Emily, you and Daniel need to come over and help me, Margaret Whitaker said, her voice flat as a lead pipe. The windows need washing and the carpets need beating!
Emily smirked. Thats an interesting proposition, she replied, lips curling. But I think Ill pass.
Emily, why? Daniel asked, looking bewildered. Your mother needs help!
No, I wont, Emily said, snapping the smile from her face with a firm tone.
Not what? Daniel stammered, his confusion growing. Its your mum, after all!
Weve been married nine years, Daniel! Do you really think Im losing my mind? Emily shot back, eyes blazing.
Its not that I think you are, Daniel muttered, gesturing weakly toward his motherinlaw. Im just unsure.
Then you dont need to explain that a mother is a mother! Margaret snapped.
Whats wrong with refusing to help your own mother if she asks for it? Daniel pressed.
Did you even hear a hint of a request in her words? Emily retorted. She told us what must be done! Apparently its our duty!
Yes, it is! Margaret exclaimed. Youre my daughter and hes my soninlaw. A soninlaws obligations are smaller, but a daughter I gave birth to you, which means you cant abandon your mother when shes in a bind!
Emily paused, thinking. I could
What kind of daughter are you then? Margaret barked.
Exactly like you, mother! Emily shot back.
Emily, have some shame! Daniel roared. How can you speak to your own mother so bluntly?
I have every moral right to! Emily declared. If you dont know the whole story, Id never raise my voice at my own wife.
Emily, Daniel said, his face hardening, I may not know everything, but a mother deserves respect. Parents should be helped, not insulted. He turned to Margaret. Mrs. Whitaker, please forgive her outburst. Well come this weekend and sort it all out.
No, we wont! Emily slammed her fist on the table.
Fine, then Ill go alone, Daniel said, trying to take control of the chaos.
If you go, you might never come back home, Emily warned, turning away.
Right, Margaret said, shaking her head. My daughter is a real piece of work.
Exactly that I am! Emily said, turning to her mother. Why didnt you ask Lucy to wash the windows and beat the carpets for you?
Lucy? Whos that? Daniel asked.
You were told you know nothing! Emily hissed. And you keep poking around! Lucy is my sister, my blood.
Mom, why dont you ask Lucy then? Shes not obliged to you any more than you are to me, Emily continued, her voice sharp. Or is it because she turned you away when you got married six years ago?
Daniel stared at his motherinlaw, who flushed but said nothing.
Whats the matter, mum? Emily teased. Lost your voice? Cant find the words? Let me help youDads getting lost in his own guesses!
My sister sent me packing when I married, Margaret muttered. Shes been out of touch for six years.
Exactly then, Daniel, Emily said, emphasizing his name, when my mother decided to return to the life of her other daughter. Thats when you first met her. Remember?
Aye, right, Daniel chuckled. No one ever spoke of her until she showed up six years ago. I even thought you didnt have a mother at all. No mention of a fatherinlaw either.
Your attentions like a tornup newspaper! Emily laughed. You never asked how she reappeared.
I was going to, but I got distracted, he admitted, blushing. Then the conversation just drifted.
Want me to tell you the whole truth? Emily asked, eyes gleaming.
No! Stop it! Margaret shouted.
Whats wrong, Mum? Embarrassed? Did your conscience finally wake up? Emily snapped.
Its none of his business! Margaret spat. Hes not supposed to know.
How can it not be his business when hes about to wash windows and beat carpets for you? Emily retorted, steel in her voice. I also want him to understand why I refuse you!
***
When parents split, its the children who bleed first. The wound is inevitable, but a sensible parent can soften it. Agree on visits, keep the past out of them, and dont cling to old grudges. To a child, parents remain the people they loved, even if the reasons for the split remain vague. Even if the couple no longer wants to be together, maintaining a civil relationship benefits the child.
Emilys parents never asked those questions. They were only keen to part ways.
Im not paying any child support, Margaret declared.
Its the law, you know, Samuel Whitaker replied.
I dont care! If they take anything from my wages, youll get it back from me! Margaret snapped.
Right, youve run off! Those are the money meant for the kids! Samuel retorted.
The kids are yours too, so you should look after them! Margaret yelled.
But theyre yours as well! Parental responsibility is shared, Samuel countered.
I dont want to hear any of it! Not about you, not about the kids, not about support! Margaret flailed her arms in fury.
Tell the judge! Samuel shouted.
Their divorce was to be finalised in two days, but the situation was anything but ordinary. Margaret was throwing not just her husband out, but also her two childrenEmma, ten, and Lucy, fourwithout a care for how theyd survive. The only thing that rattled her was the thought of the support shed have to pay.
If things had been fair, Samuel could have lived comfortably without any payments; he earned decently. Yet he liked the idea of his exwifes hands on the money. He would have survived fine, provided he could keep the girls away from their mothers hysteria.
Margaret, with a chessplayers move, coaxed tenyearold Lucy to claim she wanted to live with her mum, knowing her sister could never stand her. Lucy, having spent too much time with her mother, had adopted her mothers temperament.
The court gave the younger girl to Samuel and the elder to Margaret. It was a compromise, perhaps.
In the end, Samuel left with a single line: I told you I wasnt paying a penny.
He didnt argue. He wanted to say that if his daughter stayed with her, hed have to raise her. But Lucy, under her mothers influence, spat nasty accusations at both father and sister in the courtroom.
Clearly, the child wasnt at fault. Lucy merely repeated what her mother had fed her. Their mother, Sonia, would soon teach her the same tricks.
Samuel felt the sting of losing one daughter, but he still had the other. He could not shake the responsibility for her.
Weeks later he tried to see Lucy, but Margaret blocked him. When Samuel cornered Lucy by the stairs, she pushed him so far away that he was ashamed to look strangers in the eye.
After the divorce, Emily heard nothing about her mother or sister for twenty years. Oddly enough, she never mourned them.
Samuel Whitaker, a devoted dad, poured his heart into raising his daughter.
Emily could say shed had a wonderful childhood, a bright youth, and grew into a happy adult. She never felt abandoned or shortchanged by the lack of a mother figureshed never had one, even a stepmom.
She trained, got a profession, married, had a child. A good, content life that many dream of.
She never imagined her mother would turn up at her doorstep after two decades, acting as if theyd only been apart a week. It was so shocking that Emily welcomed her in, introduced her to Daniel, even presented her as a grandmother to the baby. She listened politely to the mothers tales of daily life and current worries.
Margaret, however, offered nothing newjust the usual updates and immediate concerns. They talked, then went their separate ways. Only later did Emily realise the absurdity of the whole affair. She called her father straight away.
I never told you anything about hergood or bad. And I wont now, Samuel said. I raised you to be smart.
So youll figure out why shes here and what she really wants, he added.
The only thing I can tell you is that I divorced her twenty years ago. But I wont rule out that she may have changed since then.
Thats all I expected to hear, Emily replied. Thanks, Dad.
If you need anything, give me a ring, Samuel advised.
He didnt believe Margaret could have turned a new leaf, but he kept his mouth shut.
After the call, Emily felt her nerves melt. Her father always had a calming effect. Once steadied, she began to think.
Searching for a person twenty or thirty years ago was a nightmare; now its a trifle. The internet leaves a trail for everyone. The skill is in knowing where to look.
Emily was a software developer; she could hunt down information like a detective.
She discovered nothing particularly thrilling about her mother. Two marriages, a divorce from her father, two children: Emily and Lucy.
Lucys story forced Emily to interrogate both father and mother. Samuel gave her an age, nothing more. Margaret knew a lot but shared it as if under interrogationbits and pieces that could have been learned from any stranger.
Studied, worked, married, moved in with her husband she recited.
The rest was simple. Emily learned Lucy had trained as a geography teacher. Only two colleges in their town offered that course.
Emily joined the alumni groups, found Lucy by surname, messaged her, and asked for a meeting.
Youre coming over, then? Lucy replied. Dont be surprisedI cant do it alone! I need a victim!
What? Emily stammered.
A victim! Someone she can cling to for any excuse, make him dance to her tune! Lucy laughed. I didnt just marry; I ran from her!
The same man who wanted to take me as a wife, then snatched me backshes the one who pushed him out!
Send her packing and never look back. Shell lie so much youll run out of stories. In the end youll be the one blamed!
Emily left the meeting deep in thought.
The only conclusion she drew: Forewarned is forearmed.
If a mother craves contact, shell get it. If she starts overstepping, shell meet a swift response.
Its funny, but for six years Margaret was content with just chatting. There were small favors, the kind neighbours exchange. Lucy warned her:
If you ever show a hint of weakness, youre in her web. Shell torment you until youre mad. Shes taken two stepfathers to the brink just to grab their money.
Emily didnt wait long, but she waited.
***
Emily eventually got her father to spill the whole story, but only after she mentioned Lucys revelations. When the full picture came together, she waited for her moment.
Daniel sat, mouth agape, watching his motherinlaw. He couldnt believe what hed missed. Margarets frozen stare, a flushed face, beads of sweatshe was human, not a statue.
Are you still willing to go there and work? Emily asked.
Daniel shook his head.
Fine, Emily said, turning to her mother. Mum, if you want a normal conversation, even if you dont deserve it, I wont stop you. But any more talk about what I owe yougone. Ill never let you cross that line again.
Who do you think you are?! Margaret shrieked. I am your mother!
Crystal clear! Emily spread her arms wide. No ones pulling your tongue. Off you go! She smiled. If you show up again, Ill file a police report for harassment.
Margarets eyes widened.
What, you think were sitting on our heels? I can kick you right to the door! she threatened.
She rose, spine rigid as a board, trying to keep dignity as she stalked toward the exit. Emily, unable to hold back, shouted after her:
Run along, you wretched thing!
Margaret hissed, Youre lucky I have the strength left.
Nice work with her! Daniel muttered as Margaret fled.
What did she even want? Emily shrugged. She vanished twenty years ago, now pops up like a ghost, claiming I owe her because of some maternal duty. She wants thanks for nothing!
Well, mum Daniel began.
On paper Im your mother, but in practice Im a stranger, Emily said, and that was the final word.
