No. We’ve decided it’s best for you not to bring your wife and child into this apartment. We won’t tolerate the inconvenience for long, and in the end, we’ll have to ask you to leave. And then your wife will tell everyone we threw you out onto the street with a small child.

“No. We decided its best you dont bring your wife and child to this flat. We wont tolerate the inconvenience for long, and in the end, well have to ask you to leave.”

“Then your wife will go around telling everyone we threw you out on the street with a baby,” the landlady snapped.

“Emily, you look pale. Whats happened?” the neighbour asked.

“Nicholas said the landlady ordered us out. Immediately. She rented the flat to a couple without children, and now were bringing in a baby. Hell cry at night, the neighbours will complain, and she doesnt want the trouble.”

“Soyouve nowhere else to go?”

“Nicholass parents have a three-bed, but his younger sister still lives there. My parents are in the villagetwenty miles from the city,” Emily replied.

“Well, stay with the in-laws a week or two while you find somewhere new,” the woman suggested.

“Nicholas has already tried. The moment landlords hear baby, they refuse.”

“Tricky. But youve two days leftyour husband will think of something.”

Yet Nicholas thought of nothing. After a few calls ended in rejection, he simply moved their things from the rented flat to his parents.

His parents and sister, however, were less than thrilled at the idea of hosting Nicholass familyespecially with a noisy new arrival.

“Son, rememberwe agreed before your wedding you wouldnt live here,” his mother said. “Youre welcome in your old room, but we wont have outsiders in our home.”

“Emily is an outsider. You chose herwe didnt.”

“Mum, its just temporary, till we find somewhere decent,” Nicholas pleaded.

“You know nothings more permanent than temporary. A week becomes a month, a month becomes forever.”

“Besides, your father and I work, your sister studies. We need proper rest. With a baby here, thats impossibleno talking, no telly, and waking at all hours to crying.”

“Well find something quickly,” Nicholas promised.

“No. We decided its best you dont bring your wife and child here. We wont endure the disruption, and in the end, well ask you to leave.”

“Then your wife will tell everyone we threw you out with a baby. Itll ruin our reputation, and I wont have people speaking ill of us. So dont even try bringing Emily or the child. Sort it out another way.”

With this news, Nicholas went to the hospital.

“Listen, Emilymaybe you and the baby could stay with your parents for now?” he asked.

“Does your mother not even want to see her grandchild?” Emily said, stunned.

“I dont know. She said not to come.”

“Brilliant. Other new mothers get flowers, gifts, joy. Were like stray dogs. Unwanted.”

That evening, she called her parents. On discharge day, her father arrived with Nicholas to collect her and the baby.

“Pack up, love. Were going home,” her father said. “And youbring Emilys things and whatever youve bought for the little one.”

The village was a quick thirty-minute drive. Everything was ready: a cot with bunny-printed sheets, a dresser for baby clothes, a rocking chair. The dining table was set for a celebrationjust her parents, gran, and younger sister, Lily. No mention of Nicholass family. They debated names over lunch and settled on Oliver.

Nicholas left after the meal, promising to bring Emilys things the next day. When he returned, there was news.

“Emily, Nicholas,” her father said, “weve decided to sell Grans house and give you the moneya gift from our family. But the current house goes to Lily in the will. Agreed?”

“Of course,” Emily said.

The house sold in three months. Emily and Oliver stayed in the village, Nicholas in the city with his parents, visiting on weekends.

Then came a flat hunt, a mortgage, and renovations. At last, they moved in. A housewarming followedEmilys family, her friends, Nicholass mates. His parents werent invited. They only learned of the flat when he collected his things.

“You invited your wifes country folk but not us? You couldve asked us round!” his mother said over the phone. “Weve not even seen our grandson. This isnt how family behaves.”

“But turning away your daughter-in-law and newbornthats family-like?” Nicholas said.

“Were elderly, we need peace. But we could visit now?”

“Why?”

“Hes our grandson!”

“Mum, Olivers nearly six months old. Funny how you only want to see him now.”

“Babies all look the same at that age,” she said.

“I think the truth is, you were guarding your flat like a fortress. You never bothered meeting Oliver till we had our own place. Sorry, but were not ready for visitors.”

“Ungrateful! I was going to invite them to the cottage for the summerfresh air, no city heat.”

“Ah. You need a free gardener. No thanks. If we want fresh air, well go to Emilys parents.”

Nicholass mother and sister first saw Oliver at two and a halfby chance, in a shopping centre. They watched from afar but didnt approach.

Some “grandmas” and “mums” they turned out to be.