**Diary Entry**
I’ve grown close to my former son-in-law, but my daughter found out and declared war on me.
*”So, Mum, you’ve got yourself a new son-in-law now, have you? How could you do this to me?”* Eloise’s voice shook with fury, her breaths ragged with hurt. *”I don’t ever want to see you at his place again! For once, think about how I feel!”*
Eloise is forty, her anger raw and untamed. She divorced Paul years ago and remarried three years later. They’d been together for twelve years and had a daughter, Sophie, who’s now ten. Recently, Eloise caught me visiting Paul in the little town of Oakridge. She’d dropped Sophie off for the weekend and was stunned to find me there—again. Lately, my visits had become more frequent, and Eloise felt betrayed, her resentment erupting like a storm.
I’d always longed for a son, but fate gave me only a daughter. When Eloise first brought Paul home, neither I nor my husband approved. A simple mechanic with no property of his own, he didn’t seem like a suitable match. We were cold to him at first, but after my husband passed, I began to see Paul’s kindness. He became my rock, unfailingly there whenever I needed help.
*”I’m sorry, Margaret,”* Paul said shortly after the wedding. *”My mother’s gone, but I can’t call you ‘Mum’.”*
I didn’t push it. His respect was enough. Over time, I grew to admire his skill and gentleness. When Eloise was pregnant with Sophie and I was hospitalised for kidney surgery, Paul split himself between the hospital and home—bringing meals, offering comfort, holding us together. After I was discharged, he took over every household chore, making sure neither Eloise nor I overexerted ourselves. And when Sophie was born, Paul glowed with pride, becoming the perfect father.
But as years passed, Eloise changed. Promotions at work, new social circles—she began to look down on Paul. She criticised his plain clothes, his way of speaking, his lack of formal education. *”He can’t even hold a conversation about books!”* she’d complain, comparing him to her colleagues. I tried to defend him:
*”You chose him, Eloise. Your father didn’t approve, but you insisted. What’s changed now?”*
It broke my heart to watch their marriage crumble. Paul earned more than many university lecturers, fixed everything around the house, was a devoted father—yet Eloise took it for granted. One day, I snapped:
*”Paul has a heart of gold and hands to match! Not every lecturer does half as much for their family!”*
But Eloise just brushed me off. She’d already met Anthony, her new beau, and constantly compared him to Paul, seeing only flaws in her husband. Soon after, she filed for divorce. Paul listened quietly, never raising his voice, never insulting her. He just walked to the kitchen, and I saw his shoulders tremble with grief. He’d expected it—their love had grown cold long before.
Paul left Eloise and Sophie the two-bedroom flat they’d bought together and moved into an old rented room in a shared house. He never missed child support, bought Sophie presents, attended parent evenings, and had her on weekends. Eloise would drop Sophie off, and all was fine—until she realised I was visiting him more often.
A year ago, Paul came to me:
*”Sorry I haven’t visited much. If you ever need anything fixed or fetched, just say the word. And you’re welcome to stop by mine anytime.”*
That’s how we reconnected. He fixed leaky taps, brought groceries, while I’d turn up with freshly baked pies, chatting about life. Sophie, Paul, and I often went for walks together, and I realised—he’d become like a son to me. Eloise, on the other hand, grew distant after her new marriage, barely calling. I cherished the warmth Paul gave me.
But when Eloise found out, she erupted:
*”What, are you trying to adopt him now? How can you even associate with him when I’ve moved on?”*
Her words stung, but I won’t back down. Paul is family—the one who stood by me in my darkest hours. I see no wrong in our friendship, but Eloise takes it as betrayal. Now she barely speaks to me, and I’m torn between love for my daughter and the bond I share with Paul.
I won’t yield to her anger. Paul is part of my life—a man who’s proven his loyalty time and again. Eloise can rage all she wants, but I won’t abandon someone who’s become family. I just hope one day she’ll understand: a good heart is worth more than old grudges.
