“Just bear with it, love. You’re part of a different family now, and youve got to respect their ways. You didnt marry into this house to be a guest,” her mother said.
“What ways, Mum? Theyre all off their rockers! Especially my mother-in-law! She hates meits obvious!”
“Since when have mother-in-laws ever been kind?”
“Out gallivanting again, is he? Thats the third time this week!” Margaret stood in the middle of the kitchen, her face red with fury, eyes burning. “If a man strays, its his wifes fault. Do I have to spell it out for you?”
The woman was in a rage. She screamed at her daughter-in-law, Emily, like a madwomanall because Emily had dared to suspect her husband, her precious son Andrew, of being unfaithful.
Emily, a slight young woman with wide, innocent eyes, leaned against the wall, trying to reason with the furious woman.
“Margaret, this isnt right. He has a family, a child…”
“A family? That child of yours wont even let me or Grandpa near her! And whose fault is that? Yours!” Margaret scoffed.
“What do you mean? Olivers only a year old! Hes just a baby,” Emily protested weakly.
“A baby? The Harrises grandson is younger, and he doesnt throw tantrums like yours!”
“Hes your grandson too,” Emily shot back, though her voice trembled. “Maybe he senses youre not kind.”
“Kind? Oh, thats rich!” Margaret shrieked. “Who puts a roof over your head? Who pays for your food? Ungrateful wretch!”
Emily had long stopped trying to argue. Shed begged Andrew a thousand times to move out, but hea pampered mummys boysaw no reason to.
He loved living at home. No chores, no billsjust work, then come back to a spotless house and hot meals. A dream life!
But Emily? She bore the brunt of Margarets cruelty. At first, shed triedhelped with chores, listened to endless complaints about neighbours, life, everything. But soon, she realised it was hopeless.
No matter how kind she was, Margaret despised her and made no secret of it.
“Brought home this useless girl as if there werent decent lasses round here,” Margaret would gossip to her neighbour, Doris, while Emilyjust around the corner, picking up Andrews scattered toysheard every word.
“Went all the way to the next town for her! Waste of time. Our girls are betterhardworking, clever.”
“Too right!” Doris agreed, always eager for fresh gossip.
When it got unbearable, Emily would call her mum in the next town, crying, complaining.
“Just bear with it, love. Youre part of their family now. You didnt marry into this house to be a guest.”
“Their familys mad, Mum! Especially Margaret! She hates me!”
“Since when have mother-in-laws ever been kind? Weve all been through it. Just dont let them see it hurts.”
Knowing her timid mother wouldnt help, Emily threatened to tell her father.
“Dont drag your dad into this!” her mother panicked. “You know hes on probation! One wrong move, and theyll lock him up again!”
Emily knew. Her father adored her. Hed got that probation after throwing a punch at a shopkeeper whod insulted her. If he knew how they treated her here, hed storm in without a second thought.
“Fine, I wont tell him,” Emily relented. “But if this doesnt stopI dont know what Ill do.”
“Itll get better, love,” her mother soothed.
It didnt. Margaret only grew worse, blaming Emily for everythingeven things she couldnt control.
One morning, after another screaming match, even Margarets weary husband, John, had enough.
“Why do you keep at the poor girl? Shell leaveand good riddance!”
“Leave? Ill drag her through court first! Make her pay back every penny shes cost us! And Ill take that child too!”
Emily knew it was nonsense, but it still terrified her. Worse, she still loved Andrew.
The rumours of him sneaking around with his ex, Sarah, turned out to be just village gossipspread by women like Margaret herself.
Things mightve dragged on forever if Margaret hadnt bragged about her “victories” over Emily to Doris, who embellished the tale further. Soon, the whole village knew about the “useless daughter-in-law” and her cruel mother-in-lawincluding Emilys father, Thomas.
Thomasa towering man with broad shouldersdidnt hesitate. He grabbed the axe hed been chopping wood with, threw on his work jacket, and rode his old motorbike straight to Margarets without a word to his wife.
Meanwhile, chaos erupted at home. Emily had left baby Oliver for just a minute on the brand-new yellow sofa to fetch a nappy. When she returned, a small brown stain marred the fabric.
To Margaret, it might as well have been a crater.
“You ruined it! My new sofa! Do you know how much that cost? I ought to”
“Ill clean it!” Emily grabbed a cloth with shaking hands.
“Clean it? Its brand new! Not that youd knowyouve never paid for anything!”
“Like you have?” Emily snappedthen froze. Shed never dared talk back before.
Margaret turned purple. “Wipe that stain, then get out! Take that brat with you!”
Tears streaming, Emily scrubbed as little Oliver wailed. The stain wouldnt budge, mocking her.
Margaret loomed over her, hurling abuseuntil she froze.
Thomas stood in the doorway, axe in hand.
Margaret paled. She knew his temper. Knew about his probation.
“Oh, Thomas! I was justteaching Emily some manners…”
“I heard how you teach,” he growled, stepping insideboots still on. He raised the axeMargaret flinchedbut just slung it over his shoulder and held a hand out to Emily.
“Come on, love. Youve no business here.”
“Wait!” Margaret found her voice. “What do I tell my son?”
“Let him come to me. For his wife. Well talk. Man to man.” His icy glare said more than words.
Thomas took Emily and Oliver home. Andrew was too scared to face him at firstbut eventually, he came.
Thomas didnt shout or threaten. He just talkedlow, firmwith the axe on the table between them. Andrew promised: theyd move out. Margaret would stay out of their lives. Hed protect Emily and Oliver.
When Thomas shook his hand, Andrew knew hed better keep his word.
After that, Margaret avoided Emily and Oliver. Never spoke to them, not even in passing.
Andrew and Emily lived apartin harmony. Whether it was fear of Thomas or true love, no one could say.
