It was another Fourth of July celebration. My mom and I started preparing the feast around noon, busying ourselves all afternoon.
I didn’t know if it was just my imagination, but today felt particularly grand. Usually, we had a casual barbecue, but this year we really went all out with a grand spread of several different dishes. Mom said my sister-in-law, Mila Payne, was pregnant and needed some good food.
As the sun set, my brother and Janet finally arrived. My niece, Lily, ran straight to play with my son, Timmy.
Mom was busy in the kitchen, quickly drying her hands to greet them with a big smile. “Mila’s here! Come, sit down! Dinner will be ready soon!” She even poured a glass of water for Mila while my brother helped her settle in, looking every bit the doting husband.
Watching Mom fuss over them made me feel uneasy. I had been in the kitchen all afternoon, and it seemed like she didn’t even notice me. All the dishes were what Mila liked; I couldn’t understand why she was so nice to her.
At the dinner table, Mom kept piling food onto Mila’s plate, chatting away with excessive warmth, which even made the two kids a little jealous.
Eventually, when Mila couldn’t eat another bite and set her knife and fork down, I noticed Mom’s expression was slightly off. “So, Mila, has that friend of yours said anything?”
Mila understood immediately. “Oh, Mom, I was wondering why you were being so nice to me! My friend checked, and it’s a boy!” She covered her mouth, unable to hide her laughter.
I chimed in, “Well, congratulations to you both! Lily will have a little brother soon.”
Mom fell silent for a moment; her expression was unreadable – was she happy or hesitant? “Do your parents know?”
“Yeah, they found out during lunch. Dad was thrilled, saying our family finally has a boy. They’re already thinking of names,” Mila replied.
Hearing that, Mom’s face darkened even more. I began to understand her intentions. When my brother and Mila got married, they agreed to have two children: the first would take my family’s surname, and the second would take Mila’s. But now, with Lily being a girl and the second child a boy, it seemed Mom’s preference for boys was surfacing.
The atmosphere at the dinner table grew tense. I quickly tried to lighten the mood by asking Timmy to serve Lily some food.
Mila looked at Timmy and suddenly asked, “Timmy, how long have you been living at Grandma’s?”
I found it odd; ever since my divorce, Timmy and I had moved in with Mom. Mila should know that.
Timmy suddenly frowned, “This isn’t Grandma’s house; this is my house! I can live here as long as I want!”
My son was really my little spokesperson, so perceptive. I gave him an approving look.
My brother quickly added, “Mila, let’s not worry about everything right now. The baby is what matters most.”
But Lily wasn’t having it. “You’re lying! Mom said Grandma’s house is mine! Grandma is mine! This is my house, not yours!” She turned to Mila for confirmation, “Mom, Timmy’s lying! He wants to steal Grandma from me!” Then she burst into tears.
Timmy, being three years older, seemed to understand what was happening, tears brimming in his eyes. He looked up at me, full of questions and hurt.
Kids are the most straightforward; their innocent remarks can expose adults’ hidden agendas.
Mom quickly tried to soothe both children, but Lily persisted, “Grandma, tell me! This is my house, not Timmy’s, right?”
Timmy looked at Mom with hopeful eyes.
Mom hesitated, at a loss for words, only continuing to comfort Lily, telling her not to cry.
Lily became frantic, wailing, “Grandma’s lying! Grandma doesn’t love me anymore!”
Seeing Lily upset, Mila began to blame Mom. “Mom, can’t you just say something? Do you really have to let Lily be this sad?”
Feeling cornered, Mom finally replied, “Yes, Grandma’s house is Lily’s. Grandma belongs to Lily.”
Lily calmed down a bit after hearing that, her teary eyes now defiantly on Timmy, who couldn’t hold back his tears any longer. I couldn’t take it anymore. “Mom! What are you doing? You don’t want Lily to be sad, but it’s okay for Timmy to be sad? Just say it’s their house!”
Mom started to avoid my gaze, and I was filled with questions.
At that moment, Mila pulled Lily close and said softly, “You might not know this, but when I married Brian, we had an agreement.”
“I know, Mom told me,” I replied.
But then my brother interrupted, “Enough! Stop it! Look what you’ve turned this holiday into!”
As I watched them play off each other, I felt like an outsider, a chill creeping up my spine.
“Why stop? What’s so hard to say?”
Chapter 2 BacktrackingMila spoke softly, “Janet, it’s not that I’m targeting you. It’s just that when we got married, Mom agreed that you’d move out.”
Our family had come from a small town, and it was only after my brother and I worked hard in the city that the whole family relocated. There was no traditional marriage process for my brother and Mila, but that didn’t concern our mom.
“I know, I did move out, but I’m divorced now, so it shouldn’t be an issue for you.”
Mila chuckled, “Well, it seems you’re only half-informed. A married daughter shouldn’t stay long at her parents’ house, or the neighbors will gossip.”
So that’s why she’s waiting for me to leave? Is she resentful that Timmy is living here on Mom’s dime?
Before I could respond, Mila continued, “I don’t mind you staying here, especially since you help take care of Mom. But the neighbors might think Brian and I are neglectful by sending you to look after her! We can’t bear that reputation!
“As for the question of who has a claim to Mom’s house, we had already agreed that she would support one child, meaning that everything she has – including her house – would ultimately belong to Lily. Mom is supposed to prioritize Lily. Since you’re living here and Mom is helping take care of Timmy, the neighbors might say she isn’t being fair, especially since Lily isn’t getting the care she deserves. You should consider how this affects Mom!”
The table fell silent after Mila’s words. Mom didn’t say a thing, and Lily looked smugly at me while Timmy sat silently, no longer crying.
My brother muttered, “Even if that’s the case, do we really need to say it out loud?”
Although Mila was smiling as she tried to advise me, her intentions were clear: she wanted me to move out. Who cares what the neighbors think? I refused to give her the satisfaction.
“I understand what you’re implying. However, I contributed to buying this house, so I’ll stay as long as I want. As for who it belongs to later, you can’t touch the part I paid for!”
Mila’s smile faltered. I felt a rush of satisfaction but then heard her say, “What you think doesn’t really matter; it’s up to Mom to decide. If you want to stay, that’s fine by us, but Brian and I don’t live here, so we’re not worried about what anyone else thinks.”
I rolled my eyes internally. Mila knew she was in the wrong and was just using Mom as a shield.
Mom had been silent throughout, lost in thought while I was being bullied.
After dinner, my brother and Mila sat on the couch watching TV while the kids played in another room. I cleared the table, feeling like a housekeeper, but if I didn’t do it, Mom would have to. Remembering Mila’s earlier expression when she was caught off guard lifted my spirits.
Mom started bustling around again, slicing up the fruit I had bought yesterday and serving it to Mila. Watching her so eager made me angry. It was sad to see a woman so biased towards sons, blind to her own daughter’s worth, and it seemed the daughter-in-law was a thankless one.
“Mila, you see, Brian is our family’s only son. Can we negotiate something?”
Sure enough, Mom was still fixated on her grandson! It must have been tough for her to keep quiet this long.
Mila pretended to be clueless. “Mom, what do you mean? What’s there to negotiate? I’ve already agreed to let Janet stay here.”
Her response didn’t match the question; did I need her permission to live here? I couldn’t be bothered to engage.
“No, that’s not what I meant. I meant, since we only have Brian, and Lily is a girl, can we not use your family name for the second child?”
She finally said it. I felt relieved for her but also sensed that this was about to get interesting. I cleaned the kitchen quietly while eavesdropping on their conversation.
Chapter 3 Beyond WordsMila finally turned her gaze from the TV to my mom, who was standing there with a smile and a fruit platter.
“Mom, what are you joking about? We agreed on this before; how can it change now? You don’t need to emphasize having only one son; I’m also the only daughter of my family!”
My mom couldn’t sit still anymore. She pushed my brother aside and sat next to Mila, holding her hand and pretending to tear up. “Mila, you have to understand – sons and daughters are different. Our family has only one son; we need a successor, right? Now that you’re having a boy, if he doesn’t take our family name, your husband won’t rest easy in the afterlife! If it really comes to that, let Lily take the Payne surname instead. We can switch things around!”
Mila frowned at my mom’s words, and I felt uneasy too. She was openly expressing her preference for sons right in front of me. I couldn’t help but feel pitiful compared to Mila, the only child from a big city.
When my brother married, Mila didn’t ask for a ‘big wedding gift’; she only accepted some jewelry, and her family covered the entire cost of the wedding. I thought my brother had married up! At the engagement banquet, I learned it was an equal marriage, with the bride’s family wanting the second child to take their surname. But since my dad passed away early and my mom wasn’t educated, I honestly felt my brother had hit the jackpot.
Lost in thought, I didn’t notice the commotion escalating in the living room. Mila stood up, and my brother couldn’t hold her back.
“Mom, I’m telling you, switching surnames is impossible! Even if I agree, my father won’t! Your family begged us for an equal marriage to avoid financial burdens – can’t you see you can’t have it all?”
I rushed into the living room. “Mila, watch your tone! How can you speak to Mom like that? Is this the way you were raised?”
My words only fueled the fire. Mila glared at me with disdain. “Janet, let me remind you, this isn’t your place to speak! Your son can’t take your surname, so don’t you dare stop mine from taking mine!”
Bringing my son into this enraged me. “What’s wrong with my son? He can take his dad’s name! What’s the big deal about a surname? Why do you care so much? What’s the big deal about an equal marriage, anyway?”
Mila laughed, but it felt more like pity. “Janet, you might as well remember this: if your mom can’t keep you here, think about what you’re saying. Don’t let yourself be used like a pawn.”
“Enough! Stop arguing! What’s the point? Mila, can’t you just be a little accommodating towards Mom? We’re in an equal marriage, but that doesn’t mean you can disrespect her! She’s still an elder – apologize, and we can move on.”
My brother, the only man present, finally lost his temper. After all, we were family.
Mila looked at the three of us and nodded silently.
I felt a surge of satisfaction; I couldn’t believe how brazen she was here.
“Brian, if you want Lily to change her last name like your mom, then don’t even think about coming back!”
After saying that, Mila dragged Lily out and stormed off, slamming the door behind her. Even though Lily’s surname didn’t concern me, seeing their argument and recalling my mom’s blatant preference for sons felt satisfying. If they were not going to make things easy for me, they shouldn’t enjoy themselves either.
Once Mila left with Lily, my mom hurriedly sent my brother after them. The details didn’t matter; what mattered was that Mila was still pregnant with her precious grandson! I couldn’t help but laugh coldly.
My mom quickly told my brother to chase after Mila when she saw her leave with Lily. What mattered was that Mila was pregnant with her precious grandchild! I couldn’t help but scoff at that.
After hesitating, my brother finally ran after her; it’s not safe for an angry pregnant woman with a child.
Once he was gone, my mom sat down on the ground, crying, “Why is my life so miserable? After all this time, I finally get a grandson, but he can’t even share our last name. How can the Paynes be so heartless?”
I found it amusing but still went to comfort her. “Mom, don’t be sad. You still have Timmy! He’s always been so good to you.”
“Timmy? What good is he? He doesn’t even share our last name. Just look at you – you can’t even fight for a surname. Look at Mila; she gets to have her grandson carry her last name just like that.”
I was at a loss for words. Was it really worth all this fuss over a last name? My dad had been gone for years; why was she still so hung up on this? It was exhausting! I was furious but couldn’t show it. Today they reminded me – I was also my mother’s child; why should she give them everything? I couldn’t provoke her; I needed to think this through carefully.