The New Daughter-in-Law Said Her Unborn Baby Needs Its Own Room, So Mum and I Have to Clear Out the Spare Bedroom

I often think now that my brothers marriage was ill-advised. In truth, I made every effort at first to keep things cordial with my sister-in-law. For some time, my brother and his wife lived with my mother and me in our home in Leeds. I moved from my modest bedroom to a tiny box room, my mother took up her place in the sitting room, and we gave the best bedroom to my brother and his new wife, Mary. Very quickly, however, Mary set out to show us we were far beneath her in standing. She was the daughter of a university lecturer and took every opportunity to remind us of that fact.

Mary refused to cook or tidy up, declaring flatly that such matters were not her responsibility as she was not the hired help, as she put it. Upon falling pregnant, she insisted upon utter silence and calm, claiming she needed tranquillity for the baby’s sake. My mother, ever peace-loving, bore it all in silence. I couldnt even invite friends over, as Marys living there seemed to demand that our home become a silent retreat.

She insisted on the finest foods prepared especially for her, and now Mother had to cook separate meals for her, apart from us. I gently encouraged Mother to stop bending over backwards for a daughter-in-law whose behaviour grew more demanding by the day. When the baby was nearly due, Mary insisted her unborn child ought to have a nursery of his own. She suggested I should move into Mothers makeshift quarters in the lounge. That was more than I could bear. Mary’s reaction was dramatictears, then shouting, as though wed caused her to go into early labour. My brother accused me of being selfish and childish, siding wholly with his wife. It was our mother, in the end, who gently asked them to make arrangements for their own home. Eventually, they moved out.

When the baby was born, we received no word. No announcement, no christening invitation. Mary only told us not to buy presents, suggesting cash would be more useful for the child, and named a sum in pounds so bold that my mother nearly fainted at the audacity.

Without enough to cover the requested amount, we were promptly told we could not see the baby. My mother was distraught at first, but before long Mary began to bring the baby round herself. Sometimes she left him with us when she wanted to meet her friends at a café or visit the beautician. Shed always complain upon returning: he was dressed improperly, or fed the wrong food.

When the boy had his first birthday, my brother and Mary visited and explained they needed to sort out their housing situation. Unable to secure a mortgage, Mary announced she would find work and leave the child in my care, as I was studying at teacher training college.

Youre at the education collegelooking after him will be good practice. Its impossible on just your brothers wages, but we cant afford to pay you. And your studies? You could transfer to part-time its the least you could do to help, she said, quite matter-of-factly.

Of course, I refused. I could not make my brother see that their housing troubles were not my burden to bear. Why should I set aside my education so they might move forward? Nevertheless, I had to endure Marys rebukes for not tending to her son.

She called us selfish and swore theyd never visit again. For the next half year, true to her word, we barely saw them. Then one afternoon, my brother came by alone. It transpired that Mary had taken a job where she soon met another man. She left my brother, demanded child support, and warned hed only see his son if payments were regular. The other gentleman, as it happened, was married, and had no plans to wed Mary. So my brothers former wife remained living in rented rooms the very rent, ironically, still covered by my brother.

He has since apologised for it all, vowing that next time, he will choose a wife with a little more care.