**Diary Entry 6th May, 2024**
I cant take this anymore. If this keeps up, Ill end up an old maid because of her. Listen, Sophieplease take Mum to live with you, Im begging. Let her fuss over your kids instead of smothering me.
“Emma You brought this on yourself,” Sophie replied, calm but weary. “You made your bed, now lie in it. No one forced you to throw tantrums back then.”
“Fine, I was wrong, I admit it! I was young and stupid. But does that mean she gets to ruin my whole life?”
“She doesnt *have* a life anymore, thanks to you. You wanted her to revolve around youwell, congratulations, you got your wish. Enjoy it.”
“Soph-ie, come on, youre the clever one! Think of something. If she moved in with you, itd work out for everyone. Shed help with the kids, and Id finally have some breathing room” I sighed, already picturing it. “Or at least talk some sense into her. She listens to you.”
“Sort it out yourselves,” Sophie said, narrowing her eyes. “The most Ill do is give advice. *You* wrecked her chances at happinessnow *you* fix it. Find her friends, hobbies, a boyfriend. Get her a puppy, for heavens sake. Just distract her.”
As usual, I wanted someone else to clean up my mess. Sophie *could* have humoured meshed always had a different bond with Mumbut she refused. Fair enough. You reap what you sow.
Dad walked out when Sophie was eleven. I was barely three. With no one else to lean on, Sophie grew up fast. Shed fetch me from nursery, cook dinner, clean, then do her schoolwork long after midnight.
No wonder she turned out so responsible. Me? Not so much.
Sophie left the nest early, right after college. She wanted freedomfair enough. Shed spent years playing second mum. And deep down, she probably thought itd make things easier for Mum, too.
She understood Mum was still young, with a right to her own life. The fewer kids clinging to her, the better.
Mum took the chance. She started seeing Ian, a colleague. Twelve-year-old me? I acted like it was the apocalypse. I refused to share our home with an outsider. Worse, I suddenly had choressomething I *loathed*.
“Emma, love, wash up when youre done, please,” Mum would say.
At first, I didgrudgingly. Then I dug my heels in.
“No.”
“Why not?” Mum frowned. “We all pitch in. I cooked, Ian brought groceries”
“Im not cleaning up after your *boyfriend*!” I snapped, even with Ian right there.
He tried, bless him. Brought me stuffed toys like I was still a child, asked about school, my interests. Polite, patientbut it didnt matter.
Maybe I was scared history would repeat itself. That Mum would focus on him and leave me behind. Or maybe I just hated sharing. Either way, I fought hard to drive him out.
I picked fights, accused Mum of “trading me for some bloke,” threw tantrums. Skipped school, went on “hunger strikes”though Id still raid the fridge at midnight.
Mum hoped Id grow out of it. I didnt. The final straw? Her engagement.
“Emma, how would you feel if Ian officially joined our family?” she asked gingerly.
Cue the meltdown. I accused him of manipulating her, eyeing our flatanything to stop it. When that failed
“If you marry him, Im leaving! You wont want me around anyway.”
“Emma! Dont say that! Youll always be my daughter*ours*.”
“Yeah, right. More like your errand girl. No thanks. Ill go live with Sophie.”
Mum was torn. Scared of losing me, then Ianjust like Dad. Stuck between a rock and a hard place.
She vented to Sophie, who just rolled her eyes.
“You really think Id let her in on those terms?” Sophie scoffed. “Shed sulk on the doorstep, then slink back. Or betterId give her such a warm welcome, shed bolt straight to you. Wants to live with me? Fine, but she pulls her weight. Im not her maid.”
Sophie was sure I was bluffing. Mum wasnt willing to test it.
“What if she *does* leave? If you turn her away She could end up on the streets!”
Fear won. Mum called it off with Ian. They met in cafés for a while, then drifted apart.
Just like I wanted, Mum centred her life around mejust not how Id imagined. The smothering got worse. She walked me to school, banned me from going out alone, panicked if I was five minutes late.
“Its not safe these days,” shed say. “Someone could snatch you off the street! Well go to the cinema together when Im free.”
I thought she was punishing me. Truth was, I was all she had. Where else would she pour her energy? And if *I* left? Sophie had her own family now.
I tried escaping. Applied to a uni up northMum had a full meltdown. Tears, trembling hands, the works.
“Youd leave me all alone? Youre all I have!”
“Mum, I need to learn to stand on my own feet.”
“And where would you live? Some dingy dorm? Whod protect you? We can barely make ends meet as it is!”
She clung to me like a lifeline. I stayed. Maybe I was scared, too. Or guilty.
It got worse. When I started dating, Mum turned into a guard dog. Same control, plus relentless criticism. *Too forward, probably a player, suspiciously charming* Every relationship crumbled before it began.
Meanwhile, Sophie got the ideal mumno smothering, just perfect mother-in-law behaviour. Baking pies, never interfering.
No surprise I cracked. But Sophie refused to step in. Not her mess. And shed end up the villain if she tried.
Oddly enough, I fixed it myself.
One day, Sophie spotted my Facebook status: *In a relationship*. She rang instantly.
“So, congratulations are in order?” she teased. “Or just messing with your profile?”
“Sort of,” I said, oddly calm. “Early days. Just hope Mum doesnt ruin it.”
“Whats *Mum* got to do with it?”
Then I explained. Id tracked down Ianstill singleand invited him for coffee. Said I wanted to apologise. Then I booked Mum a table at the same café and didnt show.
Mum was livid at first.
“You *set me up* without warning? I wasnt even dressed properly!”
But I could tellsomething rekindled in her that night. For the first time in years, she felt like a *woman*, not just a mum.
She and Ian started talking again. No grand reunion, just quiet companionship. No talk of marriageboth too set in their ways. But Mum finally eased up on me.
A weight lifted. Sophie just smiled when I told her. Full circle, really. I wrecked Mums chance at love, then handed it back. Not a fairy talejust life, with its losses and small wins. But in the end, we all got what we deserved. And maybe, just maybe, a bit of hope.
