How My Sons Mother-in-Law Took Him Away from Us
Ever since our son got married, he barely visits us anymore. Now, hes always at his mother-in-laws house. She always seems to desperately need his help. I honestly cant begin to imagine how she managed before her daughter married our son.
Our sons been married for just over two years now. After the wedding, the newlyweds moved out into a flat wed bought for him when he started university. Since childhood, our boy has always had our support and understanding. Even before he got married, hed lived on his own because the flat was so close to his work.
I wont say I disliked his wife, Charlotte, but it did cross my mind that she might not be quite mature enough for married life, even though she was only a couple of years younger than our son. Charlotte often behaved rather childishly, and sometimes she was downright sulky. My son was always such a good-natured lad, and I couldnt help but worry how hed cope with her childish ways as they went through life together.
After meeting both Charlotte and her mother, Margaret, I understood what kind of people they were. Although Margaret was the same age as me, she acted like a child herself. You know the sort some people never properly grow up, even as they get older, and they just seem lost in life. When Charlotte got married, Margaret had already gone through six divorces.
We never really found much to talk about with Margaret. She lived in a world of her own, but at least she didnt impose herself on us. Our interactions were limited to polite congratulations at the childrens wedding and that was that.
But even before the wedding, warning signs began to appear. Charlotte was always dragging my son, David, round to her mothers: the tap was leaking, a socket needed replacing, or a shelf fell down in the kitchen. The first few times, I turned a blind eye after all, there wasnt a man around the house, so maybe she really did need a hand.
However, it became clear that the broken things in Margarets house were never-ending. My son started to ignore us, always with the excuse that he and his wife were off to help her mother. Soon enough, they were spending all the holidays at Margarets, while I was left at home with my father and mother-in-law.
It was one thing when David stopped coming for family gatherings, but it hurt even more when he ignored our requests for help.
At one point, we bought a new fridge and asked David to help us carry it inside. At first he agreed, but then he rang to say he couldnt make it he and Charlotte were headed to her mothers yet again, this time because the washing machine was leaking.
When my husband called David, he overheard Charlotte in the background saying, Couldnt your parents just hire some movers? David eventually came, but he was absolutely furious.
Dad, you couldnt have just got the delivery guys to do it? Now Ive got to lug this up the stairs!
I lost my patience and started wondering aloud why Margaret couldnt just call a professional herself. Does she live in some other world where workmen dont exist? David explained that his mother-in-law needed him because tradesmen these days will take your money and not fix a thing.
Thats when my husband finally snapped and said, She might not know her way around appliances, but shes an expert shepherd she leads one sheep around remarkably well. Instantly, our son bristled with anger and stormed out. I stayed out of it, but really I agreed with my husband. The in-laws were taking advantage of David, using him as a handyman while hed nearly forgotten the way to our door.
After that row, David hasnt spoken to his father for more than a fortnight. My husband refuses to make the first move, and Im caught right in the middle. Of course my husband has a point, but I wish he could have put it more gently now Davids offended and doesnt want to see him, and Im stuck between them, not wanting to lose our son over such silliness.
My husband has refused to speak to David, and David wont back down either he says he wont talk to his father until he gets an apology. Meanwhile, the only one who seems to be doing splendidly well out of all this is Margaret!
