“One Day Youll Remember Me”
“Honestly, is it so hard to dish up an extra bowl of soup for me and your grandson? I dont get it!”
“Yes, Kirsten. It is hard. A lots changed since you left,” replied Natalie, not even letting her daughter cross the threshold. “Remind mewasnt it you who kicked me out of your house and your life? So why are you making demands now?”
Kirsten rolled her eyes like a petulant child being scoldedwhich, frankly, she was acting like. The whole “the world owes me” attitude wasnt exactly mature.
“Mum, be serious! I was pregnant back then. Hormones, stress… I dont even remember what I said!”
“Oh, *I* remember. Every word. How you hated me, how I had no heart, how I wanted to send my own grandson to an early grave… And thats the polite version. If Im so terrible, why come crawling back now?”
“For heavens sake, Mum! Youre a grown womanyou shouldve understood and met me halfway. Youve been pregnant; you know how moods swing every five minutes!”
Even now, Kirsten twisted things to make it Natalies fault, as if she shouldve just smiled, nodded, and danced attendance. But Natalie was done.
“Oh, I understood you perfectly,” she said slowly, folding her arms. “I just didnt forgive. Look, Kirsten, I can give you some money. A little. But I wont let you back in.”
She wasnt just talking about the flat. She couldnt let Kirsten back into her *life*. Because she knewonce inside, Kirsten would push, demand, and wreck everything Natalie had rebuilt.
“How much is a little?”
“Three thousand quid. Enough to get back on your feet.”
“That wont even last a month! Fine for meIm an adult, I can tighten my belt. But how can you do this to your *grandson*?” Kirsten went on the attack again.
Natalie wasnt having it.
“When people are desperate, theyre grateful for pennies. If its nothing to you, figure it out yourself.”
With that, she shut the door.
“Fine! I *will*! But remember thismen come and go, but its your kids wholl bring you a glass of water in your old age. And you wont get *any*. One day youll remember me,” Kirsten spat through the door before stomping off.
Natalie leaned against the hallway wall, biting her lip to keep from crying. It hurt like hell, but the rift between them had been there for years. Honestly, it was inevitable.
…Kirsten had always been spoiled. Grandparents doted on her, and her dad, Michael, was the worst of all. Didnt like a dress? Off to the shops for a new one. Smashed her phone in a tantrum? No problemheres a better one. Wanted a dog? “Of course, sweetheart, pick a breed.”
No surprise she was Daddys girl. If Mum said no, shed run to Dad, whod say yes.
Her parents argued about it constantly. Michael was a loving husband and fatherjust one with no concept of boundaries.
“Mike, whyd you give her money for cinema tickets? At least ask me first!” Natalie fumed, hands on hips. “I told her nonot about the money, but because I *asked* her to help your mum with the garden. And you know what she said? If you two care, *you* tidy up.”
Michael would wincehe knew Kirsten pushed itbut hed just wave it off.
“Come on, love. Remember what *we* were like at her age. Let me spoil her while I can. Once she leaves the nest, thats it.”
In a way, he was right.
Michael passed when Kirsten was fourteen. After that, things fell apart completely. Kirsten, already a handful, decided *everything* was her mothers fault. Caught a cold? “You brought it home from work, always letting sick clients in.” Dumped by a boyfriend? Also Mums faultfor not letting her go clubbing. Flunked her A-levels? *Still* Mum.
“Everyone else got tutors, but *I* had to manage alone. No wonder my grades are rubbish,” Kirsten grumbled.
Not that Natalie expected her to get into Oxbridge. Shed set aside savings years ago.
“I dont get why you bother,” her friend Liz said. “No offence, but Kirstens no genius. If she drops out in third year, itll just be a waste.”
“She wants it. And… Im doing it for Mike, too. Hed never forgive me if I sent her out into the world with nothing.”
Natalie worked two jobs to keep them afloat. Colleagues called her a saint. Really, she was just terrified of ending up alone. Kirsten was all she had.
In her second year, Kirsten announced she was moving in with a *friend*whose parents were renting her a flat, and it got lonely. Natalie objected, but what could she do? Kirsten was an adult.
Turns out, the “friend” was named *Ian*. A year later, Kirsten was pregnant.
“Mum, guess what? Were having a baby!” she gushed.
Natalie felt the air leave her lungs.
“Kirsten… Neither of you has a job. Where will you live? How will you manage?”
“Oh, the statell helpsingle mum benefits, Ians parents chipping in, you… And Ian can pick up odd jobs,” Kirsten said cheerfully.
Natalie didnt like her role in that plan. Shed hoped helping with uni would be the end of it. Now she sawthere *was* no end.
“Oh, and Mum… Tuitions due soon. Can you cover it?”
“Tuition? Youre taking a *baby* to lectures? Either defer a year or sort out the baby. This isnt the time.”
Cue the explosion. Kirsten raged about her *right* to the savings, accused Natalie of hating her unborn grandchild, and finally called her a monster before slamming the door.
Natalie waited for her to cool off. But nonext day, Kirsten had blocked her everywhere. Natalie knew her address, couldve gone over… but she was done begging.
At the time, it felt like losing her *purpose*. But nature abhors a vacuum.
After Kirsten left, Natalie started living for *herself*. Joined a gym, where she met Alex. He helped her with the weights, gave her a lift home… and soon, they were married.
Alex was ten years oldera widower with a grown son, Anthony, a daughter-in-law, Emily, and a grandson, Leo. Natalie didnt just gain a husband; she gained a *family*. Emily, especially, treated her like a friend, not a mother-in-law.
And Leo? Natalie adored him. Toys, homemade biscuits, trips to the parksoon, Emily didnt *need* a reason to bring him over. Leo *asked* to see her.
“Gran, can we feed the pigeons today?” hed say, and her heart would melt. Shed forgotten what pure, uncomplicated love felt like.
Life had colour again. Then, two years later, Kirsten reappeared.
Ian had decided fatherhood wasnt for him. Got his degree, bounced between jobs, then packed up and moved back to his parents.
But the baby didnt vanish. And Kirsten needed somewhere to live.
Only now, Natalie decided: *Not my problem.* Especially when Kirsten returned not to apologise, but to *demand*.
*”One day youll remember me.”* The words echoed. It *hurt*like tearing out part of her heart. But shed survived it once. Shed survive it now.
Her phone chimed. A text from Alex: “Fancy a romantic night in? Wine? Chocolate?” Another from Emilya photo of three lopsided gingerbread men.
“Leo made these at nursery. One for me, one for Anthony. The third, he says, is for you. Can we pop over?”
Natalie smiled. Warmth flooded her. Soquiet evening with Alex, or a house full of laughter?
Honestly, either was fine. Because shed learned something: being *needed* isnt the same as being *loved*.
No, she wasnt alone. And she never would be again.
