My son spent what felt like an eternity searching for the right woman to marry, but I made a point never to question his choices. Finally, when he turned thirty, he met Emilya woman who seemed simply perfect for him.
Hardly a day went by without my hearing how wonderful and beautiful Emily was. He was utterly smitten! I must say, I found Emily quite charming myself. With great enthusiasm, my son would wax lyrical to both me and his pals about her virtuesshe seemed to him the very epitome of an ideal wife, so naturally, he wasted no time in marching her down the aisle. As any loving mother would, I wholeheartedly supported his decision.
Now, planning a wedding can be a right headache, but my friends rallied around magnificently. The brides parents, lovely people, and I got on like a house on fire from the word go. It was all delightful at the start, but of course, the honeymoon period can’t last forever. Their marriage began to wobble, and squabbles crept in more and more often. I reminded myself it was only their first year together and told myself things would settle down, but deep down I fretted. I simply wanted them to have a happy, successful marriage.
One evening left me absolutely beside myself. Quite late, my son turned up on my doorstep, lugging his bags. He announced he’d nowhere else to goEmily had thrown him out. He camped at mine for a few days, and not once did Emily appear to make peace or even just to talk. This became something of a pattern.
When my daughter-in-law told me she was expecting a baby, I decided to sit them both down for a chat. I thought a few pearls of wisdom from the older generation might help smooth things over in future. Wellthat went spectacularly pear-shaped. Somehow, after our talk, their misunderstandings only multiplied, and my son became an increasingly frequent overnight guest on my sofa. It broke my hearthe was no longer that beaming, cheerful chap he’d once been; disappointment seemed etched onto his face.
Watching my son struggle in such a miserable relationship was unbearable, so I suggested he consider if this marriage was truly worth the hassle. Hed make a superb father, even if he had to live separately. Sure enough, not long after, he filed for divorce and took the papers down to the courts.
Soon after, Emily showed up at my door, asking for help. She pleaded with me to convince my son to drop the divorce, explaining she didn’t want their family torn apart. Id told her before that she ought to try a bit harder with her own family. Now Im apparently the villain, accused by all and sundry of meddling in their private matters.
I dont know if I should have encouraged my son to end the marriage. His wife dislikes me now, and as for himwell, hes growing more distant with each passing day. I do sometimes wonder if they still love each other. Living apart is beastly, but living together is by no means a picnic either…
