Oh, That Grandmother’s Gone and Got Married, Upset Her Children! Every weekend, Alla visits her 78…

Oh, that grandmothershe got married and upset her children!

On weekends, Alice, as usual, drives out to her mothers cottage. Her mother is seventy-eight years old and has lived alone for quite some time. Over just two days, Alice manages to tidy up the house, do the laundry, and take care of the garden in summer. Theres no washing machine, nor running water in the house.

Why dont you move in with me? It would be easieryou never get to rest, poor thing, her mother often says.

Mum, my job is in London, plus Ive got my daughter and granddaughters, Alice sighs in reply.

Stephens back, her mum tells her one day. Hes taken the boards off his old house. Its stood empty since Veronica died five years ago. He says hes been all over the world, but wants to settle here for his twilight years. Asked after youwill probably come around soon.

Stephen he had been Alices school sweetheart. She was head over heels, but he never seemed to notice her. In their final year, Alice took a desperate step: she dropped a bucket down the well and rushed to Stephen for help, worried her mum would scold her if she couldnt get it back.

Stephen grabbed a pole and headed out. He spent half an hour wrestling with the frozen well, but managed to retrieve the bucket.

Do you believe the old saying will work? he laughed as he left.

To retrieve a bucket for someone means youre destined for them, was the village belief.

Stephen proved it wrong. The saying didnt work.

He moved to Manchester, finished university, bounced from city to city, travelled all over Britain. Married, then divorced and now hes returned. Alice herself had gone to a business college in Cambridge after school, not far from their village, and still works as a bookkeeper. She married, had a single daughter, Emily. Alice was widowed eight years ago.

Stephen showed up one evening, obviously older and greyer.

Youve stayed lovely, he remarked, pulling Alice into a hug.

Oh, stop it, youve learned to fib! Alice interrupted, smiling. Both of us are well past fiftyweve aged, just like everyone.

Later, they sat in the garden arbour, sipping homemade sloe liqueur in toast to their reunion and chatting for hours.

Stephen explained he parted on good terms with both ex-wivesnever wronged anyone. To his first wife, he left their flat and everything they’d built together. They had an adult son who moved with his mum to live permanently in Germanyhis wife was from a family of Germans relocated to England during the war. The second wife filed for divorce herself, fell in love with someone younger. Stephen didnt stand in her way. They had no kids.

Hes retired now, after years of work in tough industries up north. He plans to build a crew of local lads and start up a construction business for houses, summer cottages, garden sheds, repairs theres plenty of demand, and hes got the starting funds.

But enough about me. How are you? I heard youre on your own, Stephen asked.

Surprisingly, Alice opened up to him completelymaybe she finally needed to talk, or perhaps the sloe helped.

Im not alone, Stephen. My familys quite big, but I live as if Im the maid, Alice began.

My daughter didnt want to carry on studying after schoolshe got married right away. She brought her husband home. Weve got a three-bedroom flat, so theres room for everyone. Then my granddaughter Daisy was born.

Its just ended up that all the housework falls to me. Emily suffers from depression and cares for the little one. My husbandhe was a wonderful manalways helped, never complained about his health, but one morning, he didnt wake up. It was a shock, but there was no time to grieve.

I kept working and holding the household together. Expenses went up. My son-in-law doesnt earn much. All my money goes into the family pot. I hoped things would get easier when Daisy grew up, that Emily would send her to nursery and return to work, but Daisy was four and Emily gave birth to another granddaughter, Molly.

Now Daisys at school, Mollys five, and Emily still stays at home. I feed the family breakfast every morning, send Daisy off to school, Molly stays home with her mumwell, if you can call it that, she quietly plays on her own or watches cartoons while Emily sleeps till noon.

I walk Daisy to school and go to work myself. Evenings are for cooking the next days meals, helping my granddaughters with homework, then cleaning and laundry.

Ive tried telling Emily Im not young anymore and she needs to help around the house. Useless. Shes too tired from looking after the kids.

My son-in-law has no complaintshis mother-in-law works, covers expenses, growing her own vegetables from the village garden. Hed help in the allotment, but no car, so he hints hed like me to help buy one. They know Ive got a few savings, but Im scared to give them away and be left with nothing. Plus, its not enough for a car anyway.

Im exhausted. I realise Ive raised a lazy, shameless daughter. I understand everything, but I dont know how to break free from this endless cycle.

Stephen replied, Thats a tale, all right Dont worry, Alice, well work something out. Lets head homeits getting light, and he said his goodbyes.

Sunday evening, he gave her a lift back to the city in his car. Alice was delighted with the amount of provisions shed brought from the country. Stephen carried her sacks and bags up to the flat.

After he left, Emily asked, Whered you pick up that old fellow?

Alice explained he was an old classmate and started sorting vegetables.

Two weeks later, Stephen arrived about lunchtime and began helping Alice shift the things shed already packed. Sleepy-eyed, Emily and her husband came to see what was happening.

Whats going on? Whats this? they both demanded.

Im leaving youIm getting married, Alice answered. Im moving back to our old village, settling down with Stephen.

Emilys outrage was palpable. Have you lost your mind, mum? Getting married at your age? Are you making lunch? My girls are going to be hungry soon!

Youll be feeding your daughtersand your husbandfrom now on. Ive put in ten years for your sake, but now I want to live for myself. Time for you to move a bit, darling, Alice replied.

You traitor! I forbid you to see the girls! Emily shrieked.

I dont plan to for a whileIll be busy. In any case, Ive spent more time with them these past years than you have, and Alice walked out.

She cried in Stephens car.

I probably should have warned them I was leaving, she said to Stephen.

Youd only have heard the same words, just in greater detail. Theyd have told you much worse. You had to cut it quicklytheyd never let go otherwise. You did the right thing, Stephen replied.

Alice made Stephens house comfortable, with a warm toilet and even a shower. True, they had to bring in water and empty the septic twice a month, but those are just little everyday things.

Alice took a job at the local school as the caretakera lower wage, but less stress. Stephens business was getting plenty of construction orders throughout the year. Theyre happy, living in peace together.

About a month later, Alices son-in-law brought the girls for a weekend visit. Daisy told her granny that mum and dad argue all the time. Dad can make soup but not much else. Mum talks about working, but hasnt decided what to do.

On Sunday, her son-in-law wanted Molly to stay in the village, but Alice refused: I work, Stephen does too. Children belong with their parents. Its fine for visits, but looking after them day-to-day is up to you. You had them for yourselves, not me.

Emily and her husband took offence, but the next week the girls were back at grannys again.

Were just here for the weekend, explained her son-in-lawand stayed for Alices cooking himself.

Such is Alices story.

Some may think she was harsh to her daughter.

Others will say she did the right thing.

There are as many opinions as there are people.