Dont meddle, this is my life, she snapped.
Youre living off a pension while Im scrambling through holes! Youre a grandmother and a mothercould you ever actually help? Katherine shouted, hurt.
The absurdity was that at that very moment Katherine was sitting opposite her mother at the kitchen table. Evelyn had thrown together a modest spread: toasted sandwiches with sliced ham, thick cheddar, and smoked salmon, fresh rolls from the corner bakery, and a vase brimming with grapes, pomegranates and mandarins. No exotic fruits, but the offering was respectable.
Her grandson, little Leo, was watching cartoons in the lounge in the new jumper his grandmother had bought just a few days earlier.
Kat, stop spoiling the mood, Evelyn replied irritably. I dress your son, take him to his earlylearning classes, buy his medicines. Hes completely dependent on me. And youre still not satisfied?
Its your grandson, after all. Who else would we turn to? Dimo and I are already clueless about where the next pound will come fromloans, mortgage, council tax, nursery fees. After those, theres barely enough left for bread and pasta, Katherine muttered.
Okay, and what does that have to do with me? Did I force you to take out those loans? Did I make you sell the flat? You told me not to interfere, so I stayed out. Now you expect me to pick up the tab again? Evelyn snapped back. Is that what you want?
Mom! Katherine fumed. Look at how we live! I cant even do my own nail polish because weve run out of lacquer. My boots are falling apart; a single splash in a puddle leaves my feet soaked, and then I catch a cold. Dimo has only one decent shirt left. Were not livingwere merely surviving. And now you decide to raise me too! Its easy for you, with smoked salmon every morning for breakfast!
Evelyn listened, her lips pressed together. Perhaps she was at faultshe loved her children too fiercely, and her attempts to fix everything with money only deepened the dependency.
Kat, havent I given you enough in life? she asked, narrowing her eyes. You had everything. You wanted a touchscreen phone when everyone still used buttonswe got it. You asked for a mink coatwe bought it. I provided a home. Youre no longer a little girl; you must learn to fend for yourself.
Katherine puffed up in indignation and turned away, just as she had when, as a child, she was denied another toy because the house was full.
Evelyn recalled young Katherine dashing around the flat in a glittery tracksuit, a brandnew computer in her room, a box of film cameras tucked away in a wardrobea New Years gift. Katherines wishes shifted faster than the pounds exchange rate: one day she wanted to be a photographer, the next a hairdresser, then an actress. Evelyn could only open her purse and enrol her in extracurricular classes.
Let her enjoy her childhood, Evelyns husband, Peter, would say with a grin. You only get one. Peter, a retired army officer, was wellrespected in town and earned enough that the family never wanted for anything. Evelyn worked parttime, more for the joy of it than the paycheck, preferring to stay active and useful to the community.
One day Katherine, after watching a YouTube video, declared, I want to try felting wool! Evelyn took her to a craft shop, handed her a basket, and within half an hour it was brimming with colourful fleece and needles. Other parents might have handed over a single pack of wool and a basic needle, but Evelyn believed wholeheartedly that nurturing her daughters interests was sacred. They had the means, so why not?
Katherine threw herself into each new hobby with enthusiasm, only to abandon it weeks later for something else. Evelyn found it bewildering but trusted that her daughter was simply exploring. Meanwhile, Katherine grew accustomed to receiving anything with a snap of her mothers fingers.
Then Peter passed away, leaving Evelyn alone. She grieved, but the solid ground beneath her feet remained: Peter had left a substantial estate. The interest from his savings was enough to live comfortably, yet Evelyn kept working until health problems forced her to stop.
Katherines conscience was clear. She had paid for her daughters university tuition in Manchester, bought a onebed flat in a new development, and overseen a fresh renovation. Evelyn felt she had ticked every box on the good mother checklist. Ive given her everything she needs to start, she thought. Ill support her through her studies, then shell fend for herself.
But things went awry.
Katherine had just begun her second year when she announced shed got a boyfriend. Dimo, her classmate, also owned an iPhonethough not the latest modeland was equally broke, with parents as cashstrapped as theirs. He wore a cocky grin and seemed clueless about everyday responsibilities.
Katherine, finish your studies first, Evelyn advised after hearing about Dimo. If you want to move in together, thats your choice, but dont rush. Get a qualification, stand on your own feet, then think about a family.
My mother, stay out of it, Katherine snapped, frowning. This is my life.
Evelyn kept her distance, but reality unfolded far from Katherines expectations.
At first everything seemed lovely. They lived in Katherines flat, with Evelyn covering the council tax and handing over pocket money for food and clothes. The young couple spent their days bingewatching series and strolling until dawn.
Soon Dimo quit university, claiming it was a waste of time. I enrolled because my parents wanted me to, he said. Now its just a hobby, not a career.
Katherine followed suit, dropping out for reasons far less noble. One afternoon she called, voice trembling, Mom, Im pregnant. Dimo and I have decided to have the baby. Ill probably take a break from studies, see what happens.
Evelyn sighed, covering her face with her hand before speaking, Alright, if thats your decision
Youll help us, wont you? Katherine asked, hope tinged with desperation.
Ill help the baby, Evelyn replied. Youre adults now. You have more resources than I did at your age. Figure it out yourselves. The words felt like a clenched fist tightening inside her.
A heavy silence settled.
Fine, thats that, Evelyn muttered, the disappointment plain.
Katherine hung up and a series of emotional outbursts, manipulations, and subtle probing began. She complained about a broken fridge, a wornout coat, low iron levels from poor nutrition. Evelyn only reacted to the latter, noting that it was a normal concern during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Your grandson shouldnt suffer because his parents are foolish, she muttered, loading shopping bags.
Then another bombshell: Were selling the flat and moving into a twobed house.
Sweetheart, think it through. The baby will still be with us, Evelyn pleaded.
No, Mum. Weve decided. We want a wedding, a honeymoonproperly, like a real couple.
Evelyn clenched her teeth but said nothing.
Money slipped through their fingers like sand. The wedding, the banquet, the photoshoot, the latest iPhones, laptops, a holiday to Spain, the deposit on the mortgageeverything was financed with loans. Mortgage payments ballooned, debts multiplied, and soon Katherine was complaining she couldnt stretch her paycheck to the end of the month.
Evelyn continued to fund the babys needsformula, baby food, nappieswhile the child had been living with her for the past six months.
Dimo got a job as a camera operator and does courier work on the side. Ill start freelancing from home. Could you look after little Leo for a while? Katherine asked.
Evelyn agreed, but only to the extent she could. The child had everything; the adults would have to make do with advice, not cash.
Katherine stared out the window, then turned to her mother. If you dont help, Ill take Leo away, and youll never see him again.
Evelyn laughed, though anxiety prickled beneath the humor. Fine, go ahead. Lets see how quickly you get fired and what youll survive on. At least youll have enough for nursery fees, right?
Katherines face flushed, breath quickening, but she could not argue. In a few days she would have to return to Evelyn, hand out an empty palm for the next looming bill.
You had everything, Evelyn said coldly. Im not to blame for how youve squandered it. And you cant drag Leo and me down with you. Grow up and manage on your own.
Katherine left her sandwiches untouched, rose, grabbed her coat, and walked out. Evelyn watched the door close, then slipped into the living room. Leo slept on the sofa, clutching a plush owl pillow. She turned off the television so he wouldnt wake. Id move mountains for him, she thought, but for you two, let life be the teacher.
In the end, the lesson became clear: love and support can give a child a start, but a life built on dependence crumbles when the giving hand withdraws. True strength lies not in what you can hand over, but in what you teach someone to earn for themselves.
