I wake to the clatter of the front door and see my motherinlaw rummaging through my bedroom chest.
Mum, thats enough! Daniels voice rings through the whole flat. Were adults, we can sort this out ourselves!
Anne freezes by the cooker, ladle clenched in her hand. Daniel has been arguing with his mother for about twenty minutes, and theres no sign of an end.
Im your mother! Margaret Smith stands in the middle of the kitchen, arms crossed over her chest. And I have every right to know where youre spending your money!
Mum, Im thirtyfive, I have a wife and a child! What business is it of yours how much I earn or where I put it?
Because I see somethings off! Yesterday I came over and the fridge was empty! Anne must have forgotten to go to the supermarket again!
Anne shivers at hearing her own name. She turns to her motherinlaw.
Margaret, the fridge isnt empty. I just havent gotten to the market yet; I was planning to go this evening.
This evening, Margaret scoffs. You sit at home all day yet you cant manage to buy basic groceries!
Im not staying at home; Im on maternity leave! Lily is only eight months old!
In my day we also stayed at home, but we kept the house in order! And we made a stew for the husband every day!
Daniel runs a hand over his face.
Mum, please. Dont start this again.
Im not starting anything, Im telling the truth! Look at her dishevelled, in a dressing gown all morning!
Anne feels her cheeks flush. She really is in a worn dressing gown, hair in a careless ponytail. But who could blame her? She fed the baby, washed the laundry, hung the sheets, cooked breakfast theres no time left for herself.
Margaret, perhaps you should go home? she says as calmly as she can. You must have things to do.
I have one thing looking after my son! I didnt raise him any other way!
Mum, thats enough, go! Daniel grabs Margaret by the elbow. Please, dont make this any harder.
Margaret jerks free, snatches her handbag from the table.
Fine, Im leaving! But know this, Daniel: I see whats happening in this house, and sooner or later youll have to deal with it yourself!
She storms out, slamming the door loudly. Daniel stands in the kitchen, breathing heavily.
Sorry, Anne, he says wearily. She kept ringing from the morning and then turned up unannounced.
Its all right, Anne returns to the cooker. Im used to it.
But getting used to it feels impossible. Margaret has been meddling since the day they got married. She criticises everything how Anne cooks, cleans, dresses, raises Lily. She turns up without warning, checks the fridge, peeks into wardrobes.
Daniel tries to defend his wife, but weakly. He cant snap at his own mother. And Anne endures. What else can she do?
Theyve been married four years. They met at work, in the accounts department of a manufacturing plant. Daniel was a department manager, Anne a junior accountant. He courted her with flowers, took her to restaurants. She fell in love for the first time in her life.
Margaret disliked her from the start. At their first meeting she examined Anne from head to toe and said, Well, Daniel has chosen a modest girl. I expected someone else. What that someone else was, Anne never learned.
After the wedding the nitpicking began. Margaret would arrive with inspections, find dust in corners, underseasoned soup, dishes left dirty. She lectured them on how a wife should love her husband, how a home should be run.
At first Daniel would intervene. Then he grew accustomed, waving his hand and saying, Its just mum, cant help it, ignore it.
But how can you ignore it when the motherinlaw calls every day? She asks whats for dinner, what Daniel is feeding him, why he looks tired, hinting that Anne is a bad wife who doesnt look after her husband.
When Anne got pregnant, things got worse. Margaret monitored every step what she ate, which vitamins she took, how often she saw the doctor. After Lily was born, Margaret practically moved in coming every day to show how to swaddle, bottlefeed, rock.
Anne endured it for Daniels sake, for the family, but she was running out of strength.
That night, when Lily finally falls asleep, Anne lies on the sofa beside Daniel.
Dan, its hard, she confesses. Your mother has no sense of boundaries.
I know, he puts his arms around her shoulders. But what can I do? She lives alone, shes lonely.
She can be lonely without barging into our lives.
Were not strangers to her. Im her son.
And who am I?
Daniel sighs.
Anne, lets not fight. Im exhausted.
Anne stays silent. Hes tired. And she? Shes spent the whole day with a baby, cooking, cleaning, laundry, then dealing with Margarets complaints. But Daniel cant focus on any of that; he has work, stress.
She gets up, goes to the kitchen, finishes the cold dinner, washes the dishes, checks Lily shes sleeping peacefully, snoring softly. She returns to the bedroom.
Daniel is already asleep. Anne lies down beside him, pulls the blanket up, closes her eyes, but sleep wont come. Her mind replays Margarets sharp words, the certainty that shell return tomorrow.
She awakes to a rustle. She opens her eyes its still dark outside. The clock reads half past five in the morning.
She listens. From the bedroom comes a faint shuffling, like someone rifling through papers. Lily? No, the baby is still in the cot, too young to be up. Daniel? Hes still lying there, unmoving.
Anne lifts herself on her elbow. The noise comes from the chest in the corner of the bedroom, where she keeps her underwear, documents, assorted knickknacks.
She peers into the gloom. A figure is hunched over an open drawer, moving items.
Anne freezes, eyes wide. Who is that? How did they get in?
The figure turns, and in the glow of the streetlight slipping through the curtains, Anne recognises Margaret Smith.
Her motherinlaw is digging through her chest at six in the morning, in their bedroom.
Anne sits, not taking her eyes off Margaret. Her heart pounds. Whats happening? What is she doing?
Margaret pulls something from the drawer, holds it up to the light, examines it, then puts it back and reaches deeper.
Margaret? Anne forces herself to speak. What are you doing?
Margaret snaps around. For a split second fear flashes in her eyes, then she regains a calm veneer.
Oh, youre awake, she says as if nothings wrong. Didnt mean to wake you.
What are you doing in my chest? Anne stands, voice shaking.
I was looking for napkins. My nose is stuffed, I wanted to blow my nose.
The napkins are in the kitchen. There arent any in the bedroom.
I didnt know that, Margaret snaps the drawer shut. I just thought Id look.
Anne steps closer, staring straight at her.
How did you even get into the flat?
Daniel gave me a spare key when Lily was born, just in case.
And you decided to turn up at six a.m.?
Im an early riser. I thought Id help with the granddaughter so you could get some rest.
Help by rummaging through my things?
Margaret straightens, taking a defensive stance.
I wasnt rummaging! I was looking for napkins!
Which napkins? You were rummaging through my underwear!
How dare you speak to me like that?
Daniel stirs, opens his eyes.
Whats going on? he murmurs groggily.
Ask your mother! Anne says, anger bubbling. Shes in my chest at six in the morning, digging through my stuff!
Daniel sits up, rubs his eyes.
Mum? What are you doing here?
I wanted to help, Margaret pouts, playing the offended party. And now youre accusing me of theft!
I never called you a thief! I asked what you were doing in my chest!
Looking for napkins!
Which napkins?! Anne cant hold back. Do you think Im an idiot? You came here just to snoop through my belongings!
Lily, in the next room, starts to cry, woken by the shouting. Anne scoops her up, soothing her.
Shh, sweetheart, its okay, she whispers, rocking Lily.
The argument continues in the bedroom. Daniel asks his mother why shes digging, she insists shes not. Anne repeats that she saw her pulling out her underwear. Margaret claims she simply couldnt see in the dark.
Anne returns to the bedroom with Lily in her arms.
Daniel, Im not making this up. I woke up and saw your mother rifling through my chest. Thats the truth.
Anne, youre exaggerating, Margaret says, sitting on the edge of the bed. I really was looking for napkins. I went into the bedroom thinking they might be on the nightstand. I didnt find them, opened the drawer. Thats all.
The drawer holds my underwear! Anne cant believe Margaret is still lying. What do napkins have to do with that?
I didnt see clearly!
Youre lying! You came here to snoop! What were you after?
Margaret jumps up.
Nothing! Youre just being rude!
Mum, calm down, Daniel steps between them. Anne, you too. Lily is crying, youre scaring her.
Im not scaring anyone! Its your mother whos invading our home at dawn!
I didnt break in, I have a key!
A key for emergencies, not for spying!
Im not spying!
Enough! Daniel raises his voice. Both of you, shut up!
Lilys wails grow louder. Anne clutches her tighter and leaves the bedroom, heading to the kitchen to finish the bottle.
What was that about? Did Margaret really snoop? What was she looking for?
Daniel walks into the kitchen while Anne feeds Lily.
Anne, shes left.
Good.
She really wanted to help.
Anne looks up at him.
Do you really believe the napkin story?
What am I supposed to think? Maybe she actually was looking for them.
Daniel, my underwear is in that chest! Not napkins!
Well, maybe she just didnt recognise it in the dark.
It wasnt dark; dawn was already breaking!
Daniel pours himself a glass of water, drinks.
Anne, lets not make a mountain out of a molehill. She probably just
She broke into our flat at sunrise and rummaged through my personal things? Thats normal?
She didnt break in; she has a key.
Then take the key away!
Why? What if something happens and we need her?
Daniel, your mother is crossing my boundaries! Our boundaries!
Youre overreacting.
Anne feels the world tilt. He refuses to believe her, defending his mother instead of her.
Fine, she says quietly. Im overreacting.
Great, Daniel sighs with relief. Lets forget it.
He grabs his coat and heads out for work. Anne stays on the sofa with Lily, feeling tears rise but not falling.
The whole day passes in a haze. She goes through the motions: feeding Lily, playing, making lunch, thinking about the mornings intrusion.
What was Margaret looking for? Money? She never keeps cash at home, only a few coins. Documents? Those are in another drawer.
That evening, Lily finally sleeps. Anne thoroughly checks the chest, rummaging through every compartment. Everything appears where it should; nothing is missing. Yet the violation lingers, humiliating and frightening at once.
She calls her own mother.
Mum, this isnt right, her mother says. You need to put your motherinlaw in her place.
How? Daniel always sides with her.
Then have a serious talk with Daniel. Explain that this isnt acceptable.
I tried. He says Im making it up.
Maybe change the lock? So her key wont work.
Anne thinks the idea is good, but Daniel will probably balk, saying its excessive and that she might need him in an emergency.
Im scared itll turn into a huge fight, she admits.
No, its not a fight. You have a right to personal space. No one should rummage through your things without permission.
I know, but Daniel doesnt get it.
Then make him understand.
After talking with her mother, Anne decides to act. She waits for Daniel to return from work, serves him dinner, then sits opposite him.
Daniel, we need to talk.
About what? he scrolls his phone.
About your mother. About what happened this morning.
Daniel puts his phone down, sighs.
Anne, weve already been over this.
No, we havent. You just brushed it off.
Whats the problem? Mum came to help
Daniel, stop! Anne slams her hand on the table. She didnt help! She was digging through my chest!
Youre not sure.
I saw it with my own eyes!
Maybe it was a dream, halfasleep.
It wasnt a dream! I woke up, saw her pulling out my underwear!
Daniel rubs his face, looking exhausted.
Alright, suppose she really opened the drawer. Maybe she genuinely was looking for napkins.
In the underwear drawer? Seriously?
Maybe she just didnt see.
Daniel, youre defending her while Im fighting for my own privacy! Is that normal?
Shes been here before, during the day, when we knew. Not sneaking in at dawn!
Daniel stands.
Thats enough, Anne. Im tired of these arguments. Mum wants to help, youre making a scene. Lets end this.
No, I want you to take her key away!
What?
Take the key from my motherinlaw. Let her come only when were home, by agreement.
Youre joking?
Im not.
Daniel laughs, a nervous chuckle.
Anne, shes my mother. She should have access to her grandchild.
Shell have access only when we let her.
Thats absurd. I wont take the key.
Then Ill change the lock.
Silence hangs. Daniel stares at his wife, unable to process.
Youll change the lock? To stop my mother from entering?
To stop her from entering without permission.
Do you understand what youre saying?
Perfectly. I have a right to my own space, to keep my things untouched unless I say so.
She didnt touch my things!
She did! I saw it!
Daniel grabs his coat.
Im going. Well talk when youve cooled down.
Where are you going?
To my mother. Ill explain what really happened.
Ask her why she was in my chest!
Daniel slams the door. Anne collapses on the sofa, head in her hands, wondering whats become of her life. Why does her husband trust his mother more than his wife?
Daniel returns late, around eleven. Anne is already in bed, eyes open but not sleeping.
So? he asks as he steps into the bedroom.
He talked to her.
And?
She said she really was looking for napkins, didnt find any in the kitchen, thought they might be on the nightstand, opened the top drawer of the chest. You woke up and caused a scene.
Daniel, shes lying.
Why would my mother lie?
Because she doesnt want to admit she was spying on me!
Why would she spy?
I dont know. Maybe she thinks Im hiding something from her.
Daniel sits on the bed.
Hiding?
Anne freezes, the accusation hanging in the air.
Are you serious?
You said it yourself
I only said you might think Id think that!
Then why are you so on edge?
Because my privacy was invaded! Because a stranger went through my personal things!
My mother isnt a stranger.
To me she is. Shes not my family.
Daniel stands.
I see. SoShe finally changed the lock, and from that day onward Daniel learned to respect Annes boundaries, keeping peace in their home.
