Hey, listen up Ive got to tell you the whole mess that went down with Olivia and her mum, Susan, plus David and the rest of the clan.
Olivia, you and David need to swing by my place, Susan said deadserious, weve got windows to wash and carpets to beat out!
Olivia smirked, Thats a tempting offer, but I think Ill pass.
David looked confused, Whats up, Liv? We need to help your mum!
Nope, not happening, Olivia replied, wiping the smile off her face.
Davids bewilderment grew. Why not? Shes your mum!
Olivia shot back, David, weve been married nine years. Are you seriously doubting my sanity? she asked straight.
David tried to backtrack, I wasnt meaning it like that, he muttered, glancing toward his motherinlaw.
Dont need any lecture about mum being mum, Olivia snapped.
David pressed, Why wouldnt we help Susan if shes asking for a hand?
Olivia raised an eyebrow, Did you hear any plea in her tone? She just told us what needs doing. Apparently we owe her something.
Susan burst out, Yes, you owe! Youre my daughter, and hes my soninlaw. A soninlaws debt is smaller, but a daughter I gave birth to you, which means you cant ditch your own mother when shes in a bind!
Olivia thought a moment, I could, though.
Susan hissed, What kind of daughter are you then?
Olivia retorted, Exactly like you, mum!
David shouted, Olivia, how can you be so rude to your own mother?
Olivia defended herself, I have every right! And if you dont know the whole story, Id never raise my voice at my own wife.
David tried to keep the peace, Maybe I dont know everything, but mums deserve respect. You should help your parents, not be a snotnose. Im sorry, Susan. Well come over at the weekend and sort it all.
Susan snapped, No, we wont!
David, eager to take charge, said, Fine, Ill go alone then. He tried to step in as the head of the family, deciding everything himself.
Olivia warned, If you go, you might never come back home. She turned away.
Susan laughed, Well, my daughter is a real gem, isnt she?
Exactly! Olivia replied, turning to her mum. Why didnt you ask Emma to wash the windows and beat the rugs for you?
David asked, Whos Emma?
Olivia snarled, You were told you know nothing! And Emma is my sister, my own blood.
She turned to Susan, Mum, why dont you ask Emma to help you? Or is it because she turned her back on you when you got married six years ago?
David looked baffled, Susan flushed but stayed silent.
Olivia teased, Whats wrong, mum? Lost your voice? Cant find the words? Let me help you otherwise David will be left guessing.
She went on, Mum never asks Emma because Emma sent her packing when she married. That was six years back, right when my mum decided to get back into the life of her other daughter. Thats when you first met her, David. Remember?
David chuckled, Oh right, I never heard a word about her until she showed up six years ago. I even thought you had no mum at all, and no fatherinlaw either.
Olivia burst out laughing, Your attention was completely off! You never bothered to ask how that happened!
David admitted, I was going to, but I got distracted and forgot. He looked sheepish. Then the conversation sort of drifted, and I didnt follow up.
Olivia leaned in, Want me to tell you the whole truth?
Susan shouted, No, stop!
Olivia pressed, Whats the matter, mum? Embarrassed? Did your conscience finally wake up?
Not his business! Susan snapped. He doesnt need to know, and its none of his concern.
Olivia shot back, How can it not be his concern when hes about to wash windows and beat carpets for you? Its his business, and I want him to understand why Im saying no!
—
When parents split, the kids always bear the brunt. The trauma is inevitable, but decent parents can make it less painful by arranging visits and not dredging up old fights. Kids still see their parents as the ones who loved them, even if the household changes.
Olivias parents never bothered with those deeper questions; all they wanted was to split up.
My exhusband wont pay any child support, Susan declared.
Law says otherwise, replied Martin, her ex.
I dont care! If they take anything from my wages, youll get it back from me!
Martin scoffed, Thats the money meant for the kids!
Susan roared, Then you better look after yours!
Martin retorted, Those are my kids too! Parental responsibility is shared!
Susan flailed her arms, I dont want to hear any of it! Not about you, not about the kids, not about alimony!
Tell the judge! she shouted.
Their divorce was set to start in two days, but it was anything but ordinary. Susan dumped not only her husband but also her two daughters, ages four and ten, without a second thought about how theyd cope without mum. The only thing that bothered her was the thought of paying alimony.
Martin, if things were fair, could have lived without that money he earned a decent wage. But having a wife, especially one whos a nightmare, was a different story. Still, he could have managed without it; all he wanted was to get his daughters out of mums chaotic grip.
Susan pulled a fast one. She coaxed tenyearold Emma to say she wanted to live with mum, even though she could barely stand her sister. Emma spent so much time with Susan that she soaked up her mothers personality.
The judge left the younger daughter with Martin and the older with Susan a compromise, I guess.
In the end, Martin got only one line from Susan: I told you I wasnt paying you a penny! He didnt argue. He knew that if his daughter stayed with her, he still had to raise her. Emma, under her mothers influence, even spat accusations at her father and sister right there in court.
Its clear the child isnt at fault. Emma just repeated what mum fed her. And mum, Susan, will soon teach Emma to think the same way.
Martin lost one daughter but still had the other, and no one lifted his duty for her. He truly lost Emma.
A while later he tried to see Emma, but Susan blocked him. When he cornered her at the flats, Emma sent him away so far he felt ashamed to look strangers in the eye.
After the split, Olivia never heard from her mum or her sister for twenty years. Strangely enough, she didnt mourn them.
Martin Petrov, a caring dad, poured his heart into raising his daughter.
Olivia could honestly say shed had a great childhood, a wonderful youth, and as an adult she turned out happy. She never felt abandoned or shortchanged by the lack of a mother figure even an adoptive one.
She studied, got a career in software development, married, and had a kid. A good, happy life that many dream of.
She never imagined her mum would ever turn up at her doorstep. When Susan finally did, she acted as if theyd only been apart a week, not twenty years. It was so disorienting that Olivia let her in, introduced her to David, and even showed her to her grandson as grandma. She chatted about everyday life, and Susan just gave the usual updates, the occasional little hassle.
They talked, then went their separate ways. Only later did Olivia realise how absurd the whole situation was. She rang her dad straight away.
I never told you much about her nothing good or bad. And I wont now, Martin said. I raised you to be smart.
So I hope you figure out why shes back and what she really wants. He added, Im not saying Im surprised we split twenty years ago, but people can change.
Olivia replied, Thanks, Dad. If anything, Ill give you a ring.
He said, Call if you need anything. He didnt believe Susan could ever really improve, but he kept quiet about it.
After that call, Olivia felt calmer. Her dad always had that soothing effect on her. Once she settled, she started thinking about how searching for people used to be a nightmare decades ago, but now its a breeze the internet leaves a trail for anyone to follow. Shes a software developer, after all, so she can track down anything.
She learned very little about her mum beyond the basics: two marriages, a divorce, two kids Olivia and Emma. Emma was the one Olivia had to interrogate both father and mother about.
Martin could only give a vague age. Susan knew more, but she shared it like she was being crossexamined. A few facts emerged: shed studied, worked, got married, moved in with her husband
It turned out Emma had trained as a geography teacher. Only two colleges in their town offered that course. Olivia joined the relevant groups on social media, found Emma by surname, and messaged her for a meetup.
Emma replied, Im being recruited, arent I? Not surprised she cant do it alone, she needs a victim!
Olivia was confused, Who?
Emma smirked, A victim. Someone she can cling to with any excuse, make them dance to her tune. I didnt just get married; I ran away from her!
She went on, She was the one whod take me as a wife, then snatch me back. Forget her, keep her out of your life. Shell lie so much youll run out of stories. In the end youll be the guilty one.
Olivia left the meeting deep in thought, concluding, Forewarned is forearmed. If mum craves contact, shell get it. If she gets pushy, shell get a proper reply.
Funny enough, for six years Susan was content just chatting. Shed do tiny favors, the sort neighbours do. Emma warned, If you ever give her a slip, youll be tangled in her web. Shell drive stepdads mad just to grab their assets.
Olivia didnt wait forever, but eventually she got her chance.
She finally pressed Martin for the whole story, the part hed only seen a piece of. He only opened up after Olivia mentioned her chat with Emma.
When everything was pieced together, David sat there, mouth open, staring at his motherinlaw. He couldnt believe what hed missed. Susans reaction showed Olivia was telling the truth. The woman went stonecold, a flushed face and beads of sweat giving her away.
Olivia asked, Are you still up for going over and doing the work?
David shook his head.
Olivia nodded to David and turned to Susan, Mum, if you want a proper chat, even if you dont deserve it, I wont shut you out. But any more talk about me owing you Ill throw that out the window and never let you back in.
Susan shrieked, How dare you! Im your mother!
Olivia spread her arms, All clear! No ones pulling your tongue now, she smiled. Off you go! If you show up again Ill filing a police report for harassment.
Susans eyes popped.
Where are we standing? Legs gone? I can kick you right to the door! Help?
She straightened up, trying to keep some dignity, and walked toward the exit. Olivia couldnt help herself and shouted after her, Run, you wretched mum!
Susan huffed, Youre good with her! David laughed after she bolted.
Olivia shrugged, What did she want? She vanished for twenty years, then pops up like alot, saying I owe her because shes my mum. She even expects a thankyou for not actually kicking her out.
David muttered, Well, mum
Olivia replied, On paper Im your mum, but in reality Im just a stranger.
And that was the end of that chapter.
