«Listen, Mum, a lot of my mates’ parents have helped them with housing,» said the grown-up son. «I’m getting married sooncan’t you help us out with a flat? You dont want us drifting from place to place, do you? You dont even have to buy one. We could live in that one-bed you rent out. Just put it in my name, yeah? To keep things fair!»
Charlotte sat at the kitchen table, sorting through bills. Her husband, William, had left for work hours ago, but she still hadnt mustered the energy to tidy up. Her thoughts buzzed like a swarm of unsettled bees. Lately, peace at home had unravelledtheir youngest son, Oliver, had been wearing down her and Williams patience.
All Charlotte wanted was to finally live for herselfto decorate the spare room just how she liked, to buy stylish new furniture for the lounge. Oliver would marry and move out with his wife, leaving the whole flat to her and William. But that hadnt worked out. Their eldest daughter, Emily, had recently divorced her layabout husband, throwing Charlotte and William off balance. Renovation plans were scrappedthe largest room went to Emily and the grandchildren, little George and Sophie.
Now, Olivers wedding to his fiancée, Victoria, was just a month away. Hed moved her in months ago, claiming the space as his own. Seven people now crammed into their three-bedroom flat, constantly under each others feet.
Victoria walked into the kitchen. Charlotte frowned the moment she saw her.
«Morning, Charlotte,» Victoria said, adjusting her sleek ponytail. «Are you having breakfast, or shall I sit alone? Dont want to get in your way.»
She addressed her future mother-in-law casually, never using her full namealways just «Charlotte.» The cheeky, overbearing girl didnt impress Charlotte one bit. Shed never have chosen her for a daughter-in-law, but Oliver doted on her, so she and William had to tolerate it.
«Hello, Victoria. Ive already eaten,» Charlotte replied stiffly. «Give me five minutes. Ill finish up, and then you can have the kitchen.»
Victoria grabbed a glass and filled it with water.
«Charlotte, I wanted to ask you something. Oliver and I have been talking about where well live after the wedding. What do you think?»
Charlotte set the bills aside. There it wasthe thread theyd been pulling for months.
«Weve already discussed this, Victoria. Theres a spare room here. You can stay.»
Victoria set the glass down. Her face twisted into what Charlotte had privately dubbed her «patronising sneer.»
«Charlotte, lets be honest. Youve done a lovely job with the flat. Its cosy, bright. But its yours. You and William have lived here thirty years. And with Emily and the two kidsthats five people now, not three. Oliver and I dont want to live under a microscope.»
«And what exactly do you expect after the wedding?» Charlotte asked, irritation rising. «You know you dont have your own place. The best you can manage is renting.»
«Thats what were talking about,» Victoria interjected, sitting across from her. «Weve thought about your other flatthe one-bed you rent out. We could live there. Itd be perfect. Wed pay rent, of course Or you could just give it to us.»
Charlotte smirked.
«I have two children, in case youve forgotten. Am I supposed to hand you the second flat and leave Emily with nothing?»
«Emily could stay with you,» Victoria shrugged. «Youve got three bedrooms. You and William in one, Emily and the kids in another. Plenty of space.»
«Emily cant live with us forever,» Charlotte clenched her fists. «Shes divorced. She needs her own life. And let me make this clearIm not giving you that flat. I wont solve your housing problems. Youre young, you work. You should earn your own home.»
«But that takes years!» Victoria threw up her hands. «Oliver just got a promotion, but saving for a flat will take five to seven years at least! We want to live properly now!»
«Then why this ridiculous wedding?» Charlottes tone cut like steel. «Why stretch for limos, doves, a hundred-guest banquet if you cant even afford a place of your own? Just sign the papers quietly and put the money toward a deposit. Wouldnt that make more sense?»
«Thats what you think, Charlotte,» Victoria said, forcing calm. «Oliver and I see it differently. Its our day, and we want to celebrate how we dreamed. I want a beautiful dress. I want my friends to see were not poor. Dont you understand?»
«Oh, I understand,» Charlotte nodded. «You want to show off. But I also know that no home of your own is a fast track to divorce. Smart people buy a flat first, then marry.»
Victoria shot her a venomous look and stormed out. She had no comeback.
* * *
That evening, Oliver brought it up againclearly coached by Victoria. This time, he criticised his parents recent anniversary celebration.
«You and Dad celebrated thirty years at a fancy restaurant because you could afford it. You scrimped for ten years, paid off the car loanthe car you gave me, by the way. You deserved that celebration!»
«You couldve stayed home! A barbecue at the cottage wouldve been cheaper. Do you know how much I could use that money now? How much did you spend? Two hundred? Three hundred grand?»
Charlotte turned sharply.
«Youre saying this to me?» Her voice cracked. «You, who couldnt even save for a decent suit? We bought your wedding one! Were covering seventy percent of this weddingwe took out a loan for your ridiculous demands! And now youre throwing my anniversary in my face?»
«Dont shout at me,» Oliver snapped. «Im not blaming you. Im just asking for whats mine. Where am I supposed to take my wife? Here? Some mouldy rented dump? Mum, Im asking you!»
«And Im asking why her parents cant help!» Charlotte fired back. «You demand I hand over the only safety net Ive kept for myself! That flat secures mine and your fathers future. Well keep renting it out!»
«After all youve had?» Oliver shot back. «Youve had your turnnow give us ours!»
«You forget you have a sister, Oliver. Emily has childrenshe needs help more than you do!»
Footsteps interrupted them. Victoria burst in.
«Emily can rely on her ex-husband,» she declared, «or that flat youll leave her. Give us the one-bedwe wont touch this place. Right, Ollie?»
The argument spiralled. Everyone insisted they were right. Oliver and his fiancée had long abandoned politenessthey werent asking anymore; they were demanding a flat they had no claim to.
* * *
A week before the wedding, the house was unexpectedly quiet for a weekend. Oliver and Victoria had gone to friends countryside cottage; Emily and the kids were visiting her cousin in Manchester. Charlotte and William were watching telly when the doorbell rang. They exchanged glancesthey werent expecting anyone.
William answered. The lock clicked, and in stormed Victorias mother, Zoe.
«Will, hello! Charlie home? Let me in!»
Charlotte froze. Shed only met Zoe three timesenough to know where Victoria got her manners.
Charlotte hurried to the hall just as Zoe kicked off her shoes.
«What do you want?» Charlotte asked bluntly.
Zoe grinned.
«Hello, Charlie. Came for a chat. Long overdue. The kids are getting hitched soon, and my Vickys beside herselfmostly thanks to you!»
Charlotte arched a brow.
«Really? And what have I done now?»
Zoe scoffed.
«Dont play dumb! Why wont you let the kids have that empty flat? Its just sitting there! Too stingy to help your own son?»
William exhaled sharply. Charlotte squeezed his handa silent plea to stay calm.
«Zoe, why dont you buy them a flat? Why is it my job to house them?»
Zoe blinked.
«Where would I get that kind of money? We live modestly! If I had a spare place, Id give it to them in a heartbeat. So come on, Charliestop being difficult. Give them the flat. No need for fuss!»
William had enough. He nudged Zoe toward the door and barked:
«Enough. Out. Now. Tell your daughter shes not getting that flat. End of story!»
Zoe left, cursing loudly. Then William called Oliver and told him to move out the second he got back.
