“Find Someone for Her”
“I can’t take this anymore. I’ll end up an old maid because of her. Listen, Emma, take Mum to live with you, please. Let her fuss over your kids instead of me.”
“Liz… You brought this on yourself. You made a mess when you were little, and now you’re paying for it,” Emma replied calmly, almost tiredly. “No use throwing tantrums now.”
“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 much of a life left herself, thanks to you. You wanted her to revolve around youwell, here you go. Enjoy.”
“Emm-aa, come on, think of something! Youre the clever one. If you took her in, itd be good for everyone. Shed help with the kids, and Id finally get out of this prison…” Liz sighed dreamily. “Or at least talk to her. She listens to you.”
“Sort it out yourselves,” Emma said, narrowing her eyes. “Ill only give advice. You took away her personal lifenow help her rebuild it. Find her friends, hobbies, suitors. Find her *someone*. A puppy, maybe, or a kitten. Just distract her.”
Liz, as usual, wanted others to fix her problems. Emma couldve played alongher own relationship with their mother was entirely differentbut she refused. Let the one who threw the boomerang catch it.
Their father left when Emma was eleven. Liz was just three. With no one else to help, Emma grew up fast. She picked Liz up from nursery, cooked dinner, cleaned, and did her homework late at night when everyone else was asleep.
No wonder she turned out responsible and mature. Liz, on the other hand, lacked those qualities entirely.
Emma flew the nest early, right after college. She wanted freedomshe was tired of being a second mother at home. She also suspected itd be easier for their mum, Valerie.
Emma knew Valerie was still young. She deserved a life of her own, and the fewer children clinging to her, the better.
Valerie took the chance and grew close to Ian, a colleague. Liz, then twelve, acted like it was the end of the world. She refused to let an outsider into their space. Worse, she now had choreswhich she hated.
“Lizzie, wash up when youre done, please,” Valerie would ask.
At first, Liz did it grudgingly. Then she dug in her heels.
“No.”
“Why not?” Valerie frowned. “We all pitch in. I cooked, Ian brought the groceries…”
“Im not cleaning up after *your* Ian!” Liz snapped. “Why should I mess with a strangers leftovers?”
Shed say this right in front of him.
Ian, despite Lizs behaviour, tried to bond with her. He brought stuffed toys as if she were still a child, asked about her interests, checked if anyone bullied her at school. He was patient and politebut it didnt help.
Maybe it was because their father had already abandoned them. Maybe Liz feared Valerie would focus on Ian and leave her alone. Or maybe she just hated sharing her home. Either way, she fought hard to drive the “intruder” out.
She provoked Ian, accused Valerie of “trading her for some random bloke,” threw fits. She let her grades slip and even staged hunger strikesthough she sometimes raided the fridge at night.
Valerie hoped Liz would grow out of it. She didnt. The final straw was the news of their engagement.
“Lizzie, how would you feel if Ian officially joined our family?” Valerie asked carefully. “Were already living together.”
And then it exploded. Liz dug in, accusing Ian of manipulating Valerie and eyeing their flat. When her arguments ran out
“If you marry him, Ill leave! You wont need me anyway.”
“Liz! Dont say that. Youll always be *our* daughtermine and Ians.”
“Yeah, right. Not a daughtera drudge. Fetch this, clean that, dont bother us. No thanks. Id rather live with Emma than wreck your happy ending.”
Valerie didnt know what to do. She was scared. Scared of losing Lizand later, Ian, just like her first husband.
Caught between a rock and a hard place, she vented to Emma. Emma just scoffed at Lizs dramatics.
“Think Id let her in on those terms?” She smirked. “Shell stand in the hallway awhile, then slink back. Or betterIll give her such a welcome shell sprint home. Wants to live with me? Fine. But shell pull her weight. Im not her maid.”
Emma was sure Liz was bluffing. But Valerie wasnt willing to test that.
“What if she *does* leave? What then?” she fretted. “If you dont let her in… she might end up on the streets. Something awful could happen…”
In the end, fear won. Valerie broke up with Ian. They drifted apart, meeting only in neutral spots, until it fizzled out.
As Liz wanted, Valerie focused entirely on her. Just not how shed hoped. Valerie had always been overprotective, but now she became a dragon guarding its treasure. She escorted Liz to and from school, banned her from going out alone, barely let her step outside. If Liz was late, Valerie called nonstop.
“Times are dangerous. What if someone drags you into a car? Well go to the cinema together when Im free,” shed say.
Liz thought Valerie was punishing her. The truth? Valerie had nothing else. Where else would she pour her attention if not her daughter? And if Liz vanished too? Emma had her own family now.
Liz tried to escape. She wanted to study in another city, but Valerie staged a full meltdowntears, trembling hands, even the blood pressure monitor.
“Youd leave me all alone? Youre all I have,” Valerie sobbed.
“Mum, I need to learn to stand on my own.”
“Where would you live? Student halls? Whod protect you? And wheres the money? Were barely scraping by…”
Valerie clung to Liz like a lifeline. Liz stayed. Maybe she feared independence. Maybe guilt won.
It got worse. When Liz started dating, Valerie acted like a chastity enforcer. The calls continued, now with added critiques. *Too forward. Looks like a player. Too politesuspicious.* Every relationship crumbled before it began.
Meanwhile, Valerie got on brilliantly with Emma. No smothering. She was the perfect mother-in-lawbaking pies, never interfering.
No surprise Liz cracked. But Emma wouldnt step in. First, she hadnt caused this mess. Second, shed only get blamed. Let Liz sort it herself.
Oddly enough, Liz did.
One day, Emma checked Lizs socials and froze. Her status: *In a relationship.* Emma called immediately.
“So, can I congratulate you?” she grinned. “Or did you just change it for fun?”
“Well… sort of,” Liz said, oddly calm. “Its early days. But Mum cant ruin this one…”
“Whats Mum got to do with it?”
Then Liz spilled the plan. Shed tracked down Ianthe man shed chased off years ago. Found out he was single. Invited him to a café, claiming she wanted to apologise.
Then she invited Valerie to the same café… and didnt show.
Valerie was livid at first.
“You set me up *without telling me*?” she fumed. “Liz, I wasnt even dressed properly!”
But it was clearthat little surprise had rekindled something. For the first time in years, Valerie felt like a woman, not just a mum.
She reconnected with Ian. No rush, no young passionjust enough to give her a life again. No talk of marriage or moving in yet; both had their routines. But Valerie stopped shadowing Liz 24/7.
Liz breathed easier. Emma, hearing the story, thought: *Full circle.* As a child, Liz wrecked her mothers romance. Now shed returned italbeit not perfectly. No fairy tale, just life: messy, flawed, with small wins. But each got what they deservedand a sliver of hope.
