Margaret Whitmore could never forget that bitter exchange with the unbearable woman whod married her son, Edward. She had triedoh, how shed triedto talk him out of the match. But it was no use. At least, not at first. That plain-faced girl from the countryside had far too much cheek for her liking.
“Listen here, Margaret Whitmore,” the girl had said, all false sweetness. “Why pretend youre some wise matriarch? We both know you despise me. And why? Because I see right through youI wont bend to your whims. And what gives you the right to barge into our flat uninvited every evening? We dont live off your money!”
Margarets composure cracked like thin ice. “How dare you lecture me? Wait till youve lived as long as I have”
The veneer of civility slipped away, revealing the small-minded woman beneath, one whod spent her life chasing comfort and sweets, caring little who she trampled to get them.
“Margaret,” the girl pressed, relentless, “Edward and I love each other. And Ive noticed how your words poison him. Wasnt it enough that you drove out his father and swindled him out of his share of the flat? Must you ruin your sons happiness too? If you wont love him, at least let someone else try.”
The audacity! Margarets face flushed scarlet. “Oh, so thats your tune now, is it? Listen here, you little upstartwho do you think you are? Some nobody from God-knows-where! One missed paycheck, and youll be out on the street. And you dare dictate to me?”
Lily didnt flinch. “So thats how you measure worth, is it? If youve schemed your way into a flat, youre some grand lady? But if I earn my keep honestly, thats shameful? Not all of us latch onto husbands for property!” She struck where it hurt most. “And lets not forgetyou werent born in London either, were you?”
Margaret had, in fact, come from a backwater village decades ago, with nothing but the clothes on her back.
“You will never have my son! A mothers love is sacred! Get out!” Margaret shrieked, out of arguments, falling back on the oldest weapon she had.
Lily only smirked and walked away. The quarrel changed nothingEdward married her anyway.
But Margaret wasnt defeated. When Lily bore their son, Thomas, she set to work turning Edward against his wife. In time, they divorced. Thomas was just four.
Yet Margaret still feared Edward might return to that brazen little actress. She knew he sometimes saw her, even paid child support.
What she didnt know was that Edward and Lily had never truly parted. They still lived together, raising Thomas while Margaret believed her son worked in another city.
The ruse wasnt just for Margarets sake. Long before the marriage, Edward had stumbled into debt, thanks to a reckless business venture with an old friend.
Lily had warned him. “Edward, dont be a fool. That Geoffrey is a shark. Youre just a chick to himhell crush you without a second thought.”
But Edward wouldnt listen. “Geoffreys solid, Lily. Men ought to stick together. Thats how we survive this world.”
Shed sighed. “When will you learn decency isnt measured by gender?”
He went ahead anyway. Geoffrey made him director of a sham company, drained the funds, left Edward drowning in debt, and vanished.
Theyd have been better off on his modest civil servants wages. So they hatched their planto appease Margaret and shield Lily and Thomas from creditors.
Officially, Edward lived in company lodgings, returning to his old job. But evenings found him in their cramped, warm little flat, where Lily and Thomas waited.
He was happy. Yet once a month, hed visit Margaret, playing the dutiful son on “leave.” She never stopped matchmaking, parading eligible girls before him.
“Should we just tell her the truth?” Lily once asked.
Edward shook his head. “It would break her. Theres got to be another way.”
“But what? We cant hide forever,” Lily murmured.
There seemed no escape. She scraped by on odd jobs; his wages vanished into debts. They were near-penniless. Sometimes Edward begged her to leave him. But she loved him.
Lilys mother, Agnes, a retired schoolmistress, despaired. “You cant keep carrying him, Lily! Youve nothing but problemsrenting a room, feeding him Why? Youre not even married anymore!”
She offered to take Lily and Thomas into her tiny flatbut without Edward.
“Mum, I love him. We have a son. I wont abandon him,” Lily insisted.
Agnes, whod raised Lily alone, finally devised a plan.
She traveled to London, cornering Margaret. “Your sons in debt. Hes still with Lily, hiding it all from you.”
Margarets outrage knew no bounds. “That lying wretch!”
“What shall we do? Were the eldersmustnt we help them?” Agnes proposed pooling their savings.
Margaret scoffed. “Help him? I raised himthats enough! I wash my hands of him!”
Defeated, Agnes turned to Lily. “Come live with me. Well manage.”
Lily agreed. Edward, humbled, apologized for sneering at Agness provincial ways years before.
Next, Agnes rang Lilys long-absent father, Henry, now a successful builder.
“Lily needs help,” she said bluntly.
Henry, to her shock, agreed. “How much?”
She named Edwards debt, bracing for refusal.
“Ill cover it. On one condition,” Henry said. “One meeting. Just us.”
Agnes laughed, girlish despite herself. “Behave yourself, then.”
Years later, when Thomas turned eighteen, the family gatheredAgnes and Henry, reconciled and remarried; Edward and Lily, wed again (after Agnes insisted Lily own the flat Henry bought her); and Edward, steadier now, working honestly.
Thomas grinned. “Everyone here?”
A knock came. He opened the door to Margaret, frail and hesitant.
Lily frowned. “You invited her?”
Thomas flushed. “She kept callingshes lonely.”
Agnes arched a brow. “Took her long enough to apologize.”
Henry chuckled. “Come now, love. If not for her, we wouldnt be here.”
Edward sighed. “Mum, must you always play the martyr?”
Margarets voice wavered. “I thought youd beg for my forgiveness grovel. But no one came.” Her pride crumbled. “Im not so wicked. Forgive me.”
Silence. Then tea was poured, sandwiches passed.
None in that house bothered with airs or silverware. But there was warmth, and kindnessand in the end, forgiveness.
