My mother-in-law decided to move into my flat and pass her own place on to her daughter.
My husband, Oliver, grew up in a big family. My mother-in-law kept having children until she finally had a daughter. Strange sort of mission, but that’s not for me to judge.
When I married him, I thought Id struck gold. Oliver seemed dependable, brave, and strong. He understood the meaning of family, but it was unthinkable for him to distance himself from his mother and younger sister. My mother-in-law barely cared for her sons, but making sure her daughter was alright always came first.
Emily, my sister-in-law, was ten when I first met her. She didnt bother me at first, but after five years, that started to change. She never wanted to study, fell in with the wrong sort of lads, and my husband had to deal with all her messes. Emily could ring him at three in the morning for help, and hed rush to her.
I always hoped Emily would mature, settle down, and get marriedthen we could all breathe easier. No such luck. When she did decide to get married, my mother-in-law told her sons to pitch in for the wedding because she couldnt afford it herself. The groom was broke and barely brought home a wage, so the newlyweds ended up living with her.
One child, then a second Eventually, my mother-in-law realised living like that was no longer practical. Thats when she came up with a perfect solutionshe’d move in with us and hand her flat over to Emily. But I paid for our flat myselfOliver didnt put a single penny into it. And funnily enough, hes absolutely thrilled with this arrangement. He keeps saying, Mum will help you out.
We only have a two-bedroom flat. Ive no wish to give up my comfort and share my living space. My mother-in-law seems convinced were obliged to take her in, just because Olivers the eldest and is meant to look after his parents welfare.
I love my husband, and divorce just isnt an option for me. But how am I supposed to make him see sense? How do I explain that living with his mum would be a nightmare? If anyone has any advice, Id love to hear it.
