Billionaire Leader and his Dr Wife

Chapter 24 – My Mother in Law

Hazel Maria Cooper

            “Let’s talk about this in my room” Emi said and we walked out of Sam’s room towards Emi’s room. it was the next room to the right of Sam's room. Emi’s room is also huge with a king sized bed and the floor to ceiling window with French curtains but the difference is that the shape of the wall behind the bed is semi circle and the windows are also curved in the shape. Unlike Sam’s room here there hanged a two-seater swing in place of the sofa and coach. Besides that Emi’s room had an extra space separated by an arch on the one side. In those space stood few shelves and drawers obviously locked. Seeing me looking towards the drawers Emi said.

“This space was extended by including the dressing room inside the washroom area. William wanted to keep his important documents safe and in a place which can only be accessed by him. The keys to the drawers are here but can’t be opened without his fingerprint.”

“I was just wondering why he kept his documents here when they have study rooms. Now I got it. The keys are with you. That means he still trusts you with his life.” Hearing my words I could see a glimpse of happiness in Emi’s eyes.

“Well then answer my question. How come you have enjoyed the freedom and love which was never present in this family in the past” I asked

“All thanks to Aunt Mary. Before her entry everything was really horrible. We had heard this from mom and Aunt Sophia. According to them when they were married into the Cooper family they were just like slaves worse than what we are going through. When Uncle George married Aunt Mary which was obviously a love marriage things began to change. She is a woman who could be called beauty with brains.” Sam said.

“According to mom they consider Aunt Mary as a blessing. Under grandmothers rule the family was strictly biased. She always treated her daughter in laws as a means to carry on the generations. When Aunt Mary came into the family she acted as a reformer. She stood against the injustice. She was ready to accept her fate. She fought for her freedom. Uncle George was on her side as he deeply loved her. With his backing she was able to prove herself right.” Emi said.

“You have told me earlier that mom was actually an American citizen, right?” I asked.

“Yes. Uncle George met her when he was studying in US. I have heard that she was his junior in college. Uncle George fought hard to marry her. Aunt Mary belonged to a middle class family in US. Her family didn’t have a stable financial status. As from mom’s words grandfather strictly opposed Uncle George. But grandmother was more attached to Uncle George as he was her youngest son. So she supported her son and stood against her husband for the first time.” Emi interrupted Sam

“I have once heard mom and Aunt Sophia talking that Aunt Mary had brought change in the family even before marriage. It was the first time when grandmother stood against her husband. She was a woman who held the family tradition tight and for the first time she stood against the family. At last grandfather had to accept the marriage. But Uncle George had to agree that Aunt Mary will be bound to every family tradition and that she will cut all her relation with her family after marriage. And it’s said that Uncle George accepted the conditions without the consent of Aunt Mary. He was really mad in love with Aunt Mary. It was only after marriage she got to know about the conditions. As I have heard she was in a shock and was not ready to accept the conditions. She decided to move back to US and leave Uncle George. But somehow he persuaded her to stay back might be because he assured that he will back her to gain her place in the family.”

“According to mom Aunt Mary is really a fighter. She cared for everyone. She stood for every woman in the family. And in no time she became grandmother’s favorite daughter in law. Moreover mom and Aunt Sophia considered her as their sister. She was just like a backbone to them. Aunt Mary fought her way to the top. She proved herself. She was good at business as she had mastered in business administration. Once, the family business was at the edge of destruction. Three brothers together with their father were not able to handle the situation. And it was when Aunt Mary came with the solution to save the business, just the same as you did in the present.  So finally grandfather recognized Aunt Mary’s talents and accepted her whole heartedly. She was given position in business and also removed the restrictions imposed on her. She was allowed to have relation with her family.” Sam finished with a sigh.

“Wow, sounds incredible. When I first met mom I thought her to be the most arrogant woman I have met in my life. Again when we met she was just cold towards me. So I didn’t have a good impression of her until Dani told me the truth about dad’s health. I am really lucky to get such a mother in law. I definitely have a lot to study from her. Actually I am just excited to spent time with her. I haven’t spent time with her as we had left for our honeymoon on the same day of marriage.” I revealed.

Oh my God I would have fled away if was at her place. As they all say now I really wanted to be like her, to be her reflection. I know I can’t reach up to her but still I can try to reach up to her feet. Well as the cousins said like mother in law like daughter in law. I will prove that I am worth to become her daughter in law.

“Aunt Mary suffered a lot in short time span. Between the whole havoc caused by the problems in business Aunt Mary didn’t knew that she was pregnant. It’s said that she fell down from the top of the stairs in the hospital. She was coming back excitedly as she found out about her pregnancy and tripped down the stairs in a hurry. She was four and a half months pregnant and she lost the baby.” Sam said.

“We heard that Aunt Mary was so disturbed by that incidence that she almost lost her mental balance. She didn’t talk much after that. It took many years for her to revive from the trauma. But still she was working with the family business. Emi said.

“Yeah, she is really great. She worked her ass out even when she was not mentally stable." Sam wondered.

“But why are you saying that she was not mentally stable. Was she diagnosed with some mental illness or has she shown any signs of the mental imbalance.” I asked.

“Well from what we heard from mom and Aunt Sophia, Aunt Mary said that somebody pulled her from behind and that’s why she fell down.” Sam said.

“Oh my God. That must be true. Then why didn’t all believe her? Why would she lie?” I questioned.

“Because Dr. Elizabeth Canning was walking beside her and she saw that Aunt Mary tripped down in a hurry. According to her there was no one except for them at that time on the stairs. Dr. Canning was family gynecologist of the Coopers at that time. She is mother of present family gynecologist Dr. Elena Maxwell” Emi explained.

No, mom wouldn’t lie. As far as I heard and known about her from Dani she is a self made woman and she can’t make such a mistake. Might be she actually had tripped down the stairs on that day. But someone inside me is telling me that mom didn’t lie. There is something mysterious behind all this. I should make my doubts clear. But for that it would take me more than one month as our honeymoon is not yet over. I am struggling inside me with two thoughts at the same time. One part of me wants to enjoy my time with my husband but my other part is probing me to clarify my instincts. What should I do? No idea. I want to share my thoughts with someone, but with whom, With Dani? No, he wouldn’t like if I speak against anyone in his family. Then who… Mom. Yes mom is the best person to talk about this, but not through phone. I have to wait until I get back home. Till then I should dig almost all the information I could get about this family.

“Well Dr. Canning was just the family gynecologist of the Cooper’s, right? I questioned.

“No’ she was also the family doctor of the Weasleys. And her daughter also plays the same role as her mother. Dr. Elena Maxwell is also the family doctor of both the Coopers and the Weasleys.” Emi explained.

Again comes the name Weasleys. There is for sure some connection between the happenings in Cooper family with the Weasleys. I should dig their past. I have to get the information on the Weasley family, but not from these two. If I continued asking questions they would become suspicious. I have to change the topic

“So, your husband does know about your dream to become a designer, right. You were happily married in the initial years. So, obviously you would have told about your dreams.” I asked them.

“Well no. In the first four years I was so happy and busy with my husband that I never felt to do anything except for my husband. During those days I wanted to specially design a suit for William and had drawn various designs especially for him. I wanted to surprise him. I was waiting for Jacob’s birthday which is a month after Mia’s. But everything changed overnight.  Those designs I have shown you are drawn after that. So, William have no idea about my dream.” Emi sighed. I looked at Sam for her reply.

“Harry knows about my liking to decorate things but he has no idea that I wanted to be an interior designer. The wall drawing you saw in the other room is my first work. I have never done such a thing before. During menstruation period we are not allowed to get into anywhere else in this house. So, to pass the time I started to draw in papers and when papers were over and I couldn’t get out, then I started to draw on the walls. When I realized that the drawings were not bad I bought some paints with Emi’s help saying that Jacob and Harold wanted to play with colors. And that’s how I painted the whole room. Next time I would be switching rooms with Emi as there are no more spare walls in my room.” Sam glanced at Emi and asked “would you allow me?

“Of course I would love to have your drawings on my wall” Emi replied with a smile.

I could see a sisterly bond between them. They are actually companions. They comfort each other and hopes for a better day in future.

“So, was it the same rule for the menstruation period before that incident?” I wondered.

“Partly yes, we sleep in this room itself during the periods. But we had the freedom to move around the house except for the kitchen. Mom doesn’t like getting in the kitchen during periods. It was her wish because according to her woman needs complete rest during the menstruation days as she will be weak.” Emi clarified.

A maid knocked on the door informing that Dani is waiting for me to leave. We went down and everyone was waiting for me in the drawing room. We said are goodbyes and left for the hotel. We had to have a small nap before we catch our flight to Yorkshire.