An Unexpected Inheritance from an Ex-Husband or a Surprising Gift from the Mother-in-Law: How Elaine Ended Up Caring for Her Former Mother-in-Law and Uncovered a Legacy She Never Anticipated

Inheritance from the Ex-Husband or a Surprise from the Mother-in-Law

As something of a parting gift from her alcoholic ex-husband, Alice was left in charge of looking after his mother. It has now been ten years since they divorced, and not just because of his drinking he also had a habit of getting violent with her.

Long ago, they cut all ties. Their one son married and moved to London, having nothing whatsoever to do with his father. Who could blame him? No one wants a drunk as a father, and his father never showed him much affection anyway.

One Sunday morning, Alices phone rings, interrupting her peace with some unfortunate news: her ex-husband has died. Theres no one else to arrange the funeral, so Alice and her son take care of everything, giving him a proper send-off.

But there remains the matter of her elderly, ailing mother-in-law. Whats to be done? If only she were a little easier to get along with, but no shes been a trial from the start. Throughout Alices marriage, the old woman seemed to do nothing but meddle and make things difficult.

The mother-in-law lives in a cottage on the edge of a small English town. After the funeral, Alices son returns to his own family, leaving Alice to shoulder the responsibility of looking after the cantankerous old lady.

With limited options, Alice visits her several times a week, bringing shopping that the old woman always criticises but never refuses to eat. She even has to chop firewood a tough task for Alice, but she cant bring herself to abandon someone so helpless.

Thats how it goes for three months, until the woman passes away. It turns out, to Alices surprise, that the old lady has left her the cottage and a tidy sum of money saved over the years. So much for gratitude.