Chapter 4

I was just about to have David open the new pack of diapers when Barbara stormed in carrying a pile of ancient undershirts and long johns. She angrily cut them into cloth nappy squares and thrust them at me.

“Let’s see who dares throw away my things again!” she snarled.

I calmly accepted them, but continued with our previous plan. As soon as one got dirty, I’d change it and toss it.

By evening, Barbara exploded when she found all the nappies in the trash.

“Are you all deaf? Why the hell did you throw them away again?”

Most nannies would have quit by now. But she was dealing with me. The only one getting angry would be Barbara.

I calmly explained:

“Ma’am, even washed cloth nappies can harbor bacteria. It’s safer for the baby to use fresh ones each time!”

Barbara fished all the soiled nappies out of the trash.

“I washed these squeaky clean. There’s no damn bacteria! You’re talking nonsense!”

I replied:

“Well, if you’ve washed them so thoroughly, I’ll leave that task to you then!”

After just two days, not only did the whole house reek of urine and feces, but Barbara’s hands were red and raw from constant washing.

Seeing Lucy come out of the bedroom for some water, Barbara dramatically tossed aside the nappy she was scrubbing:

“Back in our day, we’d be out working the fields right after giving birth. Not like you young people nowadays, eating and sleeping all day long. You have it so easy - you can’t even be bothered to wash a few nappies!”

She pointedly glared at Lucy as she said this.

I had to admit, this mother-in-law was a real piece of work. She insisted on using cloth nappies and washing them herself, but after just two days she was already complaining.

Now she was turning her venom on Lucy.