“We’ll see about that,” snapped Emily.
“No! As long as were stuck in this madhouse with your mum and Lily, therell be no wedding!”
“Em, love, dont be so hasty,” sighed Thomas. “We could rent the dresstheres still time. Or postpone it if you want. We can sort this out calmly.”
“You dont get it,” Emily folded her arms. “Its not about the dress. Its about living in a warzone. Your sisters old enough to know better, but shes still spoilt rotten. And honestly? Your mums to blame for most of it.”
Thomas didnt like her tone, though he couldnt deny there was truth in it. At some point, Margaret haddeliberately or notturned Lily against Emily.
Theyd met at university. Their relationship had moved slowly, neither having their own place. Thomas lived with his family, claiming it was “for convenience.”
“Ive got Grans old flat,” hed say. “Mums renting it out for now, but well fix it up when we need it.”
A year later, they needed it. Thomas thought it was time to take the next stepboth had degrees and jobs now.
“Well stay at Mums a few months, then marry and move,” hed planned aloud. “Six months tops, and well have our own place.”
At first, Emily was thrilled. It sounded serious. Then doubt crept in: theyd never lived together, and shed be stepping straight into the lions den with her future mother-in-law. Would it ruin them?
Almost.
Margaret wasnt the stereotypical monster-in-law. She cooked for everyone, offered to help with the wedding, never nagged. The problem was her parenting.
Lily, the younger sister, was spoilt but needed patiencewhich Margaret lacked. One evening, Emily overheard them arguing over Lilys school report.
“Honestly, is memorising a poem *that* hard?” Margaret sighed. “Hand over your phone and tablet. No gadgets till your grades improve.”
Lily rolled her eyes. “Fine. Ill just borrow Thomass.”
Margaret smirked. “Think hell always bail you out? Hell have his own family soonyoull be yesterdays news.”
“Well see!” Lily slammed her door.
Emily hesitated. “Margaret, that was a bit harsh…”
“She needs to learn. Life isnt all sunshine.”
That “lesson” backfired.
Lily had been avoiding Emily for weeksskipping meals, hiding the TV remote in a heatwave, tampering with Emilys makeup. When Thomas installed a lock on their door, Lily shrieked, “How am I supposed to do my homework?”
“Do it where I can see you,” Thomas said. “You didnt go through my things before.”
“Liar! I hate your stupid Emily!”
Emily tried bridging the gapbringing chocolates, asking about school. Lily just muttered, “Fine,” snatched the sweets, and left.
Then Emilys keys vanished from her bag. She whispered her suspicions to Margaret, who retrieved them, but the damage was done.
The final straw came the night before the wedding. Emily opened the wardrobeher dress was slashed to ribbons.
She dragged Thomas to see it. Margaret erupted. “You little brat! Ill make you work every penny back!”
Lily got the scolding of her life, but the dressand Emilys patiencewere ruined.
“Im done,” Emily said, packing her documents. “We live separately, or not at all. Im tired of waiting for *your* flat, *your* mums permission, your sisters tantrums. Im not even your wife yet, and Im exhausted.”
That night, she stayed with a friend, crying but resolute.
Thomas called a hundred times. On the third day, she answered.
“Em, I know its awful. But lets not throw it all away. We’ll buy another dress, today. Just come home.”
She hesitated. Thomas was kind, thoughtfuljust too soft. She loved him. But
“If we marry, its on my terms. No family ‘help.’ Just us. And we rent our own place. No more guarding my things.”
Silence. Then: “Alright.”
They married quietlyjust paperwork, photos, three days alone in the countryside. No fuss.
Thomass family sulked, but Emily didnt care. This was *their* day.
At the reception, Lily stayed quietlikely scolded into submission. Emily didnt call it victory. She hadnt wanted a war. But if boundaries were the price of peace, so be it.
Maybe Lily was just a child. Maybe Margaret meant well. But some doors were better left closed.
