Will they make it?

Tears streamed down her face as the fear gripping her heart had her frozen in inaction. "I said let's go!" Her husband spoke firmly but decisively. He stood by the door, their screaming child in his arms. Though she could not understand what the grown-ups were saying, the shouting match had terrified the little girl, and reduced her to tears. He was trying to slip on his shoes, calm the baby and unlock the door all at once, the awkward fumbling apparent at this point. Still, she sat on the couch, at the farthest end of the room, not having moved an inch.

She had no more fight left, as, earlier that evening, Jeff had driven off in a storm, not committing to making things better or worse. Her hopes had been high, as they spent the day together, just like the good old times. They took their lovely daughter on a playdate, her joy infecting them both. She was over the moon, jumping from one ride to the next, tiring them both out. The reality of their drift came to a fore, when, on the ride home, their daughter took a nap. The silence between them was as uncomfortable as it was painful. They both wanted to reconcile, but did not know how to go about it, or rather, no one wanted to put skin in the game, out of fear that the other would hurt them again. So, they parted ways just as hopeless as they had been for all the months prior.

"Yeah, I said get out of my house! And don’t forget to take your woman too!" His mother spat out bitterly. She turned her back away from the door, trying to focus her attention on the muted television set. She was not mincing her words, wasn’t taking them back nor was she changing her stance. She had had it with their blatant immaturity and inability to get their lives together, and had only offered her assistance for the sake of the innocent child caught in the middle of the squabble, her very own precious

and much beloved granddaughter. But, five months down the line, talk was cheap. It was time for action.

The child’s mother was a wreck, in tears, barely uttering anything perceptible. It was understandable: the pain of the endless cheating and being kicked out of what she thought was their home had destabilized her emotionally. The child’s father was out of his mind with anger, but also too confused to make a choice. He had another woman waiting for him at home, but still loved this one that he couldn’t stand. At the same time, he was crazy about his baby girl, who he was trying to no avail to comfort.

With no one in their right frame of mind, Gladys stood up. She had had it! This family drama was costing her her sanity. Though she had previously opted to stay out of things, the situation had clearly gotten out of hand. She was not sure if she’d ever see her brother again if he walked out the door, and was not willing to take that risk.

“Enough!” she boldly roared. Everyone was still for a moment, turning their attention to her. “Sit down, all of you, now!” Her elder brother, who was just getting to his second shoe looked like a deer caught in headlights. She calmly moved towards him and took her weeping niece in her arms, handing her over to her mother.

“I swore I’d never do this, but none of you are helping this situation. I’m going to be the mediator. I say who speaks,” she spoke. She gave her mother a stern look that quickly shut her mouth.

“We can’t go on like this. You two keep saying you are working things out, but we haven’t seen anything to write home about. And no one is saying what will happen to Michaela … she’s living out of a bloody suitcase, for Pete’s sake!” she turned to look at her niece, whose quiet sobs were steadily dying down. “I want us all to get some clarity and a way forward, so I’ll ask the questions.” It was as though everyone else was waiting for this precise moment as they sat still and waited for her directives.

“Jeff and Tina, you both keep saying that you are working things out. What does this mean to us? To Michaela? You know you two can’t stay here forever?” Gladys looked her brother and his wife straight in the eye. Her tone left no room for questioning or avoidance. They needed to commit to something.

“Give me a month, then they can come and live with me,” Jeff finally spoke out. Though it was almost imperceptible, his voice quiet as a whisper, he spoke his truth, and it was clear for everyone to hear. Tina nodded her head in agreement, as there was really little else she could do at this point.

The mood in the room seemed to calm down slightly after they began the mediated discussion. It was a total 180 from the initial conversation, which was basically a shouting match between Jeff and his equally hot-headed mother. Tina blubbered a few short sentences when asked to speak, but was speechless for the most part.

This time, they took turns, not allowed to interrupt the other, as Gladys stuck to her guns as the tough mediator. Even little Lulu was able to eventually calm down enough to fall sleep in her mother’s arms. They passed around the box of tissues, as some conversations were too painful to carry on with dry eyes. Apologies were exchanged. Promises were made. Timelines were stipulated. And terms were agreed upon.

Though on the outside it looked like they had come to some conclusion to the matter, their hearts were in limbo. Would Jeff keep his end of the bargain, ending his illicit affair and recommitting to his family? Would Tina grow a spine and contribute her voice and her stance to the conversation? Would this family survive the mess they themselves had created?