“My Husband Refuses to Help My Mother Because She Once Kicked Him Out of Her House, and My Mother Holds It Against Him”

Eric and I have been married for ten years now. He’s a hardworking man, dedicated to his job as an engineer at a large factory in the city. But our relationship has always been shadowed by an incident that happened many years ago, long before we were married.

Eric grew up in a small rural town, dreaming of a better life. He was determined to attend university and make something of himself. When he was 18, he moved to the city with nothing but a suitcase and a heart full of hope. He had no family here, no friends, just the ambition to succeed.

My mother, Naomi, was a kind woman but also very strict and set in her ways. She had always been protective of me, her only daughter. When I told her about Eric and his situation, she agreed to let him stay in our guest room until he could find his feet. It seemed like a generous offer at the time, but it came with conditions.

Eric was grateful for the roof over his head and did his best to follow Naomi’s rules. He helped around the house, did chores, and tried to stay out of her way. But Naomi was not an easy woman to please. She had high expectations and little patience for mistakes.

One evening, after a particularly long day of job hunting and attending classes, Eric came home late. Naomi was furious. She accused him of being irresponsible and disrespectful. Eric tried to explain, but she wouldn’t listen. In a fit of anger, she told him to pack his things and leave.

Eric was devastated. He had nowhere else to go. He spent that night on a park bench, feeling lost and alone. The next day, he found a cheap motel and started looking for work more desperately than ever. It was a tough time for him, but he eventually found a job and managed to get back on his feet.

Years passed, and Eric and I reconnected. We fell in love and got married. But the incident with my mother always lingered in the background. Naomi never apologized for what she did, and Eric never forgot the humiliation he felt that night.

Now, Naomi is older and needs help around the house. She’s been asking us for assistance more frequently, but Eric refuses to help her. He says he can’t forget how she treated him when he needed her most. I understand his feelings, but it puts me in a difficult position.

Naomi doesn’t understand why Eric holds a grudge. She thinks he should be grateful for the help she gave him back then, even if it ended badly. She’s hurt that he won’t help her now when she needs it most.

The tension between them has only grown over the years. Family gatherings are awkward, and I often find myself caught in the middle of their silent feud. I’ve tried talking to both of them, but neither is willing to budge.

Eric is a good man, but he’s also proud and stubborn. Naomi is my mother, and I love her despite her flaws. I wish they could find a way to move past this, but it seems unlikely.

As time goes on, I fear this rift will only deepen. It’s a painful reminder that some wounds never fully heal, and some bridges are never rebuilt.