*Diary Entry*
**”Well See About That”**
“No! As long as were living in this madhouse with your mother and Lily, there wont be any wedding!”
“Katie, theres no need to be so blunt. We could rent the dresswe still have time. Or postpone it if youd prefer. Theres always a way to sort things out calmly,” Daniel sighed.
“You dont understand,” Katie crossed her arms. “Its not about the dress. Its about feeling like Im at war here. Your sisters a grown girl with the sense of a child. And honestly, Margaret is the real problem.”
Daniel didnt appreciate the harsh words, though deep down, he knew Katie wasnt entirely wrong. Margaret had, whether intentionally or not, turned his sister against his future wife long ago.
Katie and Daniel had met at university. Their relationship moved slowly because neither had their own place back then. Daniel still lived with his family, insisting it was “for convenience.”
“Ive got a flat from my grandmother,” hed say. “Mums renting it out for now, but well fix it up when we need it.”
A year later, they did. Daniel felt it was time to take the next step. Both had graduated and found work, so there was no reason to wait.
“Well stay with Mum for a bit, then marry and move out,” hed say. “Six months at most, and well have our own place.”
At first, Katie was thrilled. It sounded promising. But then doubt crept intheyd never lived together before, and now shed be on the front lines with her future mother-in-law. Would it ruin everything?
Almost.
Margaret wasnt the stereotypical monster-in-law. She cooked for everyone, even promised to help with the wedding. She never made demands. The problem was her *approach*.
Lily, her younger daughter, was spoiled rotten. Margarets discipline was heavy-handednecessary, perhaps, but hardly delicate.
One evening, Katie overheard an argument while making tea. Margaret had found poor marks in Lilys schoolbook.
“Again? Was it so hard to memorise a poem?” Margaret sighed. “Hand over your phone and tablet. Youll get them back when your grades improve.”
Lily rolled her eyes.
“Fine. Ill just borrow Daniels.”
“You think hell always be your shield?” Margaret scoffed. “Hell marry, have his own children, and forget about us.”
“**Well see about that!**” Lily snapped, slammed her gadgets on the table, and stormed off.
The door banged shut. Katie hesitated, uneasy. She knew Margaret had gone too far, but correcting her felt awkward.
“Margaret isnt that a bit harsh?” Katie ventured.
“Why? She needs to learn. Life isnt all fun and games.”
That “lesson” backfired.
Lily had always kept her distance, avoiding meals, hiding the TV remote in summer heat, even ruining Katies makeup. When Daniel installed a lock on their door, Lily erupted.
“How am I supposed to do my schoolwork without my laptop?” she shrieked.
“Youll use it under supervision,” Daniel said firmly.
“You never locked me out before!”
“Before, I lived alone. And you never went through my things.”
“Liar! I hate your stupid Katie!”
She sobbed in her room all night. Katie was at a lossdisgusted by the girls behaviour but unwilling to escalate.
“Shes just a kid,” Daniel shrugged.
“That kid is twelve. Dan, cant we just rent a place?”
“Come on, its only a few more months.”
For him, it was nothing. For Katie, an eternity.
She tried being kindbringing chocolates, asking about school. Lily took the sweets and muttered, “Fine.” Nothing changed. It only worsened.
One morning, Katies keys vanished from her bag. She suspected Lily. Margaret interrogated her and returned them, but the damage was done.
Then came the final straw.
On the wedding eve, chaos reigneddecorations, calls to guests, last-minute checks. That night, Katie opened her wardrobe to admire her dressonly to find it shredded.
Her hands shook. She dragged Daniel to see the ruin.
“You little brat!” Margaret screamed at Lily. “I ought to tan your hide! Youll pay for this!”
Lily was punished, but the dressand Katies nerveswere beyond repair.
Compromise was impossible. No rented dress, no postponement. She refused to endure another second in that house.
“Dan, we live separately, or not at all,” she said, packing her things. “Im tired of waiting for your mother to hand over *your* flat. Tired of your sister stealing from me. Relationships take work, but not like this.”
She left, cried at a friends, ignored his callsuntil the third day.
“Katie, I know its awful. But dont throw us away. Well buy another dress, today. Just come back.”
She hesitated. Daniel was kind, considerate. She loved him. But
“Only on my terms. A private weddingjust us. And we rent a flat. No more stolen keys, no more games.”
Silence. Then: “Alright.”
They married quietly, took photos, escaped to the countryside for three blissful days. No fuss, no family drama.
Daniels relatives were hurt. Katie didnt care. This was *their* day.
At the reception, Lily was icily politeperhaps after a scolding. Katie didnt call it a victory. She never wanted a war. But if one was forced on her? Well, shed guard her peace fiercely.
Lily might just be a child. Margaret might mean well. But some doors were better left closed.
