I woke up to a racket and saw my motherinlaw rummaging through my chest of drawers.
Emily, enough already! Jamess voice boomed through the flat. Were adults, well sort it ourselves!
Emily froze by the stove, a ladle clenched in her hand. James had been arguing with his mum for about twenty minutes, and there seemed to be no end in sight.
Im your mother! Margaret stood in the centre of the kitchen, arms crossed over her chest. And I have a right to know where youre spending your money!
Ma, Im thirtyfive, I have a wife and a child! Whats it to you how much I earn or where I put it?
Because Im seeing something wrong! Yesterday I came over and the fridge was empty. Emily, you mustnt have gone shopping again!
Emilys stomach dropped at the sound of her name. She turned to the motherinlaw.
Margaret, the fridge isnt empty. I just havent had time to hit the market yet I was planning to go this evening.
Its evening now, Margaret snorted dismissively. You sit at home all day and cant even buy basic groceries!
Im not at home, Im on maternity leave! Lucy is only eight months old!
Back in my day we stayed at home too, but we kept the house tidy! We made borscht for the husband every day!
James ran a hand over his face.
Mum, please. Dont start again.
Im not starting, Im telling the truth! Look at her disheveled, in a dressing gown all morning!
Emily felt her cheeks flush. She was indeed in a bathrobe, hair in a messy ponytail, but wasnt that just the life of a new mum? Shed fed the baby, washed the dishes, hung up the laundry, made breakfast there was no time left for herself.
Margaret, maybe its time you went home? she said as calmly as she could. You must have things to do.
My thing is to watch my son! I didnt raise him any other way!
Enough, Mum, go! James grabbed her elbow. Please, dont make this harder.
Margaret snapped her wrist free and snatched her bag from the table.
Fine, Im leaving! But know this, James I see whats going on in this house, and sooner or later youll have to deal with it yourself!
She slammed the door shut. James stood in the middle of the kitchen, breathing heavily.
Sorry, Em, he said, exhausted. Shes been ringing me since dawn, then turned up unannounced.
Its fine, Emily went back to the stove. Im used to it.
But getting used to it felt impossible. Margaret had been meddling since the day they got married. She critiqued everything how Emily cooked, cleaned, dressed, raised Lucy. She turned up without warning, checked the fridge, peeked into cupboards.
James tried to defend his wife, but he was a son. He couldnt be harsh with his mum. Emily endured. What else could she do?
Theyd been married four years. Theyd met at work, in the accounts department of a factory. James was the department head, Emily a junior accountant. He courted her with flowers, took her out to nice restaurants. She fell in love truly, for the first time.
Margaret never liked her from the start. At their first meeting she inspected Emily from head to toe and said, Well, James chose a quiet one. Id hoped for someone else. What that someone else was, Emily never found out.
After the wedding the nitpicking began. Margaret would drop by for inspections, find dust in corners, underseasoned soup, dishes left unwashed. Shed lecture about how to love a husband, how to run a home.
James initially stepped in. Then he got used to it. Hed wave his hand and say, Cant help it, mums like that, just ignore it.
But how do you ignore it when she calls every day? What are you making for dinner? What are you feeding my husband? Why does he look tired? Shed insinuate that Emily was a bad wife, not caring for her man.
When Emily got pregnant, things got worse. Margaret controlled every step what she ate, which vitamins she took, how often she went to the doctor. After Lucy was born, Margaret practically moved in showing up daily, teaching how to swaddle, feed, rock.
Emily put up with it for James, for the family. But she was running on fumes.
One night, after Lucy finally fell asleep, Emily curled up on the sofa with James.
James, this is getting unbearable, she admitted. Your mum has no sense of boundaries.
I know, he hugged her. But what can we do? She lives alone, shes lonely.
She can be lonely without barging into other peoples lives.
Were family. Im her son.
And I am what?
James sighed.
Emily, lets not fight. Im exhausted.
Emily stayed quiet. He was tired she was too, after a full day with a baby, cooking, cleaning, laundry, then dealing with the mums complaints. But James had work, stress, and he couldnt give it the attention she needed.
She got up, went to the kitchen, finished her cold dinner, washed the dishes, checked Lucy still sleeping peacefully, little nose twitching. She returned to the bedroom.
James was already asleep. Emily lay down, pulled the blanket over herself, closed her eyes, but sleep wouldnt come. Her mind replayed Margarets harsh words, wondered what tomorrow would bring.
She woke up to a rustle. The room was still dark. Half past five in the morning. What was that noise?
She listened. From the bedroom came a soft shuffling, like someone rifling through papers. Lucy? No, she was too little, still in her cot. James? He was lying still.
Emily propped herself up on her elbow. The sound came from the chest of drawers in the corner. Thats where she kept her underwear, documents, little bits and pieces.
She squinted in the dim light. A figure was hunched over the open drawer, rummaging through her things.
Emily froze, eyes wide. Who was that? How did they get in?
The figure turned, and in the glow of the streetlamp filtering through the curtains she saw the familiar face Margaret.
Her motherinlaw was digging through her chest of drawers at six in the morning, in their bedroom.
Emily sat up, not taking her eyes off Margaret. Her heart hammered. What was happening?
Margaret? Emily forced herself to speak. What are you doing?
Margaret snapped around. For a split second fear flashed in her eyes, then she composed herself.
Oh, youre awake, she said as if nothing was wrong. Didnt mean to wake you.
What are you doing in my drawer? Emily got out of bed.
I was looking for some tissues. My nose was stuffed, wanted to blow it.
Tissues are in the kitchen, not in the bedroom.
I didnt know that, Margaret shut the drawer abruptly. Thought Id look.
Emily stepped closer, stared straight at her.
How did you even get into the flat?
I have a set of keys. James gave them to me when Lucy was born, just in case.
And you thought six in the morning was a good time to use them?
I get up early. Wanted to help with the baby so you could get some rest.
Help by rummaging through my underwear?
Margaret straightened, taking on a defensive posture.
I wasnt digging! I was just looking for tissues!
What tissues? Youre going through my laundry!
James stirred, opened his eyes.
Whats going on? he mumbled.
Ask your mother! Emily snapped, feeling the heat rise. Shes in my drawer at six in the morning, going through my stuff!
James sat up, rubbing his face.
Mum? What are you doing here?
I came to help, Margaret pouted. And now Im being accused of theft!
I never called you a thief! I asked what you were doing in my drawer!
I was looking for tissues!
What tissues?! Are you serious? Emily was losing it. You think Im an idiot? You came here just to snoop around my things!
Lucy in the next room started crying, woken by the shouting. Emily scooped her up, soothing her. Shh, sweetheart, its okay.
The argument carried on in the bedroom. James kept asking his mum why she was in the drawer, she kept saying she was only looking for something. Emily kept hearing fragments:
Mum, I really just stopped in to help
Why the drawer, mum?
I didnt shes making it up!
Emily went back to the bedroom with Lucy.
James, Im not making this up. I woke up and saw your mother rummaging through my chest of drawers. Thats the truth.
Margaret, perched on the edge of the bed, tried to defend herself. I was really looking for tissues. I went into the bedroom, thought they might be on the nightstand. Didnt find them, opened the drawer. Thats all.
My underwear is in that drawer! What does that have to do with tissues?
I couldnt see in the dark!
Youre lying! You came here on purpose to search my things! What were you looking for?
Margaret leapt up. Nothing! Youre just being rude, thats all.
Mom, calm down, James stepped between them. Emily, you too. Lucys crying, youre scaring her.
Its your mother whos scaring us, barging in at six!
I didnt break in, I have the keys!
Keys for emergencies, not for spying!
Im not spying!
Enough! James raised his voice. Both of you, shut up!
Lucys wail grew louder. Emily clutched her, left the bedroom, went to the kitchen, finished her cold dinner, washed the dishes, checked Lucy again she was finally calm.
What had just happened? Margaret really had been digging through her things. Why? What was she looking for?
James came into the kitchen while Emily was feeding Lucy.
Emily, Mums gone.
Okay.
She really meant to help.
Emily looked up at him.
Do you really believe this tissues story?
What do you think? Maybe she really was looking for something.
James, the drawer had my underwear! Not tissues!
Maybe she just didnt see well in the dark.
It wasnt dark, it was already dawn!
James poured himself a glass of water, took a sip.
Emily, lets not make a mountain out of a molehill. Mum just
What just? Breaking into our flat at sunrise and rifling through my personal stuff? Is that normal?
She didnt break in, she has a key.
Then take the key away!
Why? In case something happens, we might need it
James, your mother is crossing my boundaries! Our boundaries!
Youre exaggerating.
Emily felt everything collapse. He didnt believe her, he defended his mum over his wife.
Fine, she whispered. Im exaggerating.
Great, James sighed, relieved. Lets forget about it.
He left to get ready for work. Emily stayed on the sofa, holding Lucy, looking out the window. She wanted to cry but tears wouldnt come.
The whole day she moved through it like a fog, doing the usual chores mechanically. Feeding Lucy, playing with her, making lunch, all the while replaying the mornings intrusion.
What had her motherinlaw been looking for? Money? She didnt keep cash at home, only a few coins. Documents? Those were in a different drawer.
That evening, after Lucy had finally fallen asleep, Emily gave the chest of drawers a thorough onceover, checking every item. Everything seemed in place. Nothing was missing, but the feeling of her space being violated lingered.
She called her own mum.
Darling, thats not right, her mother said. You need to put your motherinlaw in her place.
How? James keeps defending her.
Then have a serious talk with James. Explain that its not acceptable.
I tried. He thinks Im making it up.
Maybe change the lock? So her key wont work?
Emily thought about it. James probably wouldnt agree; hed say it was overkill, that his mum might need to get in in an emergency.
I dont know, Mum. Im scared itll turn into a huge fight.
Nows not the time to stay quiet. You have a right to your own space, your own privacy. No one should be rummaging through your things without permission.
I know, but James doesnt get it.
Make him understand.
After the call, Emily decided to act. She waited for James to come home, fed him dinner, then sat down opposite him.
James, we need to talk.
What about? he glanced at his phone.
About your mum. About what happened this morning.
James put the phone down, sighed.
Emily, weve already talked about this.
No, we havent. You just brushed it off.
What problem? Mum stopped by to help
James, stop! She didnt help! She was rummaging through my things!
Youre not sure what really happened.
I saw it with my own eyes! In the dark, halfasleep. She was in my drawer, going through my underwear!
James rubbed his face.
Alright, suppose she did open the drawer. Maybe she was really looking for tissues.
In the underwear drawer? Seriously?
Maybe.
Youre defending her, not me.
Im not defending. I just dont see why youre blowing this up.
Because its an invasion of my personal space! Your mum turned up at dawn, sneaked into our bedroom, and went through my stuff! Is that okay?
Shes come before, during the day, when we knew! Not tiptoeing in at sunrise!
James stood up.
Thats enough, Emily. Im tired of these fights. Mum was trying to help, you made a scene. Lets end this.
No, Im not ending it. I want you to take her key away.
What?
Take the key from my motherinlaw. Let her come only when were home, by arrangement.
Youre joking?
No.
James laughed, shaking his head.
Emily, shes my mum. She should be able to see her granddaughter.
Shell see her only when we let her.
Thats nonsense. I wont take away her key.
Then Ill change the lock.
Silence fell. James stared at his wife, disbelief on his face.
Youre going to change the lock? So my mum cant get in?
Yes, so she cant enter without permission.
What are you saying?
This isnt about me. Its about my right to privacy. My things shouldnt be touched without me knowing.
James hesitated, then stood up, heading to the bathroom. Emily sat on the sofa, hugging Lucy, feeling the world tilt.
James came back late, around eleven. Emily was already in bed, eyes wide open.
So, did you talk to her? she asked.
Yes.
And?
She said you misunderstood. She really was looking for tissues, didnt find them in the kitchen, thought they might be on the nightstand, opened the top drawer of the chest. You woke up and made a scene.
James, shes lying.
Why would my mum 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 son!
James sat on the bed.
Are you hiding anything? he asked.
Emily froze. The hint of suspicion in his voice was deafening.
What? Youre serious?
She had said, Youd think Id be keeping something from you!
Because you said it yourself
Then why are you so nervous?
Because my space was violated. She went into my personal life and you defended her.
Shes not a stranger.
Shes a stranger to me!
James got up, grabbed his coat.
Fine, Im going. Well talk when youve cooled down.
Where are you going?
To my mum. Ill ask her what really happened.
Ask her why she was in my drawer!
James slammed the door. Emily stayed alone, head in her hands, wondering what had become of her life. Why did her husband believe his mum over his wife?
James returned late, around midnight. Emily lay in bed, eyes heavy but not sleeping.
So, how did it go? she asked as he entered.
He said you got it all wrong. She really was looking for tissues, didnt see them, opened the drawerThey finally agreed to lock the drawer, respect each other’s space, and let love, not meddling, guide their family forward.
