After checking her daughter, Emily saw angry red welts from a belt. Something shattered inside her. She carefully moved the children aside and stood tall.
Emily was dragging her feet on the walk home from work, the autumn wind biting at her coat, the heavy clouds pressing down like a burden. But it wasnt the weather weighing on her. An unexpected visitor had arrived at their house that day.
During an important client meeting, William had called:
«Emily, dont be cross, but I picked Mum up from the station. She missed the grandkids. Shes staying a few days.»
Those words sent ice through her veins. Her mother-in-law, Margaret, had always been a thorn in her side. In ten years of marriage, Emily had never managed to find common ground with her.
«William, we agreed,» she said, fighting to keep her voice steady. «You were supposed to warn me first.»
«Sorry, love. She rang out of the bluesaid she needed tests at the hospital in Manchester. Thought shed visit while she was at it. I couldnt say no.»
Emily exhaled sharply. Of course he couldnt. William had always been too soft with his mother, no matter how unreasonable she behaved.
«Fine. Ill stay late at work. The projects due tomorrow.»
«Dont fret, Mum will look after the kids. She brought them presents, and Ive got to dashtheres a problem with the software.»
So Emily delayed going home as long as possible. The thought of an evening with the woman whod once thrown her and little Oliver out in the rain, blaming her for everything wrong in the world, was unbearable.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket. A text from William:
«Still with the client. Running late. You alright?»
She sighed and typed back:
«Nearly home. Ill manage.»
Memories of their early years together flashed in her mindback when theyd lived in his mothers house, grand but as cold as its owner.
Six years earlier.
Young Emily stood at the hob, stirring soup. Upstairs, baby Oliverjust five months oldwas crying. She wiped her hands on her apron, ready to go to him, when Margaret swept into the kitchen.
«Cant you hear the child wailing?» her mother-in-law snapped.
«I was just going to him,» Emily answered calmly.
«Youre always *just* doing things,» Margaret scoffed. «And yet nothings ever done. My William slept like an angel at that age. Must be your side of the family.»
Emily clenched her jaw. She heard such remarks daily.
Margaret peered into the pot.
«Whats this slop? William doesnt eat this.»
«Its his favourite soup,» Emily said. «He asked for it.»
«Rubbish. Im his mother. I know what he likes!»
Margaret grabbed the pot and dumped its contents into the sink. Emilys eyes burned.
«Why did you do that? I spent hours on it!»
«Stop being dramatic. Go tend to the babe. Ill cook my son a proper meal.»
When William came home that evening, his mother greeted him in the hall:
«Son, your wifes done nothing all day! The baby cried, and she ignored him. Thank goodness I was here.»
William sighed.
«Mum, Im sure Emily cares for Oliver.»
«Of course you defend her!» Margaret threw up her hands. «Shes got you wrapped around her finger, and Im nothing to you now!»
With a dramatic sob, she stormed off. William gave Emily an apologetic look.
«Sorry, shes just worried.»
«William, she throws away my cooking,» Emily whispered. «She tells Oliver Im a bad mother. Its unbearable.»
«Just hang on a bit longer,» he pleaded. «Well move out soon, I promise.»
But weeks turned to months, and things only worsened.
A passing car jolted her back to the present. Emily quickened her pace. She was nearly home.
Somehow, she found herself in the lift, pressing her forehead to the cold metal.
«Just a few days,» she murmured. «Itll be fine.»
When the doors opened, a sound froze herdesperate, childlike sobbing. It was Charlottes voice.
She sprinted to the flat, hands trembling as she fumbled with the key. Finally, the door gave way.
What she saw turned her blood to ice.
In the living room stood Margaret, belt in hand, striking little Charlotte. The girl cowered in the corner, weeping. Oliver was shielding his sister, tears streaking his face.
«Ill teach you to keep your hands off my things!» Margaret shrieked, raising the belt again.
Emilys face burned.
«What are you doing?!» she screamed, rushing forward.
Margaret turned, unashamed.
«Oh, youre finally here! Your daughter ruined my new handbagcost me £200!and then she cheeked me!»
Emily pulled her children close.
«Youre hitting my child?! Are you mad?!»
«Dont tell me how to discipline children!» Margaret snapped. «I raised my son alone! I could whip you into shape if youd listen!»
Examining Charlotte, Emily saw the livid marks. Something inside her broke.
She gently set the children aside and stood tall.
«Get out of my house.»
Margaret gaped.
«Im not going anywhere! I came to see my son and raise my grandchildren!»
«Mum,» Oliver whispered, «Grandma hit Charlotte cause she spilled tea. Then Charlotte said hittings wrong, and she got even angrier»
«Quiet!» Margaret barked, but Emily stepped between them.
«Dont you shout at my son! You struck my daughter. Youd have hit him too if he hadnt dodged!»
The front door opened. William walked in.
«Whats happening? Why are the kids crying?»
Margarets face shifted instantly. Tears welled in her eyes.
«William, Emily shouted at me! I only scolded Charlotte, and she flew off the handle!»
Williams eyes dropped to the belt in her hand.
«Mum whats that?»
«I was just polishing the bucklefound it in your old briefcase»
«Dad!» Charlotte sobbed. «Grandma hit me with the belt cause I spilled tea by accident!»
William knelt beside his daughter, stroking her back.
«Show me where it hurts, love»
Seeing the welts, he stood slowly. His gentle eyes turned hard.
«Mum, you hit my children?»
He went to the cabinet and opened itinside was a security camera.
«We have the whole place monitored when were out. I just watched the footage.»
Margaret paled.
«William, darling, you know how much I adore them! It was just a little discipline Back in my day, this was normaland we turned out fine!»
«Back in your day,» he said icily, «children shouldnt fear their grandmothers. Back in your day, adults *talked* to kids, didnt beat them.»
«Modern parentings ruined them! No respect! And youletting your wife rule you!»
The doorbell rang. In stepped a silver-haired man with kind eyesEdward, Emilys father.
«Hello,» he said, glancing around. «Thought Id pop in to see the kids Whats all this?»
The children ran to him.
«Grandad! Grandma hit me with a belt!» Charlotte cried.
«Stay out of this!» Margaret snapped. «This is family business!»
«When someone harms my grandchildren,» Edward said firmly, «its my business too.»
He gestured to the sofa.
«Lets talk properly. Margaret, sit down.»
Something in his tone made her comply.
«You know,» he began, «when Emily married, I wasnt thrilled either. Thought William was too posh for my girl But I gave them a chance and saw how happy they were.»
He turned to Margaret.
«Youre clinging to your son, controlling his lifeand pushing him away. Now youre turning the kids against you.»
«What do you know?!» she flared. «I raised him alone! His father died youngit was all on me!»
«Youre terrified of being alone,» he said gently. «Thats why you lied about the surgery.»
Margarets shoulders slumped.
«Just a check-up But I *am* scared»
«Mother,» William said. «If you need help, ask. Why lie? Why try to wreck what I love?»
«I didnt mean to Its just seeing you happy without me it feels like you dont need me anymore»
«Youre my mother,» he said firmly. «Of course I need you. But not like thisangry, controlling. I need you to respect my choices and love my children.»
«I dont know how to be any other way»
«Try,» Edward suggested. «Start by apologising to the kids. They forgive when they see real remorse.»
Haltingly, Margaret met Charlottes eyes.
«Forgive me I was wrong.»
Charlotte sniffled.
«Okay but dont do it again. It hurts.»
«I wont,» Margaret whispered.
Edward pulled a bottle of homemade lemonade from his bag.
«Now, lets all have supper. Ive brought a Victoria spongemade it special for the kids.»
Later, at the table, the air was tense but softer. Margaret watched silently as Emily sliced the cake, as William joked with the children.
After supper, Edward suggested, «Margaret, why dont you come with me tonight? Plenty of room at mine. No need to rush things here.»
To everyones surprise, she agreed.
As they left, Charlotte tugged her sleeve.
«Will you really stop fighting?»
«Yes.»
«Then will you come to my play? Im a snowdrop at school»
Something flickered in Margarets eyes.
«If your parents allow it Id like that.»
A month later, winters first frost glazed the ground.
At Edwards suggestion, they met againthis time at his house. Margaret had agreed to the rules: no meddling, no lies, no criticising Emily.
«Ready?» William squeezed Emilys shoulder.
«I dont know but Ill try.»
Margaret was already there, wearing a simple dressnot the flashy outfits shed once used to upstage Emily.
Over roast dinner, they stuck to safe topics. Afterward, Edward took the kids to show them his stamp collection, leaving the adults alone.
«Ive been seeing a therapist,» Margaret admitted. «Edwards idea Its helped me understand things.»
She looked at Emily.
«Ive been awful all these years What I did to Charlotte theres no excuse. I just thought I was losing everything. Instead of fixing it, I made it worse.»
For the first time, Emily saw not a tyrant, but a frightened woman.
«Margaret,» she said slowly, «I cant forget it all but Ill try to start fresh. For William. For the children.»
«Thank you» Margarets eyes shone. «Thats more than I deserve.»
Charlotte bounded in with a small box.
«Grandad gave me a lucky penny! Wanna see?»
Margaret took it carefully.
«Its lovely Thank you for showing me.»
As they left, Margaret touched Emilys arm.
«I always thought William married the wrong woman Now I seehe chose a strong one. The kind I wanted to be.»
«You *are* strong,» Emily replied. «Just differently.»
That night, after tucking the children in, Emily stood by the window, watching snowflakes drift. She didnt know what came next. But for the first time in years, she felt hope.
And Margaret, at home, opened an old photo album. In a faded picture, little William grinned on her lap.
«Ill do better» she vowed. «For my son. For my grandchildren. And perhaps even for myself.»
The road ahead was long. But the firstand hardeststep had been taken.
