The Happiness of a Daughter is Priceless
Edith Whitmore lived alone and endlessly complained to her neighbours about her ungrateful daughter and granddaughter, who had abandoned her to her fate.
“I gave them my whole life, and in return, the people closest to me—cruel and unfeeling—never appreciated it and cast me aside,” she muttered.
Edith, a sturdy elderly woman, never mentioned that her daughter, Margaret, sent her money every month, nor that her granddaughter, Emily, had tried many times to reconcile. But Edith always set a condition: she would only forgive Emily if she divorced her husband, Thomas. Each time, Emily sighed bitterly and left.
Emily had her own life now—married to Thomas, both university graduates with steady jobs. They lived with his mother but planned to buy a house with a mortgage, especially with a baby on the way.
The story of how she married Thomas was its own ordeal. The things she had endured from Edith, her grandmother.
One evening, Emily burst through the front door, beaming.
“Mum, Gran, Thomas and I are getting married!” she announced, her nineteen-year-old heart overflowing with joy.
Edith slowly raised her eyes, as if she hadn’t heard properly. Margaret kept her head down, silent. Emily couldn’t understand why they weren’t happy for her.
“Did you hear me?” she asked, puzzled. “I’m getting married!”
“Over my dead body,” Edith snapped. Emily’s smile vanished.
“What do you mean? Gran, what’s wrong? Mum?” She paused. “I thought you’d be happy. What’s going on?”
“You must be pregnant,” Edith accused coldly.
“No! Why would you think that? Just because I want to marry him?”
Margaret stayed quiet, avoiding her daughter’s gaze.
“Good. Then forget this nonsense until after university. Sit down for dinner.”
“I’m not hungry. Thomas and I already had pizza.” Emily was bewildered. Why were they reacting like this? She’d rushed home to share her happiness, expecting support.
“Mum, why aren’t you saying anything?”
Margaret startled, frowned, then glanced nervously at Edith before sighing.
“Darling, your gran’s right. It’s too soon to marry. Finish your degree first. And honestly, it’s not fashionable these days to marry so young,” she said with a forced smile.
“Mum, I don’t care about fashion. Thomas and I love each other. We *will* get married. And we’ll still finish uni, don’t worry. I’m doing this, no matter what you say. We’ve already decided.”
Edith lost her temper and hissed at Margaret:
“See what you’ve raised? The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. She’s marrying some penniless boy, just like you tried to. Thank God I stopped you in time…”
Emily was stunned. She’d never known her father, had always been told he abandoned them when he found out Margaret was pregnant. Now she looked at her mother, who had bowed her head low.
“Gran, was Mum going to marry my father? Did you stop her?”
Edith sneered.
“Marry him? Some broke student? Of course I forbid it.”
“But he’s got a business now,” Margaret murmured.
Edith’s eyes widened. “You’ve been *speaking* to him?”
“Yes. He found me on social media. But he lives in another city—went back to his parents after uni and stayed.”
Emily stared.
“Mum, tell me properly. You and Gran always said he left when he found out about me. But you were going to marry him? What happened?”
Mother and grandmother exchanged glances. Margaret looked down; Edith declared:
“Yes, *I* stopped it,” she said harshly. “For her own good. My own life was ruined. I wanted your mother to marry properly, not some boy with three younger siblings and a house full of relatives. What kind of life would that be?”
Emily was speechless. They had lied to her all these years.
“Mum, why didn’t you fight for him?”
Margaret shrank into herself.
“Fight who?” Edith cut in. “Me? Useless. I gave her a choice—him or me.”
Emily couldn’t believe it. She looked between them. Was this another lie?
“How could you let Gran dictate your life? Why didn’t you *try*?”
“We were students,” Margaret whispered. “Two stipends wouldn’t have been enough, especially with a baby. His parents couldn’t help—they had too many mouths to feed. I’d have had to drop out.”
“But did you even *try*?” Emily cried. “You just gave up? Did he?”
Margaret winced. “No. He waited outside our flat for weeks. I finally threatened to call the police. Gran made sure he stayed away.”
Emily turned to Edith.
“Well, Gran, I don’t give a damn about your rules,” she spat. “I don’t care about your approval. I’ll work weekends if I have to, but I’m marrying Thomas. You won’t stop me.”
“Mum, why didn’t you ever marry anyone else?”
Edith scoffed. “Who’d have her? The men she fancied were all losers. She turned her nose up at the decent ones I found.”
Suddenly, Margaret straightened. Her eyes were clear, almost bright, as she looked at Emily.
“Listen, darling—marry Thomas. Be happy. If it’s meant to be, it’ll work. If not, you’ll find happiness elsewhere. But it’s *your* choice, not hers. Live your life. Don’t let her ruin it like she ruined mine.”
Edith erupted. “What nonsense are you spouting?”
“I’m telling her to live as she pleases. You crushed my life—you won’t crush hers.”
Edith was stunned. Margaret had never defied her before.
“This isn’t happening,” she snapped.
“Gran, don’t shout. I’m not afraid of you. And I *will* marry Thomas. Especially now that Mum’s on my side.”
“We’ll see about that. When that boy comes here, I’ll put him in his place.”
“Then I won’t bring him,” Emily said coolly.
Edith seethed. She’d controlled Margaret effortlessly—why was this girl so stubborn?
The wedding was lovely.
Edith didn’t attend.
“Good,” Emily told Thomas. “She’d have ruined it.”
Margaret was overjoyed for her daughter.
*At least she had the courage to stand up to Gran,* she thought. *I never did. But perhaps it’s not too late.*
Two weeks later, Margaret told Emily:
“Your father proposed. I said yes. He wants me to move to his city—his business is there, everything’s settled. He divorced his wife years ago.”
“Mum, that’s wonderful! Go. Don’t waste this chance. I’d love to finally meet him. Gran can sit and think about what she’s done. We won’t abandon her, but she needs to learn.”
Emily’s father finally met his daughter. Later, he helped with their mortgage deposit.
Margaret moved away, married him, and discovered real happiness at last.
Some things take twenty years to mend.
