My husband’s covered breakfast tray finally made his mother recoil from the behavior she expected us to tolerate. I thought he had taken my side. Then her furious response revealed a promise he’d made behind my back, and standing my ground became much harder.
When my mother-in-law, Diane, sold her house, she asked to stay with us for six weeks while her new condo was being finished.
I agreed without hesitation.
Six weeks was manageable. No big deal, I thought.
I even bought her a nicer pillow.
She asked to stay with us
Two afternoons a week, she watched our four-year-old, Noah, while I worked.
Once I came home to find them building a zoo out of couch cushions. She was pretending to be a walrus.
“The walrus needs a lawyer,” Noah announced.
“The walrus has one,” she said. “She’s a pelican.”
She watched our four-year-old
He collapsed against her, laughing.
I put my work bag down quietly, reluctant to interrupt. I’d spent the drive home worrying that he’d missed me.
Here he was, too happy to notice I’d arrived.
***
But by day three, I realized Diane was overstaying her welcome in a disgusting way.
He collapsed against her
I’d found Diane eating potato salad straight from the container.
She licked the spoon and plunged it back in.
“Diane, please don’t do that.”
She laughed when I explained.
“Oh, honey. You’d think I dipped it in poison. We’re family, aren’t we?”
She licked the spoon
It continued with pasta sauce and mashed potatoes.
Then I caught her sharing Noah’s yogurt, returning his spoon to the cup after putting it in her mouth.
“I’m asking you not to put your saliva in his food.”
What happened next changed everything… FULL STORY on the next page.
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