Broken With My Mother In Law

“Well, she’s all alone. I’m all she has, the two of us are all she has, well. Just please for me. try to get along with her in the future and please avoid making her mad.” What else can I do? Donald is comforting me with a gentle touch of him. I can’t say no to him and besides his right. 

“Excuse me, I’m Dr. Chamberlain, a resident psychiatrist, and you’re Ms. Field’s son? Am I right?” Just then a man in a white coat claiming to be a psychiatrist came over and he said to Donald.

“Yes Dr. Chamberlain,” Donald looked at the side of the doctor and responded.

“Can we talk in private? I have some important matters to discuss with you.” The doctor wants to talk to Donald alone. He was motioning him to follow him to the office but Donald’s response made me happy.

“Actually, this is my fiancée. We are getting married soon. And whatever you want to talk about can be heard by her. We can talk here. Is that all right?” I’m glad Donald didn’t agree to the doctor’s request and leave me alone here.

The doctor motioned us to follow him in the corridor where we can have a chat.

“Oh, I just finished interviewing your mother, and I’m a little worried that she’s probably on the verge of a nervous breakdown. I see her at least twice a week in our previous sessions, and also, I’ve prescribed some anti-anxiety pills for her to relax if she starts to feel sick, does she live alone?” Well, her today’s behavior did go a little too far, causing her anxiety attack I thought to myself as I listened to the doctor’s explanation.

“Yes. She lives alone now.” His mother has been living alone for a while now.

“Oh, I thought that too, but I need clarification. Please let relatives or friends take care of her, I mean with those closest to her I think she will have less panic attacks and maybe by that her attacks can be cured. Don’t worry it will last just until we are sure that she is safe and that she will not have any attacks in the future.”  They have some relatives, but they don’t want to pass the responsibility to them.. anxiety is not easy to deal with, so we need to take good care of her and have a lot of patients.

“Well, thank you, Doctor. I will certainly ask for someone to take care of her. but for now, I will be the one to take care of my mother.” Donald thanked the doctor, who just left.

“Oh, my God, I have to go to the medical conference. What should I do?” Donald can’t take care of his mother.

“You know what? Don’t… don’t worry, I’ll take care of her. I promise. Just go for now. I know that conference was important.” He kissed my forehead before he left and went to his job. 

I offered to take care of her mother, in order to make him feel at ease.

“Thank you, let’s go.” Donald looked at me with gratitude and smiled, then took my hand and walked forward. I was just going to send him off outside the hospital but instead of that he walked me through his mother’s ward room.

“What?”

“Come on, come with me.” He’s taking me to his mother’s room.

“No, no, the doctor said not to put pressure on her. if I go inside I am afraid that she will have another attack. I’ll just look at her outside and see her from time to time.” I hurriedly waved my hand to show that I didn’t want to go. I was afraid to irritate her again with my character.

“Okay, Linda, that’s enough.” He replied to me.

“Donald, I want to stay here. Besides, even though I am here I am still capable of taking care of her. I just don’t want to irritate her again.” I prayed to him that I would stay outside alone. But he finally dragged me back to his mother’s ward. I was nervous.

“Let’s go. She will be ok. Don’t think too much. She will still look at you without having an attack. Don’t put pressure on yourself.” I was in a bad mood and went into the ward. I stood three or four meters away from the hospital bed. Afraid that she will see me.

“I’m so sorry.” Diana said as she lay pale in the hospital bed.

“No, mom, come on, it’s okay, really.” He went to comfort his mother.

“Linda? Come here.” Donald turned and motioned for me to go near them and to say something.

I look at him hesitating for a bit.

“I’m sorry too, Diana. I was a bit harsh.” I bowed my head and apologized to his mother.

“No, I’m too aggressive. I’m sorry. I did not think of what I was doing. Please forgive me also.” His mother also said sorry to me and I was relieved because of this.

“No, you didn’t. You see, Diana, I would be very happy if you helped to organize the wedding. It is also your son’s wedding and he would be happy, no, we would be happy to be part of the planning.” Donald was looking at me all the time, so I had to give up my idea for a while. Since she wanted to help organize the wedding, she would do it all by herself. I just wanted to stop provoking her. I am afraid if I provoke her more it would cause her nervous breakdowns. 

Linda’s Point Of View

“Well, honey, I, I really don’t think I’m up to it. In my situation right now? I don’t think I can’t do it anymore. Besides, I don’t want to be a burden to both of you. My head is going to explode.” Diana gasped that she didn’t want to be competent in organizing the wedding, and I stood there frozen in my place with my head down.

“Mom, Linda and I think you should stay with us for a while until you recover. It is for your own good and of course for you to be able to help my fiancée in organizing our union.” Donald comforted his mother by the bed and offered to live with us. Diana’s eyes sparkled. She heard good news.

“Are you sure? Is it okay? ” He said reluctantly hence her look betrayed her “Oh, maybe I can’t, I can’t. I will just be a hindrance to you both. Besides, I don’t think you need another responsibility.” Diana covered her chest and panted. It looks like she was about to have another anxiety attack.

“Mom, it’s okay, relax. No need to fret about it so much. I assure you that everything will be ok.” Donald quickly comforted his mother. He was assuring her that everything will be fine.

“But is it really? I may not be able to do it unless I know Linda has forgiven me, will you? Will you forgive me dear? ” In a hurry, she took the oxygen machine hanging next to her and put it on her nose and mouth. Then she continued talking “I will really be fine as long as she will forgive me. my soon to be daughter. I am really causing you trouble.” She sucked oxygen and then both of them looked at me together, asking if I should forgive Diana.

“Me? Yes, I forgive you. I am in no position to say no because I know that I caused this. I am really sorry again for what happened to you.” In this situation, how dare I say a “no”? I was really mystified by the fact that she was using her illness to have what she wanted. But I didn’t comment more.

I was responsible for everything I said. Yes, I admit. And I won’t really make it difficult for the both of us. This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

 After our talk Donald went on to his doctor’s conference leaving me behind with his mother in the ward. 

When he came back, he told her mother that we will help her find a moving company and moved everything Diana could and could not use back to where I lived now. The room suddenly became lively.

“Mother, are you feeling better? Do you feel any uncomfortability?” Donald helped her into the house. Hearing her say that we both exhaled a sigh of relief.