When my parents were due to visit, I started tidying up the flat.
Id been seeing my boyfriend for two years, and recently hed proposed. Of course, I said yes. Still, I was puzzled by his reluctance to move in together straight away.
He lived with his parents in a three-bedroom flat, and I had a room in a student hall. To me, its vital to live together before marriageto get used to each others habits and truly test our compatibility. I spoke to my fiancé about it, but he acted as if he didnt understand what I meant. Then, as luck would have it, his parents needed to go away for a fortnight, meaning we could finally live together for those two weeks.
I really tried to be the ideal housekeepercooking, cleaning, keeping everything spotless and organised. Every day, I made sure to spoil my fiancé with treats and did all I could to make him happy.
If it hadnt been for one thing, everything would have been perfect. I asked him if he could do the hoovering, but he flat out refused, saying it was womens work. He insisted that in his family, the man was meant to provide financially, not to help his wife around the house. I kept quiet, hoping that things would change once we moved in together for real.
By the time his parents came home, Id scrubbed their flat until it sparkled. I wanted to make a great impression. I even baked a cake and put together a lovely dinner before heading back to my place.
The next day, William told me his mother hadnt been impressed with me. Apparently, I hadnt been a good enough hostess. I was taken aback. The flat was far cleaner than when Id first visited! Why was she putting me down? She hadnt even appreciated my home-baked treats, saying she wasnt fond of them. I was so hurt.
I couldnt shake the feeling that she simply didnt want to let her son go, and so she found fault with me. Maybe she thought someone else would be a better match for him. Why do I believe that? Because ever since his parents got back, William has been distant, and we rarely see each other or even talk nowadays. Honestly, I no longer think therell be a wedding.
Ive realised that sometimes, no matter how hard you try to fit into someone else’s world, it may never truly be enough if theyand their familyarent willing to let you belong. The lesson here is that a relationship should be a partnership, one where both people support each other, not just fit other peoples expectations.
