Laura put her phone on silent and tossed it face-down on a pillow. The following week was a nightmare of non-stop phone calls and messages. Eleanor had shifted tactics.
First, she played the “sweet old lady,” asking about wedding colors and gift registries. Then, her tone turned aggressive, accusing Laura of being “cold” and “disrespectful.” Finally, she moved to the “guilt trip,” talking about how much “poor Mike” was suffering because of Laura’s attitude.
Listening to the voicemails only made Laura angrier. She ignored Eleanor but had to take Mike’s calls. He kept pleading with her to “understand” his lonely mother and forgive her “quirks.”
The veil had finally lifted: the successful manager was just a mama’s boy with no backbone. All his excuses sounded scripted. After seven days of this, the messages turned into long, rambling emails.
Eleanor wrote about her “unbearable loneliness,” her “dream of grandchildren,” and her “hope for Laura’s wisdom.” Every email ended with a demand for a “heart-to-heart” meeting. Laura held her ground, and Mike began to crack under the pressure.
One evening, he showed up at her door unannounced, looking disheveled. She let him in, and he collapsed into a chair, rubbing his face. Laura sat across from him, arms crossed, and demanded an explanation for the madness.
Mike whined that his mother was “deeply offended” by being ignored. Laura reminded him of the interrogation she’d endured. Mike tried to raise his voice in defense of his mother, but quickly lost his nerve and went back to pleading.
He mumbled that she just wanted to be sure her only son was “taken care of.” The phrase made Laura scoff; she wasn’t looking to be a full-time nanny for a grown man. Desperate, Mike begged Laura to just make one phone call to “stop the bleeding.”
Wanting it to end, Laura dialed the number. Eleanor picked up instantly, her voice dripping with fake joy. She immediately started making excuses, saying she just wanted to “build a bond.”
Laura coldly cited her busy work schedule as the reason for her silence. Eleanor “approved” of her work ethic but then made a snide comment about “saving her health for future babies.” Laura gritted her teeth, looking at Mike, who was watching her with pleading eyes.
After a few more minutes of forced pleasantries, Laura tried to end the call. Eleanor started talking about her “famous apple pie” and insisted Mike bring her over soon. Laura firmly promised they’d see each other “at the wedding” and hung up.
Mike let out a massive sigh of relief, thanking her profusely. Laura went to the kitchen for a glass of water, and Mike followed, promising that after the wedding, his mother would “settle down” and stop being so overbearing.
When Laura asked if he really believed that, Mike nodded weakly, shifting from foot to foot. Laura wanted to call off the wedding right then and there. But she stayed quiet, giving the relationship one last, tiny chance.
Surprisingly, the phone calls stopped for a while, and life returned to a semi-normal routine. They went back to discussing catering and guest lists. This fragile peace lasted until a dinner at an Italian restaurant downtown…
