A Slave To My In-Laws – Broken Pen

I have had to write to you this dawn because this issue that started as very small is becoming big and taking my sleep.

My husband is from a fairly rich family and the first son of his parents and it seems he still listens to them more than anyone else. That’s not really a problem for me. My worry is that I think my in-laws are taking advantage of me.

I am a working woman with two children and because of where I work, my in laws’ driver picks our kids up after school and takes them to my in laws. When I close from work, I pass by and pick them up. I don’t really like the idea of them going there each day and had been speaking to my husband to let us get a nanny. However, he vehemently resists it because their family had a very terrible experience with a nanny whose negligence led to the death of his only sister at a tender age.

Now, ever since his younger brother  left to the the States, whenever I go over to pick my kids, my in-laws will begin to get me to work in the house, it started with sending me on errands, then supporting in the kitchen and other domestic tasks.

Last Tuesday, when I got there, my mother in law said my father in law wanted to eat fufu so I had to pound fufu in my office outfit. Make sure he ate and after, I helped tidy up the place. I was really grieving inside me because I had small sores in my palms as it has been a while I did that. So I faked illness and got my husband to pick them the following day. Then the bombshell, apparently when I didn’t go, they called my husband’s ex to come and support. I understand they dated for a while and she was very helpful and useful in their house. But I see this action as very disrespectful. That my in-laws would call my husband’s ex girlfriend to come and support them at home because their daughter in law couldn’t show up. What’s really their intention? So it’s either I continue to go and be a slave in my in laws’ house or my husband’s ex girlfriend (who he almost married but for the girl traveling) will be supporting my in-laws at home and be meeting my husband when he goes to pick the kids.

I mentioned this to my good friend as both my parents are deceased and don’t have relatives in Accra. She thinks I have to go do the work or else, the lady can find her way back to my husband. But it’s draining! Sometimes, I work as late as 9pm so my mother in law would bath the kids and all. She has asked that I bring their night dresses so they can change and even sleep over if need be. Worst of all is, when I get home, I still have to fix things before a get little rest.

What do I do? Is there an escape route I’m blinded to?