Married Life - Through ups & downs

24. Shopping afternoon

Almost seven month pregnant...

The day should have been fun. Aliye teyze and my mother had planned to take me for an afternoon shopping to prepare for the birth of the babies. Honestly, although this afternoon with them both worried me greatly, I was especially positively surprised by the fact that they had organized it together. And that gave me hope that it would go well.

Even if Aliye teyze kept her promise to Poyraz to behave well towards me, this clearly didn't apply to my mother with who she was still in World War III.

I must admit that they have made an effort. Sure, they threw spades at each other, bickering about their opinions and preferences, but compared to usual it was already a huge improvement. No shouting, no insults, no threats. I could be satisfied with that.

But, very quickly, I felt Aliye teyze's annoyance against me increase. It's simple, we didn't have the same views at all about... well, everything, really. She was one of those old school people who thought you should only buy pink for a girl and blue for a boy. That we had to buy what was cheaper at the expense of aesthetics or practicality. In short, she tried to impose her opinions on absolutely everything. But I wasn't the kind of person to let anything be imposed on me so, of course, I bought what I wanted and it didn't please her. At all.

Latest example, the stroller. Aliye thought I should buy a simple, cheap model when I wanted the newer model that allowed the kids to, either be side by side so they could both see the road, or face each other to go through doorways for example. She didn't fail to let me know that it was a waste of money and that it was totally superfluous. But Poyraz and I were doing well financially, we could afford to buy the things we wanted, so I didn't see why I should deprive myself. Especially since we both talked about it beforehand, we decided to put the budget into it but to buy what seemed the most practical to us and what we really wanted.

Only that had been the straw that had broken the camel's back. Since this last episode, Aliye teyze had become totally cold and distant, speaking little or curtly. And, by repercussion, my mother's behavior had also deteriorated towards Aliye, annoyed to see her attacking me. I only had one wish : for this day to end and quickly.

In the middle of the afternoon, I notice that my mother is struggling to follow us. Her gait is heavier, her breathing labored, sweat beading on her forehead from the effort, and her complexion has become very pale. She held up pretty well so far, having been able to rest for a long time in the car to come, then there was the lunch break, but since then she hasn't had a moment to rest. And, even if she'll never say it, having never been able to bear to admit her weaknesses, she was seriously starting to feel bad.

My heart clenched painfully in my chest, remembering Alper and Melisa's wedding day. A day that had started in joy and ended in sadness... It was on that day that I finally managed to get my mother to admit what was wrong...

....................................................................................

Three weeks. Three weeks had passed since our housewarming party. And three weeks that my mother behaved strangely. At first, Poyraz managed to convince me that it was the aftermath of the announcement of my pregnancy, but the more time passed, the less I managed to convince myself. And my suspicions were aggravated by noting that it wasn't only with me that her behavior had changed, but with Poyraz too ! Now she hugged him to greet him, she smiled sincerely at him, said nice things to him and even told him that she "felt at peace knowing her daughter was by his side". No, but who says that, seriously ? Especially since a week before, she wouldn't have hesitated to empty her bank account to pay him in order to leave me.

Of course, during those three weeks, I tried many times to talk to her, but each time she succeeded in diverting the conversation and, when she couldn't, she found an excuse to flee. And today was no exception...