Real-life. “You have to be home in 10 minutes, you have nothing to do there”: Son-in-law lectures my daughter over the phone

I was happy when Gosia married Darek

I remember when she first brought him to us and spoke about him with enthusiasm: “Mom, can you imagine that he is only 23 years old and is already a successful businessman? His father is a civil servant and his mother shopkeeper.”

We weren't poor, we had everything we needed, so I tried to convince her that she was no worse than Darek, and he should be happy that he had found such a wife. Eventually, the young couple got married and started living in the groom's apartment.

Later, they had children. Gosia never complained, although I could see that things weren't going well in their family. Darek was categorically against Gosia's work. He believed that her place was at home, with the children, and that she should only do the cleaning.

He didn't let her go anywhere – neither to see her friends nor to see me. Only when he was at work could Gosia escape to me for a moment, hiding it from her husband. “You have nothing to do at home?” – he would scold her.

Of course, Darek wasn't a bad person. Gosia felt safe, and he provided her with everything she needed. But she didn't go to bars or parties – she just came to my place for tea.

I'm 68 and very lonely, especially after my husband died. Gosia understood this and tried to visit me more often. But sometimes, when I called in the evening, she whispered: “Mom, not now, Darek is at home.”

I didn't understand what was happening. Does he not even let her talk to her mother on the phone? Recently Gosia came to visit me when suddenly the phone rang.

-Where are you? – Darek asked.

-I ran to my mother — she replied.

-Why? – he asked sharply.

-To see how she was.

-You have to be home in ten minutes!

I couldn't believe my ears, but Gosia agreed with him and ran back exactly 10 minutes later, afraid that Darek would find out she was late. That evening I couldn't hold back my tears.

The next day I decided to talk to Darek in person. When I arrived, Darek was surprised – he doesn't like unexpected visits. I asked him without mercy why he forbade Gosia from visiting me, to which he replied that he had nothing against it, but considered such visits a waste of time.

I asked my son-in-law if he wasn't afraid that the children would take over his rules and distance themselves from both of them in their old age, but I didn't hear an answer. The only thing I learned that day was that Gosia would certainly listen to her husband because of my unexpected visit. I don't know what to do with all this!

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