I wake to the clatter of the front door and see my motherinlaw rummaging through my dresser.
Enough, Mum! Jamess voice bounces off every wall. Were adults, well sort it out ourselves!
Emily freezes by the cooker, a wooden spoon clenched in her hand. James has been arguing with his mother for about twenty minutes, and the fight shows no sign of ending.
Im your mother, dear! Margaret Clarke stands in the middle of the kitchen, arms crossed. And I have a right to know where youre spending your money!
Mother, Im thirtyfive, I have a wife and a child! Whats it to you how much I earn or where I put it?
Because somethings off! Yesterday I stopped by and the fridge was empty. Emily, you must have forgotten the shop again!
Emily shivers at the sound of her own name and turns to Margaret.
The fridge isnt empty, I just havent been to the market yet. I was going to go this evening, she says.
Evening, Margaret sneers. You sit at home all day and cant even buy groceries!
Im not at home, Im on maternity leave. Olivia is only eight months old!
In my day we stayed home too, but the house stayed tidy and we boiled a pot of stew for your husband every night!
James runs a hand over his face.
Mum, please. Dont start again.
Im not starting, Im telling the truth! Look at herdishevelled, in a robe all morning!
Emily feels her cheeks burn. She really is in a loose robe, hair tied in a careless knot, but after feeding Olivia, doing a load of laundry, hanging the sheets and whipping up breakfast, she barely has a minute for herself.
Mrs. Clarke, perhaps you should go home? You surely have things to do, Emily manages as calmly as she can.
My business is watching my son. I raised him alone, after all!
Enough, Mum! Get out! James grabs her elbow. Please, dont make this harder.
Margaret pulls her hand free, snatches her bag from the table.
Fine, Im leaving. But know this, JamesI see whats happening in this house, and sooner or later youll have to face it yourself!
She swings the door shut with a loud bang. James stands in the kitchen, breathing heavily.
Im sorry, Emily, he says, weary. Shes been calling since dawn, then turned up unannounced.
Its fine, Emily returns to the cooker. Im used to it.
But getting used to it feels impossible. Margaret has been inserting herself into their lives from day one of their marriage, critiquing everythinghow Emily cooks, cleans, dresses, raises Olivia. She drops by without warning, checks the fridge, peers into cupboards.
James tries to protect his wife, but he cant be harsh with his mother. Emily endures. What else can she do?
They married four years ago, having met in the accounts department of a manufacturing firm in Manchester. James was a team leader, Emily a junior accountant. He courted her with flowers and dinners out; she fell in love for the first time.
From the start, Margaret disliked her. At their first meeting she inspected Emily from head to toe and declared, Well, James has chosen a modest one. Id hoped for someone else. What that someone else was, Emily never learns.
After the wedding the nitpicking begins. Margaret arrives with inspections, finds dust in corners, a soup underseasoned, dishes left unwashed. She lectures on how a wife should love her husband, how a home ought to run.
James initially steps in, then gets used to it, waving his hand and muttering, Thats mum for you, cant help it.
But how can he ignore it when Margaret calls every day? She asks whats for dinner, what James is being fed, why he looks tired, implying hes a bad husband.
When Emily becomes pregnant, things worsen. Margaret monitors every stepwhat she eats, which vitamins she takes, how often she visits the doctor. After Olivias birth Margaret practically moves inshowing up daily, teaching how to swaddle, bottlefeed, rock.
Emily endures for James, for the family, but her strength wanes.
That night, after Olivia finally drifts asleep, Emily lies on the sofa beside James.
James, its hard, she admits. Your mother has no sense of boundaries.
I know, he hugs her shoulders. But what can I do? She lives alone, shes lonely.
You can miss someone without intruding on their life.
Were not strangers. Im his son.
Then who am I?
James sighs.
Emily, lets not fight. Im exhausted.
Emily stays silent. Hes tiredshe is too, after a day of caring for a baby, cooking, cleaning, laundry, then dealing with Margarets complaints. But James has work and stress, so he cant focus on her.
She gets up, heads to the kitchen, finishes the cold dinner, washes the dishes, checks Oliviastill sleeping peacefully, little nose twitching. She returns to the bedroom.
James is already asleep. Emily lies beside him, pulls the blanket up, closes her eyes, but sleep wont come. Thoughts of Margarets sharp words whirl through her mind, and she wonders what tomorrow will bring.
A rustle wakes her. She opens her eyes to darkness outside; the clock reads 5:30a.m. Whats that noise?
She listens. From the bedroom comes a soft shuffling, like someone leafing through papers. It cant be Oliviashes too small, still in her cot. James is still lying still.
Emily lifts herself onto her elbow. The sound comes from the dresser in the corner where she keeps underwear, documents, odds and ends.
In the dim light a figure leans over an open drawer, rummaging. Emily freezes, heart pounding.
The silhouette turns, and under the streetlamps glow filtering through the curtains, Emily recognises the faceMargaret Clarke.
Her motherinlaw is digging through her dresser at six in the morning.
Emily sits up, eyes locked on her. Her pulse races. What are you doing? she forces out.
Margaret snaps the drawer shut, a faint smile playing on her lips. Oh, youre awake. Didnt mean to startle you.
What are you doing in my dresser?
I was looking for a tissue. My nose is blocked, I thought Id blow my nose.
Those are in the kitchen, not here.
I didnt know, Margaret says, closing the drawer with a soft click. Thought Id look.
Emily steps closer, stare hard. How did you get into the flat?
I have a spare key. James gave it to me when Olivia was born, just in case.
And you decided to show up at six?
Im an early riser. Wanted to help with the baby so you could get some rest.
Help by rummaging through my things?
Margaret straightens, adopting a defensive pose. I wasnt digging! I was only looking for a tissue!
What tissue? Youre digging through my underwear!
Youre speaking to me likehow dare you?!
James stirs, opens his eyes.
Whats happening? he mumbles.
Ask your mother! Emily snaps, feeling the anger flare. Shes here at six in the morning, snooping around my things!
James sits up, rubbing his face.
Mum? What are you doing here?
I wanted to help, Margaret feigns hurt. And now youre accusing me of theft!
I never called you a thief! I asked what youre doing in my dresser!
Looking for a tissue!
What tissue?! Emily cant hold back. Do you think Im an idiot? Youve come purposely to pry through my belongings!
Olivia, in the next room, starts crying, woken by the shouting. Emily scoops her up, soothing, Shh, love, its okay.
The argument continues in the bedroom. James asks his mother why she was in the dresser, she insists she was only looking, he looks bewildered.
Emily returns, daughter in arms, James, Im not making this up. I woke up and saw you going through my things.
Margaret sits on the edge of the bed, I was really looking for a tissue. I thought theyd be on the nightstand.
The drawer held my underwear! Emily protests. Where do tissues belong?
In the dark I couldnt see! Margaret retorts.
Enough! James raises his voice. Both of you, shut up! Olivia cries louder.
James steps between them. Mum, calm down. Emily, you too. Shes only trying to help.
Its not help when she bursts in at dawn and rummages through my personal stuff!
She has the key for emergencies, not for spying!
Stop! Im leaving, James declares, grabbing his coat. Ill speak to my mother.
Emily watches him go, clutching Olivia, wondering why he believes his mother over her.
Later that night, after James returns, he says he talked to Margaret. She insists she was looking for tissues, didnt see the underwear, didnt mean any harm.
Emily asks him directly, Do you think Im lying?
James sighs, I just want peace.
Emily decides she will change the lock. She knows Margaret has the spare key.
The next morning, she quietly checks the dresser, everything is where it should be. No items are missing, but the feeling of violation lingers. She calls her own mother for advice.
Emily, you have a right to your space, her mother says. Maybe change the lock, or ask James to set boundaries.
Emily worries James will object, but she knows she must protect herself.
That evening, after feeding Olivia, Emily sits opposite James at the table.
James, we need to talk about your mother.
He looks up from his phone.
What about her?
About what happened this morning. She was in my dresser.
James sighs, Weve talked about this before.
No, we havent. You brushed it off.
James rubs his eyes, She was trying to help, I think.
James, it wasnt help. It was an invasion.
He pauses, Alright, Ill speak to her again.
The next day, Margaret calls, apologises, says shell return the key and wont come over without asking first.
Emily accepts the apology, but keeps the new lock.
Over time, Margaret respects the boundaries, visits only when invited, helps with Olivia in a proper way, and the tension eases. James now sees both women as important, and Emily finally feels her personal space is respected.
The episode with the dresser teaches her that standing up for her boundaries, even when it hurts, is necessary to keep herself and her family intact.
