«You won’t see your granddaughter again,» declared the daughter-in-law before blocking my number.
«Margaret, may I wash the dishes? My hands are itching to do something,» offered Emily, peering into the kitchen where her mother-in-law stood.
Margaret looked up from her newspaper and studied the young woman. Emily lingered in the doorway, wrapped in her usual dressing gown, her hair tied in a loose bunbut her eyes were strange, feverish.
«Don’t trouble yourself, dear. You worked late on that presentation yesterday. Ill manage,» Margaret replied, folding the paper.
«No, truly, let me. You do so much, and I feel like Im just in the way,» Emily insisted, already moving toward the sink.
Margaret frowned. There was something unsettled about her daughter-in-law today. Usually, Emily was reserved, always slightly tense in her presence. Now she fussed like a schoolgirl before an exam.
«Wheres little Sophie?» Margaret asked, referring to her four-year-old granddaughter.
«Still asleep. She stayed up late watching cartoons,» Emily answered, scrubbing a plate with unusual vigor.
Margaret stepped closer, standing beside her at the sink. Emily smelled of her usual perfumethe one William had given her for her birthdaybut beneath it was something else, something sharp, like distress.
«Emily, love, whats the matter? You seem rather agitated today,» Margaret said gently.
Emily froze, the wet plate in her hands. Her shoulders stiffened, fingers tightening around the china.
«Its nothing. Just tired, I suppose.»
«And William? He promised to take Sophie to the park today,» Margaret pressed, sensing the tension thickening.
«William wont be coming,» Emily snapped, setting the plate down with a clatter that made Margaret flinch.
«What do you mean? He said just last night»
«Margaret,» Emily turned slowly, and her mother-in-law saw her eyes were red-rimmed, as though shed been weeping. «We need to talk.»
Margarets pulse quickened. She sank into a chair, her legs suddenly weak.
«Sit down, dear. Tell me whats happened.»
Emily remained standing, drying her hands so roughly she might have rubbed the skin raw.
«William and I are divorcing.»
The words fell like stones into the quiet of the kitchen. Margaret felt something inside her snap, as though every string holding her together had been cut at once.
«Howhow can you be divorcing?» she whispered. «Just yesterday, everything was fine. You all had supper together, Sophie recited her nursery rhymes…»
«Weve been strangers for six months, Margaret. We only pretended for Sophies sake. But we cant anymore.»
Margaret tried to stand, but her legs betrayed her. She clutched the edge of the table instead.
«But why? What happened? Cant it be mended? Should I speak to William?»
Emily gave a bitter smile.
«Theres nothing left to say to William. He packed his things last night and left. For her.»
«For whom?» Margaret murmured, though deep down, she already knew.
«His new woman. Olivia, from his office. The very one he spent months telling me was so clever, so understanding.»
Emily sat across from her, placing trembling hands on the table.
«Margaret, I know you love him. Hes your only son. But he betrayed our family.»
«Emily, my dear» Margaret reached for her hands, but Emily pulled away. «Men sometimes lose their heads. It will pass. William will come to his senses. He loves Sophie…»
«Loves her?» Emily nodded. «Thats why he decided seeing her on weekends would suffice. How convenientno responsibility, just the fun parts.»
«And you? You loved him once…»
Emily shut her eyes, dragging a hand over her face.
«I did. For five years. Bore him a daughter, gave up a good position because he asked me to stay home. Cooked, cleaned, waited. All while he flirted with secretaries.»
Margaret felt a lump rise in her throat. Shed always suspected something was amiss with her sontoo many late nights, too many sudden trips.
«Surely theres been a misunderstanding? Perhaps its just a rough patch»
«He told me plainly, Margaret. He loves another. Stayed with me only for Sophie. Romantic, dont you think?»
Tears spilled down Emilys cheeks, but her voice remained steady.
«What happens now?» Margaret asked faintly.
«Ill file for divorce. Sophie stays with me. Were moving to my mothers in Bristol.»
«Bristol?» Margaret gasped. «But thats so far!»
«Because everything here reminds me of him. And because my mothers offered me work.»
Margaret stood, moving to the window. Outside, children played, among them a neighbors girl Sophies age. Her chest ached.
«And Sophie? Shes settled hereher nursery, her friends. Shes grown so fond of me…»
«Shell adapt. Children do.»
«Emily, I understand your angerat William, at me. But why punish me? What have I done?»
Emily whirled around.
«Done? Who spent years telling William he was special, that rules didnt apply? Who excused every misbehavior since school?»
«I loved him»
«Loved him? Or spoiled him?» Emilys voice turned cold. «Remember when he abandoned his first girlfriend after she fell pregnant? You said, Good lad, dodged that trouble.»
Margaret flushed.
«That was years ago»
«And when he dodged child support? You said, She shouldve thought before keeping it. Now youre surprised hes left us too?»
«Emily, please»
«How else should I say it?» Emily stepped closer. «You raised a man who thinks only of himself, Margaret. And now Im expected to stay silent?»
Sophie appeared in the doorway, her princess pajamas rumpled, eyes bleary with sleep.
«Mummy, why are you shouting?»
Emilys face softened instantly. She knelt before her daughter.
«We werent shouting, darling. Just talking. Go wash up; Ill make breakfast.»
«Wheres Daddy? He promised the park.»
Margaret and Emily exchanged glances. Sophie watched them with trusting eyes, and Margarets heart splintered.
«Daddy… cant today,» Emily said gently. «Hes busy.»
«Tomorrow?»
«I dont know, sweetheart.»
Sophie frowned but obediently trotted off. When the bathroom door closed, Emily turned back.
«And now I must explain why her fathers left.»
Margaret reached for her hands.
«Think of Sophie. She loves memust you take me from her?»
«Because youll teach her to forgive men anything. To endure in silence. I wont let her repeat my mistakes.»
«Im not like that»
«You are.» Emilys voice was steel. «Remember when William struck me after Sophie was born? I came to you weeping, and you said, Men get unsettled with babies. Be wiser.»
Margaret paled. She rememberedand at the time, shed thought it sound advice.
«But he never did it again»
«Because I warned him Id leave. Not because he changed.»
From the bathroom came Sophies off-key singing as she washed. The ordinary sound now felt like a farewell.
«When do you leave?» Margaret whispered.
«Tomorrow. The tickets are bought.»
«So soon? Wait until the weekend»
«The longer we stay, the harder it will be for Sophie.»
«And for me?» Margarets voice broke. «Is it not hard for me?»
Emily turned to the window.
«You should have thought of that sooner. When you raised your son.»
Sophie bounded out, rosy-cheeked.
«Mummy, can we go to the park with Granny today? Theyve new swings!»
Margaret looked at Emily pleadingly.
«Yes, darling,» Emily said after a pause. «Go with Granny.»
Sophie clapped and dashed off to dress. Margaret watched her go, then faced Emily.
«The last time?»
«Yes.»
«Let me call her. Visit. Anything»
«No.» Emilys voice was firm. «You wont see Sophie again. Ill block your number, and well start anew. Without you.»
Margaret covered her face.
«Ill die without her.»
«And I nearly died with your son. Now its my turn.»
Sophie returned, dressed and eager.
«Granny, come on! I want the slide!»
Margaret wiped her eyes, took her hand.
«Yes, my love. Lets go.»
At the park, Sophie swung high, laughing, chattering about a new cartoon. Margaret memorized every secondthe laughter, the light in her eyesknowing it must last a lifetime.
«Granny, why are you crying?»
«The wind, darling. Just the wind.»
When they returned, Emily was packing. Sophie frowned at the suitcases.
«Mummy, are we going somewhere?»
«Yes, darling. To Grandma Louises. It will be lovely.»
«Will Daddy come?»
«No. Daddy stays here.»
«And Granny?»
Emily glanced at Margaret, and for a fleeting moment, there was something like regret.
«Granny stays too.»
«But I want Granny!» Sophie wailed. «She does the voices in stories!»
Margaret knelt, pulling her close.
«Ill love you every day from here, my sweet. Think of you always.»
«Will we come back?»
«I dont know.»
Sophie cried harder, clinging to her. Margaret stroked her hair, her own heart breaking.
«Emily, must you?»
«Better she adjusts now than suffers later,» Emily said, though her voice wavered.
That night, after Sophie slept, Margaret tried once more.
«Give me a chance to make amends.»
«Too late, Margaret.»
«What if I speak to William? Make him return?»
Emily laughed bitterly.
«You couldnt. Hes too taken with his new life. And I wont beg a man to love his family.»
In the morning, Margaret saw them to the cab. Sophie sobbed, refusing to let go.
«Granny, come with us!»
«I cant, my love.»
Emily bundled her in, closed the door. Before the cab pulled away, she met Margarets eyes.
«Goodbye, Margaret.»
The cab vanished. A neighbor, Mrs. Wilkins, approached.
«Wheres Emily off to with Sophie?»
«Gone,» Margaret murmured. «For good.»
She returned to the empty house, sank into her chair, and wept. On the table lay Sophies forgotten toya worn stuffed rabbit.
Margaret clutched it to her chest and knew her life was over.
