Rain tapped against the window panes as the afternoon grew dim. My neighbour and friend, who lives next door, dropped by. We settled in the lounge, sipping hot tea. Shed brought over some scrumptious biscuits from the bakery down the road. Her name is Alice, and today what she told me would trouble the mind of any decent soul. I share her story here.
Alice has a son and a daughter. Her sons life is sorted: a loving wife, lovely children, and comfortable prosperity. But her daughter, well, things havent been as kind. At first, everything looked promisingher daughter and her husband dreamed of children, planned to upgrade to a house with a garden, and pictured themselves ageing together in happiness. They saved what they could, skipping holidays and fancy dinners, all to put aside enough for a proper home. They wanted a garden of their own, to grow vegetables and roses, maybe some apples.
Two years passed. Theyd saved enough to dream, but not enough to buy. Thenher daughter found out she was expecting. The plans for a bigger space became urgent; they tried to prepare for the arrival. But soon after the baby was born, her son-in-law lost his job due to redundancies at his firm.
Curiously, he didnt seem particularly shaken. He shrugged and said they had savings, and hed take a break, recharge a bit, and then start the job hunt in earnest.
A week later, he supposedly began searching for work. At least, thats what he told Alices daughter. But while she was busy with their newbornchanging nappies, cooking meals, doing endless laundry, tidying uphe spent every day glued to his laptop.
He claimed hed gone for interviews a handful of times, though Alices daughter only had his word. He failed everywhere, never finding the right position, and insisted he wouldnt settle for anything that paid peanuts. Now, three years on, he still hasnt found a job. Their savings have vanished, spent on living expenses. The house, the gardenthose dreams are gone.
Alices daughter works remotely, juggling her job with caring for their little one. Her husband doesnt even help her anymore, always at his laptop, supposedly still searching for work. Worse yet, he complains:
Soup again for tea? Couldnt you have roasted a chicken in the oven?
Alices daughter endures it all, saying she wont leave himnot for the childs sake. Because, she says, he loves their baby.
But I cannot fathom what sort of love that is, if a father wont earn enough for nappies or formula. Perhaps Im wrong. What happens when the savings finally run dry? By the way, her son-in-law is thirty-three.
