**Diary Entry 10th October**
*”He wanted to stay with me,”* my mother-in-law said, shutting the garden gate and leaving Emily standing outside in nothing but her dressing gown and slippers.
The click of the latch sounded like a death sentence. Emily stood frozen for a moment, staring at the carved wooden door behind which her seven-year-old son had just disappeared. *Her* son. Her little Oliver.
*”Margaret!”* she finally choked out, yanking at the gate handle, but it was locked. *”Margaret, open this! What are you doing? Oliver! Olly!”*
No answer came from insidejust the rustle of dry leaves in Margarets front garden as the wind picked up. Emily shivered. Shed rushed out without even grabbing her coat, and the October chill cut straight through her thin robe. Her heart felt just as cold and hollow.
It had all started over breakfast that morningan innocent enough conversation, or so it seemed.
*”Mum, can I stay at Grandmas this weekend?”* Oliver asked through a mouthful of toast. *”She said she got me new football cards and baked a chocolate cake.”*
Emily frowned. Her mother-in-law, Margaret, always tried to buy Olivers affection with sweets and treats, positioning herself as the *fun* one while Emily was left enforcing bedtime and homework.
*”Olly, youve got swimming on Saturday, remember? And Sunday, we planned that trip to the zoo with Dad.”*
Olivers face fell. He pushed his porridge bowl away. *”I dont want the zoo. I want Grandmas. Shes lonely. And its more fun there.”*
*”Fun how?”* Emily couldnt help snapping. *”Because she lets you stay up late and stuff yourself with sweets?”*
*”Em, dont,”* her husband, James, murmured without looking up from his paper.
*”Then what, James?”* She turned on him. *”Your mother spoils him rotten! He comes home with a stomachache, his routines a mess, and I spend the week fixing it!”*
James just shrugged. *”Shes his grandma. Let her spoil him a bit. Well drop him off Saturday after swimming and pick him up Sunday evening.”*
Emily gave in. She always did when it came to Margaret. The woman was a fortressimpenetrable, unmovable, no matter how much logic or pleading you threw at her.
So that afternoon, they drove Oliver over. Emily walked him in, intending to exchange the usual stiff pleasantries with Margaret. Her mother-in-law greeted them as she always didfrosty with Emily, sickly sweet with Oliver.
*”Come here, my darling! Grandmas missed you! Ive got those rare football cards you wanted! And a walnut cakeyour favourite!”*
Oliver flung himself into her arms. Emily lingered in the hallway, feeling like an intruder.
*”Right, Ill be off then. James is waiting in the car. Well pick you up Sunday around six.”*
*”Fine, fine,”* Margaret tossed over her shoulder, already steering Oliver toward the living room. *”Dont miss us too much.”*
Emily leftbut halfway to the car, she remembered Olivers jacket, still hanging in the hall. She turned back, pushed the gate (still unlocked), and froze on the doorstep as she caught a snippet of conversation.
*”Isnt it lovely youre staying with Grandma? For a nice, long time. Youll have your own room here, all your toys, whatever you want.”*
*”What about Mum and Dad?”* Olivers voice piped up.
*”Oh, they… they need a rest. Youll stay with me. Ill let you do anything. And your schools closer from hereno nasty bus ride like from their house.”*
Emilys blood ran cold. She stormed into the hallway.
*”Margaret, what the hell are you saying?”*
Her mother-in-law turned. No surprise, no guiltjust that icy, unshakable calm.
*”Just explaining how lovely itll be for him here.”*
*”Hes not *staying* here! Hes visiting for the weekend!”* Emilys voice shook with rage and fear.
*”Ive reconsidered,”* Margaret said slowly. *”A grandson should live with his grandmother. I have the better home for him. Peace and quiet. What do you offer? Chaos, shouting, stress.”*
*”Youre insane!”* Emily gasped. *”Oliver, get your things. Were leaving.”*
*”Hes not going with you.”* Margaret stepped forward, shielding Oliver. *”He *wants* to stay. Dont you, Olly? Tell Mummy you want to live with Grandma.”*
Emily looked at her son. He was clinging to Margarets skirt, eyes brimming with tears.
*”Mum, I… I just…”* he stammered.
*”You see?”* Margaret crowed. *”The childs made his choice. Dont be selfish, Emily. Think of his happiness.”*
*”This is *kidnapping*!”* Emily screamed. *”Im calling the police!”*
*”Go ahead,”* Margaret smirked. *”What will you tell them? That his grandmother wont give back a child who *chose* to stay? I have everything he needs. And you? James works two jobs, youre a nervous wreck, your flats a tip. Who would they side with?”*
Emily felt the ground drop beneath her. She reached for Oliver. *”Sweetheart, please, come home with me.”*
But he shrank back, gripping Margaret tighter.
Thena car horn outside. James, growing impatient.
*”Youd better go,”* Margaret said coolly. *”Dont make a scene in front of the boy.”*
Dazed, Emily stumbled outside. She turned to call James for helpand the gate slammed shut behind her.
*”He wanted to stay with me,”* came Margarets final, indifferent words.
Emily stood numb, unable to move. Thena surge of fury. She flung herself at the gate, pounding on the wood, wrenching at the handle.
*”Give me back my son! Open this door! Oliver!”*
No answer. Just the wind and the distant bark of a neighbours dog. James got out of the car.
*”Em? Whats wrong?”*
She ran to him, choking on tears. *”Sheshe wont give him back! Says hes *living* with her now!”*
Jamess face darkened. He marched to the gate and jammed his finger on the belllong, insistent.
*”Mum! Open up! Whats gotten into you?”*
Finally, a voicenot Margarets, but Olivers, small and scared: *”Dad, Im… I dont…”*
*”Oliver, open the door!”* James barked.
*”I cant… Grandma took the key…”*
James recoiled like hed been struck. He turned to Emily, hollow-eyed.
*”Has she lost her mind?”*
*”I *told* you!”* Emily sobbed. *”I told you she was obsessed with him! And you just brushed it off! Now look!”*
James pulled out his phone. *”Im calling the police. This is illegal.”*
He stepped away, speaking urgently into the phone. Emily pressed her forehead to the cold wood of the gate.
*”Olly, darling, dont be scared. Well sort this. Well get you home.”*
A muffled sniffle came from inside. *”Mum, I want sweets… Grandma promised…”*
Her heart shattered. He was *right there*, just feet away, scared and confusedbut tempted by sweets and football cards.
James returned, grim. *”The officer says if hes with family and safe, its not kidnapping. We can file a report, but theyll have to investigate… Itll take *hours*.”*
*”*Hours?*”* Emily echoed in horror. *”Shell have him brainwashed by then!”*
She started hammering on the door again. *”Margaret! Open this *now*!”*
At last, her mother-in-laws voicesmooth, venomous: *”Calm down, Emily. Youre embarrassing yourself. Olivers staying. Go home. Well talk tomorrow.”*
*”*Tomorrow?!*”* Emily shrieked. *”Give me my son!”*
But deep down, she knew brute force wouldnt work. They were fools, standing at a locked gate while their child was held hostage by a madwoman.
James tugged her sleeve. *”Lets go. We need a better plan.”*
*”*Go?!*”* She wrenched free. *”Were just leaving him here?”*
*”No!”*
