All troubles start in the same way.
“Edward, are you serious? Off to your mum’s again?”
“What do you expect me to do? Leave her freezing with no power or water?” he snapped, rummaging through his backpack. “Would you do that to your parents?”
“You know my parents would never put me in this position. They respect that I have my own family and dont drag me into these dramas. But your mum” Emily began.
“Give it a rest. You know I have to help her,” Edward cut in, waving her off.
“I know. But it still hurts. Not because the boys might forget their fathers name, but because you refuse to teach her independence. She made this messlet her sort it out. Choose, Edwardyour family here, or hers in that cottage.”
Emily turned and walked to the bedroom. Thirty seconds later, the front door clicked shut. Edward had left. She was alone again, left to explain to their sons why their promised family trip to the park wasnt happening.
Once more, their father had slipped away, leaving everything on Emilys shoulders.
…Two years ago, things had been different. Emily remembered that day clearly. Theyd visited her parents, bringing along Margaret, Edwards mother, so she wouldnt be lonely. She got on well enough with Emilys parentsno one minded.
As they sipped tea under the pergola, Margaret had a “brilliant” idea that turned Emilys life upside down.
“Oh, its so lovely here!” Margaret sighed, breathing deeply. “I should move to the countryside. Perfect at my agepeace, quiet, fresh air…”
Emilys mother smirked, thinking it was just wistful chatter.
“Its nice when youre a guest,” she said bluntly. “But alone? A house like this needs constant work. No offence, Margaret, but domestic life isnt your strength.”
Margaret pursed her lips. She wasnt lazy, just perpetually exhausted, even when doing nothing.
“Oh, Im not planning to run a farm! Flowers and trees will do. Just sitting in the shade, enjoying the view. And the grandchildren can visittheyll love running around the garden instead of breathing in traffic fumes.”
“Flowers need care too,” Emilys mother said dryly. “You struggle in a flat, and that barely takes any effort. A house swallows moneyboilers break, roofs leak, fences collapse. Its a bottomless pit.”
“Ill manage. Im not alone,” Margaret said stubbornly, glancing at Edward.
Emily raised an eyebrow but stayed silent. Changing Margarets mind was harder than convincing a hungry goat to ignore cabbage.
Margaret didnt argue further, just smiled like the Mona Lisa. Six months later, she was proudly showing off her new cottage, revelling in the scent of roses from next door. The house was decentmodern, comfortable.
“See? And you all doubted me. Ill never set foot in the city again!” she declared.
But the bliss didnt last. First, she asked Edward to help redecorate. What shouldve taken weeks dragged on for months, with Edward driving down every weekend. Emily grumbled but endured it, hoping life would return to normal once the work was done.
Yet when the paint dried and the wallpaper was up, the list of chores only grew.
First, Margarets power went out for two daysno lights, no water. Edward rushed over with bottled water and sedatives to calm her panic.
“My whole lifes on hold! No shower, no air conditioning in this heatits unbearable!” she wailed.
Then she adopted a stray dog”just temporarily.” The poor thing had kidney issues. With no local vet, Edward had to drive it to the city.
“Hes poorly, poor boy. But at least hell guard the house,” Margaret cooed.
Emily spent hours scrubbing dog sick from the car seats. Worse, the dog needed special foodunavailable in the village. Guess who played deliveryman?
“I cant abandon Mum with a sick dog. You know how soft-hearted she is,” Edward said when Emily protested.
“Soft-hearted? For dogs, maybe. Not so much for people.”
Edward devoted every weekend to his mother, sometimes even dashing over after work. Occasionally, hed stay overnight.
“If I come home now, youll all be asleep anyway,” hed say. “Ill just head straight to work from hers in the morning.”
Emily kept waiting for things to ease, but they only worsened. Leaking roofs, blocked drains, snow, overgrown grassMargaret refused to lift a finger, even to call a handyman.
“What if theyre crooks? Edward, youre a mantheyll take you seriously. Find someone honest and supervise them, wont you?”
Emilys patience shattered when the power failed againthis time in late autumn. Briefly, but enough to send Margaret into hysterics.
“Em, Im buying Mum a generator tomorrow,” Edward announced casually.
Emily stiffened.
“From our account?” She narrowed her eyesgenerators werent cheap.
“Well… yes. You know moneys tight for her. Most of her flat sale went on the house, and her pension barely covers bills.”
“Perfect. So now were funding her dream home too. Edward, when does it end?”
He scowled.
“Dont be like that. She could freeze without power. Youd rather that?”
Emily rolled her eyes but swallowed her words.
Now, sitting alone in their bedroom, she considered divorce. He was never home anyway. But life wasnt all bad… No, divorce was too extreme. She needed another way to stay sane.
And she found it.
…A week later, Emily rose early and dressed quietly. As she was leaving, Edward stirred.
“Where are you off to so early?” he mumbled, rubbing his eyes.
“My parents,” she said calmly, checking her reflection.
“What? Today? I promised Mum Id prune her hedges.”
“You didnt check with me. My parents need help too.”
“But theres two of them!”
“Age catches up with everyone. New rule: one weekend for your mum, one for mine.” She moved toward the door, then paused. “Oh, and the to-do lists on the fridge. Dont forget the boys homework. And make them pizza for lunchthey asked for it.”
She left, feeling his glare on her back but never turning. On the drive, she realisedfor once, she wasnt rushing.
Her “help” was symbolic. She tidied the spare room, then relaxed. She read on the garden swing, laughed over childhood memories at lunch, lazed in bed. Shed forgotten what it was like to eat without gulping food between shouts of “Mum!”
Maybe there was no perfect solution. Maybe Margaret would never sell or learn independence. But now, Emily would have her own spaceuncompromised. A small victory, but hers.
