“Who on earth has been here? Call your family and tell them to come clean up their mess,” Lily fumed. “Im not tidying up after them. Ive had enough of constantly washing the bedding after your friends keep staying at our cottage. Theyve made a habit of it.”
“Listen, Mum called earlier,” her husband, James, said over dinner. “She and the relatives are planning a barbecue this weekend.”
“Good for her,” Lily snapped. “Let them go. Whats it got to do with us?” She had never warmed to her mother-in-law.
“They want to use our cottage,” James explained, as if it were obvious. “They dont have one, and Ive got to be at the garage on Saturday.” His tone suggested this was non-negotiable. “I told them we couldnt go, so Mum asked for the keys.”
Lily had no choice but to agreesomething she quickly regretted. The following weekend, when they visited the cottage, she froze at the sight. The place looked ransacked.
Berries had been picked, the floors were filthy, and an old pot of soup sat abandoned on the stove. The kitchen curtain was missing. Lily couldnt fathom what had happened. Her in-laws were in their sixties, for heavens sake.
She confronted James.
“Who on earth has been here? Call your family and make them clean up after themselves!” Lily was livid. “I wont do it. Im already sick of washing sheets because your friends keep crashing here.”
“Oh, stop exaggerating. Just throw it all in the washing machine and hang it up.”
“Next time, you can do it! Are you seriously fine with the state of our cottage?”
But James didnt call anyone. Lily gave him the silent treatment until they made up. Theyd only been married two years, and though theyd wed for love, Lily sometimes wondered if shed rushed into it. They had no children yet.
Life fell into a routinework, home, home, work. Weekends were for walks or outings with friends. Everything changed when Lilys mother suddenly remarried and moved to another town, leaving Lily the family cottage.
Overnight, Jamess relatives became inexplicably fond of her. Suddenly, everyone wanted an invite. After all, everyone knew barbecues tasted better in the open air!
Relatives appeared out of thin aircousins, aunts, uncles, even Jamess grandmotherall eager for countryside getaways by the river. And, of course, Jamess friends.
They all came to stay. James happily manned the grill. Lily was fed up but didnt want to sour relationships. Still, something had to be done.
Now, weekends filled her with dread. When Lily and James married, his mother was already elderlyshed had him late. He had an older sister, Margaret, ten years his senior. His mother, raised in a village, seemed to think everything was communal.
She and Margaret helped themselves to everything at the cottagelotions, shampoos, sponges, even Lilys slippers. Then, inevitably, his mother called again, asking for the keys. This time, Margaret wanted to bring her boss for a relaxing barbecue.
As usual, no one asked Lily how she felt.
“Well give Mum the keys,” James said, ignoring Lilys reaction to their last visit.
Lily knew she had to actand that James wouldnt back her. After weighing her options, she rang her mother.
“Ill sort it,” her mother said briskly.
Twenty minutes later, she called back. Her sister and husband would stay at the cottage. “Dont worry. Aunt Margaret will handle it.”
Lily gasped. Shed always been wary of Aunt Margaret, whod looked after her as a child. Those summers had left a lasting impression. Yes, Margaret knew how to lay down the law.
Aunt Margaret called that evening.
“You shouldve rung sooner, dear,” she chided. “Shall I give them a fright or go all-out?” She chuckled darkly.
Lily shuddered. “Did you ever tell them the cottage is in your name?”
“I dont recall. But they all assume its mine.”
“Dont fret, darling. Itll be handled.”
On Sunday, James got an irate call from his mother. “You sold the cottage? Wheres the money? Why werent we told?”
Turns out, Margaret, her boss, and Jamess parents had arrived to find five strangers already grilling on the property.
“Who are you?” his mother spluttered.
“And who,” a formidable woman countered, stepping forward, “are you? This is my cottage. I dont know you. How did you get in?”
Margaret stammered about family ties and borrowed keys. The woman glared until she faltered. His mother stayed silent.
They confiscated the keys, politely ordered them off, and threatened legal action if they returned.
Lily heard her mother-in-law shrieking through the phone. James was baffled, unable to get a word in.
“Give the phone to your wife!” He handed it over. “That cottage isnt yours!” his mother declared.
“Did you ever ask?” Lily kept her voice steady. “Or did you just assume everything was yours?”
“Do you realize Margaret invited her boss? There are layoffs comingshe was trying to keep her job! If shes sacked, its on you!”
“How is that my fault? Aunt Margaret owns it. She came to relax. You never consulted me. Buy your own cottage if you want holidays.”
“Im never going back, and neither is my family,” James snapped.
Their first real fight. He was furious. Margaret got sacked. “Ill never forgive you for this,” he said. “My family loved you, and you betrayed us.”
Lily was sure Margaret was fired for other reasons. Suddenly, she realized she didnt feel sorry for any of them. She hadnt started this. Their marriage had hit a dead end.
“Mum, I think Im divorcing James.”
“Its your decision, love. Where will you live? Ive rented out my flat. Stay with Margaret.”
“Thanks a lot,” Lily muttered. “Ill rent a place.”
She filed for divorce, moved out, and never went back to the cottage.
Sometimes, setting boundaries means losing peoplebut keeping your peace is worth it.
