The Intruder

Ethel, the elder daughter, pronounces the family verdict. She never marries because of her sour temperament and lofty expectations of suitors, and by thirty she has become a bitter, marriedlife hatera true ulcer in the familys stomach, a husbands nightmare incarnate.

This is a pest, she declares, sealing the decision. Lucy, the younger daughter, a plump girl with a giggly grin, gives an approving snort. Their mother, Mrs. Green, says nothing, but her sour face shows she dislikes the new daughterinlaw just as much. What could she possibly like? Their only son, Tom, the familys backbone, returns from the Army with a wife. The woman brings no dowry, no relatives, no moneynothing at all. Rumour has it she grew up in an orphanage or leans on distant kin. No one knows. Tom shrugs it off, joking that theyll soon amass their own fortune. Talk to him, you fool, they whisper. What kind of woman has he brought home? A thief? A conartist? There are plenty of those nowadays!

Since Vera Harper arrived, she has not slept through a single night. She dozes with one eye open, ever wary of the new relatives tricks as she begins to rummage through the cupboards. The daughters nag her to hide the familys valuablescoats, gold, anything that might disappear one bright morning, leaving only junk behind.

Toms reputation takes a hit each month: Who did you bring into the house? Where were your eyes? they taunt, No skin, no face!

Theres no choice but to keep living, so they make room for Vera.

The house is comfortable: a thirtyacre garden, three pigs in the pigsty, a flock of chickenshardly worth counting. The work never ends, but Vera never complains. She tends the garden, looks after the pigs, cooks, and cleans, always striving to please her motherinlaw. Yet if the matriarchs heart isnt in the right place, no amount of gold can smooth things over; everything feels wrong.

On her first day, Vera, fed up with the resentment, tells her new motherinlaw:

Call me by my name and patronymic. Its better that way. I already have daughters; youll never be as dear as my own children.

From then on, she is called Vera Harper. Mrs. Green never addresses her by any other title. Something must be done, she mutters, and thats all. She refuses to indulge the newcomer, but she also refuses to let any sisterinlaw have an easy pass. Every comment is sharp. Occasionally the mother has to keep the daughters in linenot out of pity for Vera, but to maintain order and avoid scandal. After all, Vera proves to be a diligent worker, never lazy. As the mother slowly warms to her, she begins to thaw.

Life might settle, but Tom drifts away.

What man can stand two voices nagging from sunrise to sunset: Who did you marry? Who did you choose? Yet Ethel had introduced Tom to a friend, and things spiral. The sisters celebrate a victory: perhaps now the hateful Vera will finally clean up. The mother stays silent while Vera pretends nothing happened, her eyes dropping to a dull sheen. Suddenly, like a thunderclap, two pieces of news arrive: Vera is pregnant, and Tom is divorcing her.

Impossible, Mrs. Green tells Tom. I never matched you with her.

But now hes married, she says. Stop whining. Youll be a father soon. If you wreck the family Ill throw you out, and I wont want to see you again. And Maggie will stay here.

For the first time, the mother calls Vera by her name. The sisters are stunned. Tom snaps, Im a man; I decide. The mother, hands on hips, laughs: What kind of man are you? Youre just a boy in trousers. Youll be a real man when you raise your child, teach him, turn him into a proper gentleman.

The mother never flinches from a word, and Tom clings to her.

If he thinks of anything, he leaves the house. Maggie remains. After the appropriate time, Vera gives birth to a girl she names Vicky. The mother, upon learning this, says nothing, but her smile shows shes pleased.

Externally, the house stays the same, though Tom forgets the way home and feels slighted. The mother, though worried, hides her feelings. She dotes on her granddaughter, buying gifts and sweets. She never fully forgives Maggie for losing her son through her, but she never blames her outright.

Ten years pass. The sisters marry, and the large house houses only three: Mrs. Green, Maggie, and Vicky. Tom enlists again and moves north with his new wife. A retired soldier, older and respectable, starts visiting Maggie, bringing her a room in his flat after divorcing his own wife. He receives a pension, is a solid prospect, and Maggie likes himthough she wonders where he would take her. To her motherinlaw?

She explains everything plainly, asks forgiveness, and he, not a fool, comes to pay respects to the mother. Vera Harper, I love Maggie, I cant live without her, he declares.

Mrs. Greens face does not twitch.

Love him, eh? Fine, get married and live together, she says.

She pauses, then adds, I wont let Vicky be shuffled around apartments. She stays here, with me.

Thus they all live together. Neighbours whisper, tongues wagging about how the oncecrazy Vera drove her own son out and took Vera in as a pest. Only the lazy ones fail to gossip about Vera Harper. She pays them no mind, avoids idle chatter, and keeps a proud, untouchable air. Maggie later gives birth to Katie, and the mother cant stop gushing over her grandchildren, though she jokes, Which one of you is really my granddaughter?

Then disaster strikes. Maggie falls seriously ill. Her husband, broken, turns to drink. Quietly, the mother drains every penny from the bank and rushes Maggie to London, seeking the best doctors and medicines, but nothing works.

One morning Maggie feels a little better and asks for chicken broth. The delighted mother slaughters a chicken, plucks it, boils it, and brings the soup. Maggie cant eat it and, for the first time, breaks down in tears. The mother, never seen crying before, weeps beside her:

Whats wrong, dear? Why are you leaving me after Ive loved you so? she sobs.

She composes herself, wipes her tears, and says, Dont worry about the children; theyll be fine.

From then on, she says no more tears, stays by Maggies side, holds her hand, and gently strokes her, as if asking forgiveness for everything thats happened between them.

Another ten years pass. Vicky is set to marry. Ethel and Lucy return, older, wrinkled, childless. The family gathers. Tom arrives, now divorced from his wife, nursing a drink. He sees how beautiful Vicky has become, rejoices, I never expected such a wonderful daughter. Yet when he learns that Vicky calls her father a strangers name, his anger flares and he blames his mother, Youre to blame for bringing a foreign man into this house. He should clean up. He has no place here. Im the father!

The mother replies, No, son. Youre not the father. Youve never grown out of your boyish jeans.

She says it like a final stamp. Humiliated, Tom packs his things and sets off again. Vicky marries, has a son, and names him Alexander in honor of his stepfather. Last year, they lay Grandma Maggies grave beside Maggies.

Now they sit side by side: daughterinlaw and motherinlaw. Between them, a birch sapling sprouts this spring, its origin a mysteryno one planted it. Perhaps a parting greeting from Maggie, perhaps a final pardon from the mother.