She always left one rosebush alone. Let the flowers bloom as they wanted, curl and unfurl as they wanted, dry and droop as they wanted.
“It is an eyesore,” her mother-in-law criticized, ever eager to point out imperfections to the daughter she did not birth and that her son had chosen to love more than he ever did the one who’d labored to bring him into the world.
“Perhaps,” she smiled, but did not yield.
Thorns and wrinkled petals seemed fitting. Frosty resentment prevented closeness, but the old woman had given life to the man she loved. It was enough.
For Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers
Photo prompt: Dale Rogerson
Na'ama Yehuda 
It was enough. Great last line
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Thanks, Neil! Sometimes we put up with things much better when we know that what is, is enough …
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I liked the acceptance at the end. We’re stuck with the in-laws, so best make sure they are worth it!
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🙂 Either them, or the ones we love. But, yeah, it needs to be worth it. On all accounts … 🙂
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Nice texture going on here, Na’ama.
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Thank you, Lisa! 🙂
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You’re welcome 🙂
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🙂
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Mother in laws eh!? Who’d have em? Good tale and you’ve nailed it!
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🙂 Thank you! 🙂 And … I guess one must often have them if one wants to make a life with their offspring … 🙂
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Quite, i’ll be a father in law I hope one day, so i’m sure it’ll come to me too!
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And … contrary to folklore and urban (and not so urban) legends, many in laws are very personable and make excellent family support. 🙂
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I know they are it’s the minority soiling it for the few, as per usual
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yep, as per usual …
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You’ve written that story beautifully, Na’ama. Something about it makes it feel perfectly balanced. Lovely!
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Yay! Thanks, Penny. I’m so very glad it balanced and didn’t fall flat splat in the snow … 😉
But seriously – really, thanks! 🙂
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This is perfection, Na’ama. Not all people can have the perfect mother-in-law like my husband had 😉 I, on the other hand should have planted a rose bush or two 😀
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LOL! Well, some of my sisters have fantastic mothers in law. Some of my friends have … not so fantastic mothers in law … And many have something in between. 🙂
As for rosebushes, I guess they make good fences … 😉
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😉
Mothers-in-law often get a bad rap – no help from the fairy tales, of course. Unfortunately, there are those who really are trouble-makers. I like to think I’d be one of the cool ones 😉
Rosebushes are lovely fences!
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Yeah, mothers-in-law and step-mothers get bad rap. For sure, there are some REALLY BAD APPLES among them … but many are right fine and loving family additions. I’ve no doubt where you’d be! 🙂
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Most are good, let’s face it. But it’s so much more fun to write about the nasty ones – why else would Grimm and all the others have written so many? 😉
I like to think so.
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All for ratings, eh? 😉
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Frosty! Great little story. I get Snow White vibes here.
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🙂 Ah, these were not totally intended, but then again, we don’t know, now, do we? 😉
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As long as no one poisons anyone. 😉
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Hmm … I hear there’s apple pie for dessert. Shall I pass a slice or pass on having a slice? 😉
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A slightly precarious domestic situation but she has at least accepted it.
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Yes, and … yes … 🙂
Concise interpretation of the situation!
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Na’ama Y’karah,
It sounds close to the relationship my mom had with paternal grandmother. Mom was never good enough for her son. Oy. I love the layers and things ‘written’ between the lines. Well done. But no less than I’ve come to expect.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thank you, Rochelle! 🙂 Yes, there are those who cannot let go, or won’t let go, or cannot tolerate happiness in others, or happiness that is not directly tied to them, or …
And, this does sour the wine and can make life a misery that spreads.
Here’s to doing better!
Happy Almost Purim!
Na’ama
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Well, I’m a father-in-law three times over and I’m perfect – at least, I think so!
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😀 Am sure you are! And … there is a lot less lore about fathers-in-law being horrid than there is about mothers-in-law so …. 😉 Who knows … But, I’m sure you is a cool dude FIL! 🙂
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My first mother-in-law was like that. A perfect example of what not to do when I became a mother-in-law myself!
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Ah, a perfect example of using life as a learning experience … 😉 Sometimes that’s all we can do — learn what NOT to do …
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this reminds me of the saying, “God grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
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Always a good saying to keep in mind.
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I don’t have sons but I suppose a MIL can be intolerable. My MIL loved the fact that my hubby was happy with me. Shouldn’t a mother pr mil want that … at least.
Nicely penned …Be Safe 😷 … Isadora 😎
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I think many MILs are fantastic support and aren’t jealous of their DILs. But then there are people whose issues ooze into other relationships … their own families included. 🙂
Stay safe, too, Isadora! Na’ama
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Sounds like she’s too secure in her husband’s love to let the mother-in-law’s thorns prick too much! Lovely use of metaphor, Na’ama.
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Sounds like it indeed! Great observation, Dora! Thank you. 🙂
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Lots of wisdom there.
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Sometimes it’s best to enjoy the fragrance. Seems like she has made that decision. Nice one.
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Thank you! I think she did, too! 🙂
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I enjoyed the moral, perhaps it’s just my distorted view. How some people can only see the ugly side of life and really need to appreciate what is beautiful.
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That is true. Some people cannot see the beauty in the wrinkles, the perfection in imperfections, the things that ARE working even if not EVERYTHING is. Good lesson.
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Love that. Clever analogy. 🙂
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🙂 Yay. Glad it analogized … 😉
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It did, very well 🙂
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😀
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I love the character you portray here. She is strong enough to be herself yet wise enough to keep silent and know what is enough. It’s a great story.
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Thank you! 🙂 I’m so glad you ‘got’ all this from the story. Because, yes! Exactly! 🙂
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I like how she accepted her and was even thankful for her mother-in-law because she brought into the world the man she loved! Beautiful.
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🙂 Thank you, Brenda! 🙂
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This was an unexpected story, and went down well for that.
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I’m so glad it had, Michael! 🙂
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