticket? Is someone else coming along?

William didnt look up.

My mum really wants to go. I told her about our plans yesterday, and she got so excited.

Hannah carefully placed her fork on the rim of her plate, stood, and turned towards the worktop, supposedly to get herself a glass of water. Her face twisted, entirely without her controlbut she didnt care to try and hide it as long as William didnt see; she had neither the strength nor inclination to explain herself afterward.

Of course. His mum wants to come. Julia Turner always does.

While the glass filled, Hannahs eyes drifted to their wedding photographs. All two hundred and forty of them on that carefully tied memory stick the photographer had handed them. Hannah had spent three evenings leafing through them, hunting for even one photo of just her and William. Alone, no relatives hovering, no friends, no family. Shed found none.

In every picture, Julia Turner lurked nearby: straightening her sons tie, hugging him by the shoulders, or standing squarely between the bride and groom, beaming at the camera as if she were the guest of honour. At the time, Hannah thought it was a coincidence, just the photographers way with angles. Now, she knew better.

From the very first day, her mother-in-law acted as though Hannah was not Williams wife, but simply a lodger temporarily assigned to his room. Not that it was Williams flatthe place belonged to Hannah, bought with her own money. But Julia strolled in whenever she fancied, unannounced and bursting with opinions on everything imaginable. The curtains needed changing. The stockpot was wrong. The roast was over-seasoned. William was too thin. William looked pale. William hardly ate enough.

Hannah took a sip of water and set the glass down.

Every outing was the same story. The cinema last month? All three of them. Ice skating at Christmas? The three of them. Even that little coffee shop on Highgate Lane, where Hannah dreamed of quiet time with William, chatting openlyhed invited his mum along too. There she sat, snug between them at the tiny table, ordering lemon tea and spending forty minutes moaning about her blood pressure and her neighbour, whod once again flooded her ceiling.

Theatre nights were meant to change things. Theyd chosen that play together. Hannah had waited a month and a half for it, hunted down good tickets in the third row of the stalls. It was supposed to be their night. Just the two of them.

Hannah? Why are you so quiet?

William finally looked up from his phone.

You know, my mum gets so lonely,he added, in that same rehearsed tone he always used, so familiar Hannah had to wonder if he realised how often it escaped him.

She turned to him and nodded.

Alright. Buy it.

What else was there to say? Shed tried talking beforemultiple times. Every conversation ended the same: William sulked off to another room and went silent for the rest of the evening, and the next morning his mum would call, her voice brimming with wounded virtue, to check everything was alright. It was a cycle Hannah had given up trying to break.

William smiled gratefully, back to his phone as always.

The third row of the stalls was as perfect as Hannah had hoped; every detail on stage was clear, each expression visible. But she watched alone, for William had turned to his mother the moment the lights dimmed and barely looked back.

Julia plonked herself to her sons right, and instantly they began dissecting the programme, chatting about the foyer, whispering about an old acquaintance she claimed to spot at the cloakroom. Hannah sat to the left, staring at the still-darkened stage. During the interval, William escorted Julia to the bar and left Hannah behindno invitation, and she wouldnt have imposed. They returned, Julia narrating the entire first act for her son as if hed sat in another theatre altogether. Hannah flicked silently through the programme, wondering if the third row was really worth her money.

The drive home was no different. They dropped Julia home first. Hannah waited in the car for ten minutes while William saw his mother safely inside, helped with the lock, listened to something on the doorstep. When he finally returned and started the engine, his face held nothing but contentment.

Brilliant evening, wasnt it?

Hannah nodded and turned towards the window. She said she was tired, though she didnt want sleepit simply seemed pointless to speak, knowing every word would hang in the air, never reaching him.

The next two months played out as Hannah expected. Julia visited routinely, William spent more and more time with his mum, while Hannah, more often than not, sat alone in her own flat, overhearing laughter and chatter from the kitchen. Dinners for two became rare; weekends meant either another dutiful trip to Julia or yet another outing as a trio. Hannah went to bed first and woke every morning with that ache under her ribsa heaviness that soon became familiar.

Mid-March brought an unexpected work bonus. Not a small sum. Hannah debated for three days, but finally made up her mind. Fifteen days in Mallorca, all-inclusive. The sea, sunshine, a proper hotel with genuinely good reviews. Shed spent a week comparing packages, reading forums, checking distance to the beach. This was meant to be a fresh start for the two of thema break to remind them what being partners felt like.

Will, Ive booked us a holiday, Hannah said at dinner, laying the printed confirmation on the table. Mallorca, fifteen days in June. Sea and sunand I spent my bonus on it, but its worth every penny.

William scanned the booking, looked up, and smiledalmost like he meant it.

Oh, thats fantastic, Hannah.

She let out a breath. Maybe nothing was entirely lost. Perhaps all they needed was to get away, to spend time alone, to set things right. That night, she slept more peacefully than any night before.

But the very next day, William returned from work, waited for Hannah to dish up supper, and then, midway between his first and second bite, said casually:

Hannah, I told Mum about Mallorca. Shed really like to come, too. Can you get another ticket?

Her fork stopped midway to her plate. Hannah lowered it back, peering at him to try and judge if this was a joke or if he truly had no idea what hed just said.

This time, Hannah didnt stay silent.

No, Will. Im not spending my holiday with your mother.

William stopped chewing and stared at her as though shed said a swear word in church.

Hannah, whats the harm? Shes so lonely, she hasnt seen the sea in years. Why cant she tag along?

Hannah got up and moved to the window, bracing her hands on the worktop until her knuckles turned white. Something inside herhot, unstoppablefinally surged up, built over months and now at her lips.

She can go with her friends! Will, shes got five, five different women in her living room every week for tea. Let them take her, but please, let us have a bit of peace!

Shes my mum, you know William started.

I know shes your mum! Hannah turned to face him, her calm at last snapping. I know because she spends more time in our lives than you and I do together! Outings with her, dinner with her, shows with herIm exhausted from feeling like the second wife in this marriage, Will. Cant you see that?

William folded his arms, pushing his plate aside.

Youre so cold, Hannah. Honestly, you have no idea what its like for her, alone.

Youre rightI dont! And Im not supposed to! Youre my husband, Will. Husband! I want a real holiday with you, just the two of us. Not sitting on a beach listening to you and your mother talk about her blood pressure while I sunbathe alone, ignored.

William narrowed his eyes and stepped back.

Youre spiteful. You know what? Either Mum comes or Im not going.

Hannah stared at him for a long while, and something inside her quietly snapped into place, final and irrevocable.

Fine then. Ill go without you.

She walked right past William to the bedroom, pulled her suitcase from under the bed, and threw it on the duvet. William appeared in the doorway within seconds.

Hannah, what are you doing? Stop, lets talk about this properly.

Weve tried, Willand every time, the conversation ends up with your mother. Ill file for divorce. I cant live in a relationship thats always the three of us, where Im the unwelcome guest.

William leaned silently against the doorframe, and his face finally showed realisationno argument, no outrage, only the dawning truth that shed actually decided.

Two months later, Hannah was stretched out on a sun lounger beside a pool in that same Mallorca hotel shed chosen for the two of them. Sun warmed her shoulders, the sea sent fresh salty breezes, and her ice-cold lemonade gathered beads of condensation in her hand. No one nearby talked ailments, whinged about drafts or rehashed the latest call from a neighbour. There was no one beside her at alland that was heavenly. Hannah took a sip, closed her eyes, and wished shed had the courage to sort things long ago, instead of losing two years for someone who never truly grew up.

Sometimes, you have to choose yourselfbecause if you dont, no one else will.