I awoke to a clatter and saw my motherinlaw rummaging through my chest of drawers.
Enough, Mother! Davids voice boomed through the flat. Were adults, we can sort things out ourselves!
Evelyn froze by the cooker, a ladle clenched in her hand. David and his mother had been at odds for some twenty minutes, and the argument showed no sign of ending.
Im your mother! Margaret Hargreaves declared, standing in the middle of the kitchen with her arms crossed. And I have the right to know where youre spending your money!
Mother, Im thirtyfive, I have a wife and a child! What business is it of yours how much I earn or where I spend it?
Because I can see something isnt right! Yesterday the fridge was empty. Evelyn must have forgotten to go to the shop again!
Evelyn shivered at the mention of her name, turned to face her motherinlaw.
Mrs. Hargreaves, the fridge isnt empty. I simply havent had a chance to go to the market yet; I was planning to this evening.
Evening, Margaret sneered. You sit at home all day and cant even buy basic provisions!
Im not at home, Im on maternity leave. Molly is only eight months old!
In my day we stayed at home too, but we kept the house in order and made a proper stew for my son every day!
David ran a hand over his face.
Mother, please, lets not start this again.
Im not starting, Im telling the truth! Look at her disheveled, in her dressing gown all day!
Evelyn felt her cheeks flush. She was indeed in a loose gown, hair pulled into a careless knot. But was that surprising? She had fed their daughter, washed and hung the laundry, cooked breakfast; there was no time left for herself.
Mrs. Hargreaves, perhaps you should go home? she said as calmly as possible. You surely have things to attend to.
My business is looking after my son! I didnt raise him the way I should have!
Mother, thats enough! Leave! David grabbed Margaret by the elbow. Please, dont make this harder.
Margaret ripped her hand free, seized the handbag from the table.
Fine, Im leaving! But know this, David I see whats happening in this house, and sooner or later youll have to face it yourself!
She slammed the door shut. David stood in the kitchen, breathing heavily.
Sorry, Evie, he murmured, exhausted. She kept ringing from the morning, then turned up unannounced.
Its all right, Evelyn returned to the stove. Im used to it.
But to be used to something was another matter. Margaret had been meddling from the day they were married. She criticised everything the way Evelyn cooked, cleaned, dressed, and raised the child. She arrived without warning, inspected the fridge, peeked into cupboards.
David tried to defend his wife, but his loyalty to his mother held him back. Evelyn endured. What else could she do?
They had been married four years. They met at the engineering plants accounts department. David was the department head; Evelyn a junior accountant. He courted her with flowers and dinners out. She fell in love for the first time in her life.
Margaret disliked her from the start. At their first meeting she surveyed Evelyn from head to toe and said, Well, Denis has chosen a modest girl; I had hoped for someone else. What that someone else was, Evelyn never learned.
After the wedding, the nitpicking began. Margaret turned up for inspections, finding dust in corners, underseasoned soup, dishes left unwashed. She lectured on how to love a husband, how to run a household.
At first David intervened, then grew accustomed, waving his hand and muttering, Its just Mum, cant help it.
But how could he ignore a mother who called every day? What are you making for supper? What are you feeding me? Why do I look tired? The insinuations that Evelyn was a bad wife grew relentless.
When Evelyn became pregnant, the intrusiveness intensified. Margaret supervised every meal, every vitamin, every doctors visit. After baby Molly was born, she practically moved in, arriving daily to show how to swaddle, bottlefeed, rock.
Evelyn endured for Davids sake, for the family, but her strength was waning.
One evening, when Molly finally fell asleep, Evelyn lay beside David on the sofa.
David, its hard, she confessed. Your mother has no sense of limits.
I know, he wrapped his arms around her. But what can I do? She lives alone, shes lonely.
She can be lonely without invading our lives.
Im your son, he said.
And who am I?
Evelyn fell silent. He was tired; she was exhausted from a day of caring for a child, cooking, cleaning, laundry, then dealing with Margarets complaints. Yet David, burdened by work and stress, could not see beyond his mothers grievances.
She rose, went to the kitchen, finished the cold supper, washed the dishes, checked that Molly slept soundly, then returned to the bedroom. David was already asleep. She lay down, pulled the blanket over herself, closed her eyes, but sleep eluded her. Thoughts of Margarets sharp words swirled. She wondered what tomorrow would bring.
At half past five in the morning Evelyn was roused by a rustle. She opened her eyes to darkness outside, glanced at the clock it read 5:30a.m. Something was moving.
A soft shuffling came from the bedroom. It sounded like someone rifling through papers or gathering belongings. Not Molly the baby was still in her cot. Not David he lay still beside her.
Evelyn propped herself up on her elbow. The sound emanated from the chest of drawers in the corner, where she kept her undergarments, documents, little keepsakes.
She peered into the gloom. A figure bent over the open drawer, rummaging.
She froze, unable to believe her eyes. Who was this?
The figure turned, and in the pale glow of the streetlamp filtering through the curtains, Evelyn recognised the face Margaret Hargreaves.
Her motherinlaw was digging through her drawers at six in the morning, in their own bedroom.
Evelyn sat up, eyes locked on Margaret. Her heart hammered.
Mrs. Hargreaves? she managed. What are you doing?
Margaret snapped her head around. For a heartbeat fear flashed in her eyes, then she composed herself.
Oh, youre awake, she said as if nothing were amiss. Didnt want to wake you.
What are you doing in my chest of drawers? Evelyn asked, rising.
I was looking for a handkerchief. My nose is stuffy, I wanted to blow my nose.
There are handkerchiefs in the kitchen, not in the bedroom.
I didnt know, Margaret snapped the drawer shut. I thought Id look here.
Evelyn stepped closer, staring intently.
How did you get into the flat?
I have a set of keys. David gave them to me when Molly was born, just in case.
And you thought it proper to turn up at six in the morning?
Im an early riser. I wanted to help with the baby so you could get some sleep.
Help by rummaging through my personal things?
Margaret straightened, a defensive posture taking over.
I wasnt digging! I was just looking for a handkerchief!
What handkerchief? You were sifting through my underwear!
Youre speaking to your mother! David muttered, halfasleep.
What are you doing here? Evelyn demanded, voice trembling with anger.
Im here to help, Margaret replied, feigning hurt. And now youre accusing me of theft!
I never called you a thief, Evelyn snapped. I saw you with my own eyes, going through my belongings.
From the next room Molly began to whimper, awakened by the raised voices. Evelyn scooped the infant up, soothing her. Shh, little one, its all right.
The argument continued in the bedroom while David, halfawake, tried to mediate. Margaret insisted she was merely looking for a handkerchief; Evelyn insisted she had been in the drawer of her intimate clothing.
Eventually Margaret sat on the edge of the bed, trying to appear contrite. I was genuinely looking for a handkerchief. I didnt see any, so I opened the top drawer.
Evelyns anger flared. My underwear is in that drawer! Why would a handkerchief be there?
Margaret shrugged. I was in the dark, the room was halflit.
Not dark at all the dawn was already breaking!
David, now fully awake, poured himself a glass of water. Enough, he said, raising his voice. Both of you, be silent!
Mollys cries grew louder. Evelyn pressed the baby closer, retreating from the bedroom. She walked to the kitchen, hands shaking, and began to prepare a bottle. The whole scene replayed in her mind: the invasion, the accusations, the helplessness.
What will become of us? she thought. How can I trust my husband when he sides with his mother?
Later that day, after a tense dinner, Evelyn confronted David. We need to talk about this morning.
David, scrolling through his phone, set it aside. What about it?
About your mothers trespass.
He sighed. Weve been over this. She was just trying to help.
No, she was spying. She went through my private things without permission.
Davids face hardened. She has the keys for emergencies. She didnt break in.
But I didnt ask her to be here at five in the morning!
Fine, Ill speak to her.
Evelyn stared at him. I want the keys back. I want her to come only when we ask.
He hesitated. Shes my mother. Shes important to me.
Im not asking you to choose between us, but I need my boundaries respected.
He finally said, Ill think about changing the lock.
That night, after Molly was asleep, Evelyn examined the chest of drawers, making sure nothing was missing. The sense of violation lingered.
She called her own mother, Margaret, on the phone. Its not right for her to come without warning, she said. I think Ill change the lock.
Her mother advised, You must put her in her place, dear.
The next morning, David left for work without a goodbye, leaving Evelyn alone with Molly. The day stretched slowly; she waited for another unannounced visit that never came.
In the evening, David returned, speaking on the phone with his mother. He listened, then said, She apologises, says she wont turn up unannounced again.
And shell give the keys back? Evelyn asked.
Yes, he replied. Shell return them.
She felt a small relief.
The following day she called Margaret. Im sorry for the harsh words, she said, trying to keep her tone steady. I shouldnt have reacted so strongly.
There was a pause. I accept your apology, Margaret finally said. I was wrong to come so early.
Will you return the keys?
Yes, the voice answered after a moment. If that makes you comfortable.
Margaret later handed the keys back through David. She promised to call ahead before any visits.
From then on, their relationship settled into a cautious truce. Margaret visited only when invited, helped with Molly, but never intruded on Evelyns private spaces. Evelyn, in turn, offered polite greetings and accepted her help when needed, though a thin wall of reserve remained.
David found himself torn between the two most important women in his life, but gradually learned to balance his loyalties.
Looking back now, many years later, Evelyn remembers that earlymorning intrusion as the point at which she learned the value of defending her own boundaries, even when it meant confronting her husbands mother. She recalls the sting of betrayal, the quiet resolve that followed, and the gradual, hardwon peace that eventually settled over their household.
The memory serves her still: a reminder that one must speak up when something feels wrong, that respect for personal space is essential, and that, with patience and honesty, even the most strained family ties can find a new, healthier footing.
