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I Came to Visit Because I Missed You, But My Own Children Felt Like Strangers: A British Mother’s Unexpected Reunion with Her Adult Daughters
I popped round because I missed you, but children are practically strangers
Parents are always worrying about their children. Sometimes, parents find themselves a tad disappointed in their grown-up offspring. Lets have a look at what English daughters are like in our little story today.
The Tale of a Mum
Margaret brought up three children. All grown now, living their own lives. Her eldest, Simon, has a family and a job somewhere in Germany and seems to prefer the Continent to dear old Blighty. He sends holiday snaps and postcards every now and then, which Margaret treasures in a box under the bed and gets out for a look whenever shes feeling sentimental.
We do miss you terribly, Simon. Do think about coming home for a visit, wont you? Just so we can actually meet our grandchildren and your wife in the flesh, she writes to him.
Her middle child, Victoria, is married to an army man. Theyre forever packing and moving, like a family of gypsies, raising their little girl on barracks up and down the country. Occasionally, they blow in briefly for tea. Margarets husband, Richard, thinks the world of Victorias husband: their daughters found herself a good chap.
Her youngest, Daisy, isnt exactly the poster child for family bliss. Once married, she now finds herself single again after her husband did a disappearing act, leaving her to raise their boy solo. Daisy, ever practical, took her mums advice to move to the city for better prospects. She landed a job as a seamstress at a local factory and took her son along for the adventure.
Margaret decided it was time for a visit to her youngest.
Will you manage without me for a week? Margaret said to her husband, Richard. I want to check in on Daisy and see how theyre getting on.
Richard walked her to the station. He knew lugging those bags wouldnt be easy for Margaret, but she wanted to cheer her daughter up. After a long slog in a rather grumpy second-class train carriage, Margaret was elated at the thought of seeing Daisy again. After all, it had been three years since their last encounter.
Mum, why didnt you ring to say you were coming? Im at work, cant pick you up till this evening, Daisy sighed into the receiver.
Sorry, love, I fancied surprising you! Margaret replied, chipper as ever.
Are you sure youre all right waiting there for me?
Ill be fine. Margaret waited waited a bit more then finally decided to make her own way.
A tall, rather statuesque young man answered the doorher grandson, all grown up and looking uncannily like his granddad in his football glory days.
Hello, darling! Margaret swept him up in a hug.
Thats quite enough, Gran. He wriggled free.
You made it at last! Why so late? he asked, worn out.
I had to tidy up and get ready for you. Skipped out of work early to start dinnergot a pot of leek and potato soup on and Im frying some breaded chicken.
Just then, Margarets mobile buzzed. Richard wanted to know how she was. She told him, Alls well, someone helped me with the bags, and were just sitting down to a biteDaisy set a lovely table.
At dinner, as Daisy set down the soup, she asked, So, are you after one chicken fillet or two? Margaret, positively famished and near collapse, fancied eating four. She hesitated. Just leave them on the table, well see how we get on.
Eventually Daisy plonked down a plate with five pieces of chicken. Not exactly the welcoming banquet Margaret had pictured from her daughter. She wondered if they were having money troubles, and made a firm mental note to slip Daisy some cash before leaving. Midway through dinner, Daisy got right to the point: So, Mum, when are you heading back?
Margaret took offence and snapped, I can leave tomorrow if Im in the way, you know.
The rest of the day, Margaret was left to her own devices in the house. Evening came, and everyone vanished into their own rooms with their gadgets and whatever else. Her grandson nipped round to the neighbours, Daisy went out with her friends, and Margaret was left all by her lonesome, having deep and meaningful chats with the garden gnome.
Eventually, boredom got the better of herand she realised, with a pang, that nobody here really needed her at all. Packing up, Margaret overheard her grandson whisper to Daisy, Whens Uncle Simon coming? We were supposed to go to the footie.
When Gran goes, Daisy replied.
Heartbroken, Margaret bundled up her things and let herself out, not bothering with goodbyes. Richard was only too happy to pick up his wife, having missed her the whole time. Turns out, no matter how much warmth and care parents lavish on their children, sometimes the kids simply stop needing them altogether.
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