“We’ll see about that!”
“No! As long as were stuck in this madhouse with your mum and Lily, therell be no wedding!”
“Emma, love, why be so hasty? Lets just hire the dressweve still got time. Or we could postpone if youd rather Theres no need for all this drama,” James sighed.
“You dont understand,” Emma folded her arms. “Its not about the dress. Its about feeling like Im in a warzone here. Your sisters old enough to know better, but she acts like a spoiled brat. And honestly, your mums the real problem.”
James didnt like her words, though deep down, he knew she wasnt entirely wrong. Somehow, Margaret had turned his younger sister against Emma, whether by accident or design.
Theyd met at university. Things had moved slowlyneither had their own place back then. James still lived with his family, claiming it was “for convenience.”
“Ive got Grans old flat, but Mums renting it out for now. Well fix it up when we need it,” hed say.
A year later, they did. James felt ready to take the next stepboth had graduated, found decent jobs, and there was no reason to wait.
“Well stay at Mums a few months, then marry and move out,” hed assured her. “Six months, tops.”
At first, Emma was thrilled. It sounded perfect. But then doubt crept intheyd never lived together, and now shed be thrown straight into the deep end with her future mother-in-law. Would it ruin everything?
Nearly.
Margaret wasnt the typical monster-in-law. She promised to help with the wedding, cooked for everyone, never argued. The issue was her parenting.
She was strict with Lily, her youngestperhaps rightly. The girl was spoiled rotten, needing a firm hand. But subtlety wasnt Margarets strength.
One evening, Emma overheard a row. Margaret was checking Lilys schoolbook, finding poor marks and complaints about her behaviour.
“Oh, for heavens sake. Couldnt you even memorise a simple poem?” Margaret sighed. “Right, hand over your phone and tablet. Youll get the phone back when youve learned it, and the tablet after an A in English.”
Lily rolled her eyes.
“Take it, then. Ill just borrow James,” she snapped.
Margaret smirked. “Think youll hide behind your brother forever? Hell move out, start his own family, forget all about us.”
“Well see about that!” Lily slammed her gadgets down and stormed off.
Emma hesitated, uncomfortable. Margaret had gone too farbut who was she to criticise?
“Margaret, that seemed a bit harsh,” Emma ventured.
“She needs to learn. Life isnt all fun and games.”
That “lesson” backfired.
Lily had been distant for weeksavoiding meals, sulking. At first, Emma thought she was shy. Then came the mischief: hiding the remote during a heatwave, ruining Emmas makeup. When James put a lock on their door after Emma asked, Lily threw a fit.
“How am I meant to do my homework now?” she shrieked.
“Youll use the computer when Im here,” James said calmly.
“You never locked your things before!”
“Before, I lived alone. And you didnt go through my stuff.”
“I never did! Shes lying, your stupid Emma! I hate her!”
She locked herself in her room, sobbing. Emma didnt know what to think.
“Shes just a kid,” James shrugged.
“That kid is twelve,” Emma countered. “James, lets just rent somewhere”
“Come on, its only a few more months. Mum says well be out in four.”
Four months. To James, nothing. To Emma, an eternity.
She tried being kindbringing chocolates, asking about school. Lily took the sweets, muttered “fine,” and that was that.
Things worsened.
One morning, rushing out, Emma found her bag rifled through. Too late to checkshe was already late. At lunch, she realised her keys were gone.
She suspected Lily. Margaret confronted her, got the keys backbut the damage was done.
Then, the final straw.
The night before the wedding, chaosdecorations, calls to guests, last-minute checks. Emma opened the wardrobe to admire her dress only to find it slashed to ribbons.
She trembled, throat tight. Dragging James over, she pointed wordlessly.
“You little devil!” Margaret screamed at Lily. “I ought to tan your hide! Who paid for that dress, eh? Youll work every penny back!”
Lily was punished severelybut the dress, and Emmas patience, were beyond repair.
She refused compromisesno hired dress, no postponement. She just wanted out.
“James, get some sleep. Well sort it tomorrow,” he pleaded.
“No. Either we live separately, or not at all. Im done waiting for your mum to hand over your own flat. Done with your sister stealing my things. A relationship shouldnt feel like a battlefield.”
She packed her charger, hunted for her documents.
“Where are you going? The renovations wont take forever”
But excuses rang hollow now.
She spent the night at a friends, crying, anger still simmering. Yesterday, shed been a happy bride. Now, she didnt know where she belonged.
James called a hundred times. On the third day, she answered.
“Em, I know its awful. Were gutted. But dont throw us away. Well buy another dress, today. Just dont go.”
She hesitated. James was kind, thoughtfuljust too soft. She loved him. But
“If we marry, its on my terms.”
“Which are?”
“A private wedding. No help, no crowds. Well host a dinner later for close family only. And we rent a flat. I wont live like this.”
Silence. Harsh termsbut she wouldnt bend.
“Alright,” he finally said.
The wedding was smalljust them, a photographer, three peaceful days away. No fuss.
James family sulked, but Emma didnt care. This day wasnt for them.
At the dinner, Lily was quietperhaps scolded into submission. Not that Emma cared. She hadnt wanted a war. But if one was forced, shed defend her peacewhatever it took.
