Family relationships are complicated and so are relationships between in laws, especially the one between a mother in law and daughter in law. Mostly, this relationship is filled with a natural tension because of the competition. In the case of relationship between Jen Stevens and her mother in law, there were several reasons which contributed to the strain in the relationship. Her mother-in-law, however, had made it difficult to be around her, and from undermining her actions to insulting her name, it sufficed for Jen to speak to her mom about it.
Meet Jen and Onyx
Jen Stevens and Onyx Solaris had been dating for five years and were very much in love. The couple lived in Berkeley, California, in an educational and residential community that was regarded as one of the best places to live in California. They lived in a cute apartment Jen’s mom had helped them purchase.
Jen was an assistant lecturer in civil engineering at The University of California, Berkeley. Onyx was a ceramicist who had a beautiful studio where he made beautiful bowls, plates, and mugs.
Jen’s Background
Like many couples, Jen and Onyx came from different backgrounds. Jen’s family was a regular middle-class one. She had grown up in Boston surrounded by her family, who loved and supported her while instilling in her the importance of a solid education and a steady career.
She focused on her studies and did well in school. However, her life didn’t revolve purely around academics. Jen loved the outdoors and enjoyed being surrounded by nature. This love of nature brought her and Onyx together.
Onyx’s Background
While Jen was open about her childhood, Onyx wasn’t entirely open. He didn’t speak much about his childhood and, from the little he said, Jen deduced that it had been the opposite of her own.
From what Onyx told her, he had been allowed to do whatever he wished without much adult supervision. He didn’t start school until he was 12, and the importance of a good education wasn’t drilled into him the way it was drilled into Jen. Jen knew there were some difficult times in his youth, but he never told her the details.
Just Married
After five years of dating, the couple decided to tie the knot. They were sure they loved each other and were eager to spend the rest of their lives together.
The couple married by the coast with only close friends and family in attendance and went hiking in British Columbia for their honeymoon. They returned home elated and ready to start their lives as a married couple. If only Jen knew that her limits were about to be tested.
Not What She Was Expecting
After their wedding, Onyx’s mom moved to Berkeley to be closer to her son. Jen’s parents lived all the way on the East Coast, so she was glad to have her mother-in-law nearby. They hadn’t spent much time around each other, and she was eager to make a good impression.
Jen knew the relationship between her husband and his mom was complicated, but Onyx seemed ready to give her a second chance, and Jen was ready to help make things work. However, it didn’t take her long to realize that her life would be miserable with her mother-in-law around.
Meet Sequoia Solaris
Onyx’s mom’s name was Sequoia Solaris. She wasn’t your quintessential mother-in-law. Sequoia had long, blonde dreadlocks woven with colorful threads and decorated with colorful beads.
Her skin was tanned and wrinkled, and she wore long, wafty linen clothing. She had an almost delicate gait and spoke in a breathy, ethereal voice. Sequoia always had something to say and opinions to give – solicited or not.