The Other Mother-in-Law…

The Other Mother-in-Law

When Emily stepped into the flat, she spotted her mother-in-laws shoes right in the middle of the hallway. Any hope of a quiet evening vanished instantly.

Margaret appeared from the kitchen with the stern expression of a judge delivering a verdict.

Off gallivanting with that daft old woman again, were you? she demanded. Meanwhile, the house, your husband, your childall left to fend for themselves. Lucky I stopped by. Otherwise, theyd have starved.

Margaret, Nicholas knew Id be late today. I made dinnerhe just had to heat it up. He couldve managed perfectly fine without your interference, Emily replied.

After ten years of marriage to Nicholas, she was used to Margarets endless complaints. They washed over her like static from a radio left on all day.

But it hadnt always been this easy. Margaret was Emilys second mother-in-law. The first, Beatrice, had been a woman of grace. She never meddled in her sons marriage, never offered unsolicited advice, never forced herself where she wasnt wanted.

Yet she was always there when needed. Emily remembered how Beatrice had spent sleepless nights with three-month-old Lily when the baby mixed up day and night, how shed whisked her granddaughter away for walks so Emily could rest.

Dont lift a finger, Beatrice would say. Just sleep. When Alex gets home, hell sort dinner himself.

When Lily turned five, an accident at Alexs factory left Emily a widow.

Beatrice, who had lost her only son, didnt abandon her daughter-in-law or granddaughter in their grief. For the first three months, they lived together, clinging to each other like survivors of a storm.

Emily suggested they stay that way, but Beatrice moved back to her own flat.

Emily, youre only twenty-eight. Youre youngyoull find happiness again. I wont clutter up your life, shed said.

Three years later, Emily married Nicholas. But she never left Beatrice behind. With her own parents far away, her first mother-in-law became like a mother to her, and Lily adored her grandmother beyond measure.

That was why Margarets behaviouracting as though she had the right to rule over Emilys homehad come as such a shock.

After Margarets first uninvited visit, Emily asked Nicholas to explain that his mother was a guest here, not the lady of the house. Visits needed to be agreed upon, and she ought to behave accordingly.

When Margaret protested that she only wanted to help, Emily replied,

Im not eighteen anymore. Even when I left home for university, I knew how to take care of myself. And after seven years of marriage, I dont need lessons on cooking or cleaning. I could teach a few things myself.

Maybe Ill come to your place, Margaret, and inspect it with a white glovegive you a taste of your own medicine.

To his credit, Nicholas backed his wife. If his mother overstepped, he dealt with her himself.

Gradually, Emily trained Margaret to stay out of her household and parenting decisions. So when Emily had a son a year after remarrying, Margaret mostly kept her opinions to herself. Though she itched to share them.

The trouble was, Margaret had a friend who boasted endlessly about how she disciplined her younger sons wife. Naturally, Margaret wanted stories of her ownbut she had none. Her one grievance was Emilys loyalty to Beatrice.

As if that old woman were family! Margaret would gripe. When Lily was little, Emily sent her to stay with that grandmother every summerfine, I didnt mind. But now the girls at university, and Emily still trots over there two or three times a week!

The past year, Emily had visited Beatrice more often. Margaret called her that old woman, though Beatrice was only seven years her senior.

But grief ages, and illness withers. Beatrice had declined sharply, and Emily split her time between hospitals and her mother-in-laws home.

Spending family money on an outsider, Margaret scolded.

Dont fret, Margaret. Beatrice sold her cottage when she fell illshes got her own funds. She wont come begging to you, Emily replied.

When Beatrice grew worse, Emily hired a carer and took leave to spend afternoons with her while Nicholas worked and their son was at school.

Even so, it only delayed the inevitable. Before long, Beatrice was gone.

That was when Margaret took a sudden interest in the inheritance.

She sold the cottage, but surely she didnt spend all the money in a year. And her pension was decentshe mustve had savings. That two-bed flat will go to someone, wont it?

She didnt dare ask Emily directly. Instead, she prodded Nicholas. His answer disappointed her.

Whos the will for? Lily, of courseshes Beatrices own granddaughter.

And Emily gets nothing? Margaret gasped. After all that running around? I bet shes weeping!

Dont worry about me, Emily told her. Ive known for a year that Beatrice left everything to Lily. I took her to the solicitor myself.

Then why bother with her if you knew youd get nothing? Margaret demanded.

Id explain, but I doubt youd understand.

In time, the inheritance was settled. Lily received the deeds to the flat and a savings account. They agreed to rent it out while she studied, sending the money to her.

When she graduated, shed decide: return to her hometown, stay in the city, or sell the flat and buy elsewhere.

Hearing of the rental plan, Margaret suggested,

Why let strangers in? Theyll wreck the place. Let Jessica stay there.

Jessica, Margarets thirty-five-year-old daughter, still lived at home. Pretty, educated, and employed, she had the occasional romance but no marriage prospects.

Margaret fretted endlessly.

Why cant Jessica find someone? Emily was a widow with a child, yet she snagged my Nicholas!

She reasoned that if Jessica had her own flat, she might marry.

Never mind that its Lilys for now, she thought. In three or four years, who knows? If Lily marries someone with property, we might persuade her to gift it to Jessica.

But she kept these plans to herself.

Her disappointment was fierce when Lily refused.

She wont pay proper rent, Lily said. Ill need savings for a mortgagemaybe even move to London after uni. The money has to add up.

Your Lilys greedy, just like you, Margaret snapped. Both of you only think of yourselves. Jessica couldve been married by now with her own place.

Mum, youve got a three-bed house. Sell it, buy a one-bed for yourself and one for Jessica, Nicholas offered.

Oh, very clever, Margaret huffed. That house is mineyouve no claim. Why should I cramp myself in my old age? Ive lived there my whole life, and Im not moving.

Its not Nicholas whos cleverits you, Emily cut in. You wont sacrifice your own home for your daughter, yet you drool over someone elses.

So Jessica stayed with her mother. Lily rented out the flat, sold it after graduation, and bought a new one in the city.

She did visit Londonfor a week. As they say, the grass is always greener

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