Taught a Lesson to My Husband, His Mum, and His Sister
Wheres my dinner, Emily? Im asking, wheres the food?!
Emily didnt even turn her head towards her husband. She was sitting on the edge of the sofa, gently rocking a little bundle in her arms, from which soft grumbles were coming.
Oliver, keep your voice down, she whispered. Shes only just nodded off! I spent half the day at the doctors, then the chemist, then
I dont care where you were! Oliver strode into the room, still in his coat. I go to work, I provide for you and the baby!
I come home expecting to see a hot meal on the table, not your sour face and that constant crying.
What have you done all day?
I was looking after your daughter, Emily met his eye. Shes got another rash on her cheeks.
The doctors were useless, I had to hunt down new creams myself.
Have you even once asked how shes feeling?
Why would I? If shes crying, shes fine. Youre the mumdeal with it.
Its your job to make sure Im comfortable. What did I even marry for?
To live on supermarket ready meals and never get a decent nights sleep?
You married me because it was convenient, Emily shot back. And I married you because everyone around me wouldnt stop nagging, saying Its time, its time!
Well, heres your its time!
Oliver screwed up his face, stomped over to the pram in the corner, and gave its wheel a hard kick.
The pram rolled across the room and slammed into the chest of drawers.
Emilys daughter, in her arms, started screaming with fresh intensity.
Shut her up! Oliver barked. Or I wont be responsible for what I do.
Just a year ago, life had looked completely different for Emily.
She was the sort of woman who turned heads on the street: effortless style, sharp wit, and her weekends planned down to the minute.
Oliver had seemed like Prince Charming handsome, ambitious, knew how to get his way.
They were always breaking up and getting back together, the kind who had big public rows and even bigger reconciliations for all to see.
When Oliver proposed, Emily hesitated, but her parents pushed her.
Oh Emily, how much longer are you going to be single? her mum would say, spooning out her famous cheesecake. Youre twenty-seven.
Olivers a good, solid lad, from a nice family. You two are looking at a flat together. And kids? You ever thought about wholl bring you a cuppa when youre old?
Mum, what cuppa? I enjoy working, Ive just started a new project.
Work is fleeting, her dad said from behind his newspaper. A woman without a family is like a tree without roots. Youll dry up before you know it.
Oliver loves you. Sure, hes got a temper, but so does everyone. Youll get used to each other.
And Emily gave in. She made the very mistake shed replay in her mind during every sleepless night that followed.
The wedding was grand, the flat came with a hefty mortgage, and the pregnancy blindsided her completely.
Everything happened too fast. She never had time to see herself as a wife before she was already a vessel for new life.
Shed desperately hoped for a little boy. She imagined kicking a ball around with him, calm and thoughtful, a bit like her.
But the sonographer said, Its a girl. And inside, something snapped.
Labour was a nightmare. Complications, drips, endless corridors smelling of disinfectant and sadness.
When they finally let her out, Emily felt like a broken vase that someone had glued together in a panic and done a terrible job.
She stared at the tiny creature in the cot and didnt feel anything except a dull, gnawing irritation.
Why does she cry all the time? she asked her mum, whod come to help.
Its just wind, love, hang in there. We all managed. Youll cope too. Shes hungry.
She wont latch! Everything hurts, Mum!
Means youre not trying properly. You have to, youre a mum now. Forget about wantfrom now on, its only whats needed.
Meanwhile, Oliver had opted out completely. For the first fortnight he played at being a doting dad, but soon gave up.
He hated the smell of nappies, hated the mess, but hated most of all that Emily had stopped being his personal handmaiden.
***
Mum rang, Oliver called from the kitchen, watching Emily stir a lonely saucepan with one hand while trying to settle their fractious daughter with the other, She says Annas in tears again.
Anna, Olivers sister, was three years older. Married five years, still no kids.
Every time she saw one of Emilys posts or heard something about her niece, she apparently dissolved into hysterics.
And what do you want me to do about that? Emily dropped the spoon.
You could try a bit of humility. Mum reckons you rub your mothering in Annas face.
And by the way, Mum thinks youre a terrible housewife. Theres dust on the skirting boards, Emily.
Your mum hasnt been here in a fortnight, Oliver. How would she know about skirting boards?
She just knows! Oliver slammed his hand down on the table. And shes right. Look at state of you. Dressing gowns filthy, your eyes are bloodshot.
You look like one of those old women from the countryside.
If youd help out, if youd just get up once at night
I work! he yelled. Do you understand that with that thick head of yours? I bring in the money.
Your job is the house and the baby.
By the way, Saturday were off to your parents for the weekend. They rang, said the baby needs some fresh air. My lot are coming too.
I dont want to go. Its freezing, theres no proper water to wash her, your mum will just gossip with mine behind my back.
Dont care what you want. Parents say soitll be done. Have bags ready for 8 a.m., no whinging.
***
The weekend at her folks was even worse. Emilys parents, relishing their roles as grandparents, kept snatching the baby away.
Emily, youre holding her all wrong! her mum shouted from the gazebo. Support her head! Oh honestly, who swaddles like that? Let me do it.
Just leave me alone, Emily snapped, storming off down the garden.
Oliver made a show of ignoring both wife and daughter, chatting about the car with her dad and stoking the fire every time his mum had a dig at Emily.
Oh, Emily, whats that all over her cheeks? More rash? Not looking after her properly. Bet its something youre eating.
Now, my Anna, if she had a baby, shed never let a speck of dust settle. Shes ever so particular
Then Anna can have one herself, whats stopping her? Emily shot back.
Her mother-in-law, Carol, clutched her chest melodramatically.
Oliver! Did you hear your wife mocking your poor sisters troubles?
Oliver jumped up, grabbing Emily firmly by the arm.
Say sorry to my mum. Right now.
Let go, youre hurting me!
I said say sorry! You gone mad?
Emilys parents were right there, but rather than stick up for her, her dad just muttered,
Emily, dont be rude to your husbands mum. Olivers right, show some respect.
Thats when Emily realised: she was on her own. Everyone was against her.
A husband who saw her as unpaid help, parents who valued appearances over her happiness, and a mother-in-law putting poison in every crack out of jealousy.
***
The crisis came a week after they got home.
The baby was struggling with her tummy, Emily hadnt slept for two nights running.
When the little girl finally conked out, Emily slid to the kitchen floor, right onto the lino, and squeezed her eyes shut.
The front door banged open. Oliver came in from work, in a truly foul mood.
Why are bin bags sat in the hallway? he snapped instead of saying hello.
Emily stayed silent. She hadnt the energy even to move her lips.
Im talking to you. He barged into the kitchen, catching her leg with his foot. Get up and take them out. Now.
Do it yourself, she whispered. I cant do this anymore. My backs killing me. I just need an hours sleep, Oliver. Please.
Oh, you cant, can you? He yanked her up by the collar of her dressing gown.
The fabric tore.
Look at her. Princess needs a rest. Some women raise five kids and work in the fields. You fall to pieces after one.
The baby started crying again. Oliver, practically growling with rage, stormed in.
Again! That screeching, again! He marched to the cot and shook it hard. Shut up, will you!
The child choked on her own scream, terrified.
Emily dashed in, trying to push Oliver back.
Get away from her! Dont touch her!
Shes ruined my life! Oliver drew back and slapped Emily across the face with the flat of his hand.
She flew into the wall, smacking her head against the wardrobe.
Her vision went black. But the worst part was, Oliver didnt stop.
He went to the cot again and, eyes full of spite, pinched the babys tiny leg, hard.
The little girl screamed so loud Emily had never heard anything like it before.
Something snapped inside Emily at that moment. All the pity for herself, all the exhaustion and resentment towards her child disappeared in a flash.
Only fury remained.
She grabbed a heavy ornament from the shelf some daft thing his mum had given them and strode forward without a second thought.
If you touch her again, she hissed, I will cave your head in. Get out.
Oliver looked at her, shocked.
You dare raise your hand to me in my own flat?
This flat was bought after we married, Emily replied, each word clear and cold. The mortgage was paid with my maternity pay and your bonuses, and finished off with my parents help. Half of its mine.
But right now, I dont care. Leave before I ring the police and report the bruises.
There are marks from your hand on my face, Oliver. Shell have bruises too.
Maybe you wont go to prison, but Ill ruin you so thoroughly youll spend the rest of your days paying solicitors.
Emily walked out of the bedroom and called the police.
***
It dragged on for ages. Oliver tried to rope in his mum and sister they rang, they messaged, threatened, insulted. Emily wanted no reconciliation, she just blocked their numbers.
When her own parents came to make peace, Emily didnt even let them in.
Either youre on my side, or forget my address.
Your son-in-law raised his hand to your newborn granddaughter. If thats okay with you, weve nothing left to talk about.
Her dad looked shifty, her mum cried, but when they saw the bruise on their granddaughters leg they stopped talking.
Both admitted there is no excuse for being violent to a tiny baby.
Emily didnt just file for divorce she turned up at his work, calm and quiet with a folder of documents.
There was no drama. She simply showed the security manager an old mate of her dads the nanny cam video Oliver himself had set up before their daughter was born.
Everything was on there, including that scene in the nursery.
Oliver was asked to resign for personal reasons. At his company, reputation is everything. Nobody needed that kind of scandal.
His mother ended up bedridden from the shock of her son losing his job, Anna stopped sending nasty messages, scared Emily might post the video (she had loads of mutuals online with Annas husband).
***
Now Emily lives quietly. Yes, sometimes the moneys tight, but she doesnt complain.
Oliver signed over his half of the flat as part of maintenance. That was fine by Emily.
His family instantly forgot the child existed, he doesnt visit his daughter.
And to every new woman Oliver meets, he swears hes never been married.
