Since our son got married, he seems to have forgotten we exist. Hes always over at his mother-in-laws house apparently theres always some urgent catastrophe that only he can solve. I honestly cant fathom how Beverly survived before her daughter married our son. Without his heroic plumbing and shelf-hanging skills, the poor woman must have barely muddled through.
Our sons been married for more than two years now. After the wedding, the newlyweds moved into a flat wed bought for him when he started university in Manchester. Right from childhood, our lad always had our full support and understanding. He was living on his own, close to his job, even before tying the knot quite the independent spirit.
I wont pretend I disliked our daughter-in-law, but I always thought she wasnt exactly ready for married life. Even though our son is only two years older, Emily always seemed a bit childish, if Im honest prone to the odd tantrum, and forever asking for things. Our son, bless his heart, is such a softie; I used to wonder how hed fare with someone who regularly has the emotional age of a five-year-old.
Then I met her mum, and it all made sense. Although Beverly is my age, she acts like shes still waiting for someone to hold her hand crossing the road. Have you ever come across a grown woman with the emotional resilience of a toddler, and the helplessness to match? Thats Beverly in a nutshell. By the time her daughter married, shed already been divorced six times at least shes consistent.
We never managed any sort of real conversation with Beverly; she lives in her own little universe. Our interaction was strictly polite exchanging pleasantries at the wedding, then returning to our usual lives.
The warning signs appeared even before the wedding. Emily would drag our son to Beverlys place for a never-ending parade of emergencies: leaking tap, dodgy socket, collapsing kitchen shelf you name it. At first, I turned a blind eye. Well, in a house with no man around, a pair of hands is probably needed for basic repairs.
But as time rolled on, the list of disasters at Beverlys house remained inexhaustible. Our son started avoiding us, explaining he and Emily were always off to help her mum. Suddenly, all family celebrations were held at Beverlys, while our home was reduced to just me, my husband George, and the odd appearance by our own mother-in-law.
It stung a bit when our son stopped showing up for holidays, but it wasnt until he started ignoring requests for help that it really hit home.
During this phase, we bought a new fridge and asked him to help move it. He agreed initially, but then rang to say he couldnt the washing machine at Beverlys was leaking, and he and Emily had to rush over and rescue it.
When my wife rang our son, she heard Emily in the background, sassing, Couldnt your parents just hire a removal firm? Our son eventually arrived, but he looked thoroughly fed up.
Dad, couldnt you have just called someone? Now Ive got to lug this yourself!
I lost my nerve and wondered aloud why Beverly never called a professional herself. Maybe she lives in a parallel universe where repairmen dont exist? Our son explained that professionals in her area are all crooks, apparently they take your pounds and disappear without fixing anything.
That was the moment George finally snapped, muttering, She might know nothing about household appliances, but shes a cracking shepherd very skilled at leading a sheep around. Our son stormed out, offended, and I didnt intervene. I actually thought George was spot on, since the new extended family seems to be permanently perched on our sons shoulders. Hes become their plumber, electrician, and all-purpose fixer, while weve become a distant memory.
Since that argument, our son hasnt spoken with George for over two weeks. George refuses to reach out first, and our son insists he wont knock until his dad apologises. And here I am, caught between a rock and a hard place. Of course George was right, but maybe he could have been a tad gentler. Now our sons moping and doesnt want to visit us, and Im not about to lose him over such silliness.
George wont budge, and our sons just as stubborn. He says he wont make the first move until George says sorry. Meanwhile, Beverly is living her best life shes got all the help she could ever want!
