My Mother-in-law Gets Pregnant

The second year after I quit my job to care for my mother-in-law Ruby, the whole family started to look down on me.

I carried vegetables I had carefully picked out at the market, my fingers red from the cold.

But nobody noticed.

To them, I was just a freeloader living off their generosity.

The family sat around the heater, chatting warmly in a way they never did with me.

When I walked in, my sister-in-law Joanna started her usual sarcasm. "Wow, half an hour to buy vegetables? Are you trying to starve us?"

"Sorry, the market's far, and I didn't have extra money for a ride, so it took a while." I explained calmly.

Ruby overheard and got furious. "Christine, are you complaining we don't give you money to spend? My son works hard day and night to provide, and you just sit here enjoying it without gratitude. Go look around and see which wife has it as easy as you. What more could you want? Are you here to take care of me, or am I taking care of you?"

Since I quit my job, Ruby had been sharp but never this harsh.

For a moment, I stood there, unsure what to do.

My father-in-law Max glared at me with contempt. "Why are you just standing there like an idiot? Hurry up and cook."

Tears were welling up in my eyes.

Still, I spent over an hour preparing five dishes and a soup.

To save electricity, they wouldn't let me use the range hood, so I had to open the windows.

The freezing wind outside chilled my heart.

My hands trembled as I set the dishes on the table, accidentally spilling a few drops of oil on the cloth.

Ruby immediately shouted. "I just changed this tablecloth, and you've already ruined it. Go wash it now by hand. The machine won't get it clean."

I looked at the messy oil stains and said back. "This tablecloth hasn't been changed in a year. Handwashing won't get it clean."

Ruby's eyes widened. "Christine, are you saying I'm making things hard for you? Someone, come judge this."

She collapsed on the floor, pointing at me and wailing. "If you hadn't been married to my son so long without a child, why would I, at my age, suffer through pregnancy? Now my daughter-in-law mocks me daily. I get it. I'm old, just a burden. I might as well die."

She rushed to the window, trying to jump.

Everyone hurried to stop her.

I watched the drama unfold, feeling exhausted.

Since I quit to care for Ruby, she had pulled stunts like this at family gatherings.

At first, I thought it was just pregnancy hormones making her emotional.

Over time, as relatives started looking at me with disapproval, I realized she wanted to ruin my reputation.

After using me, she planned to kick me out.

The door creaked open.

My husband, Daniel, stood in front of me.

He glanced at me, the affection he once had replaced by irritation and impatience.

When Ruby saw Daniel return, she shouted even louder. "Oh, what did I do to deserve such a spoiled daughter-in-law? She sits around enjoying herself and now won't even wash a tablecloth."

After Ruby recovered from childbirth, I had told Daniel many times I wanted to return to work.

Each time, he brushed me off, saying his mom wasn't fully well yet. I decided it was time to act. "Ruby, I'm going back to work."

"What did you say?" Ruby's voice rose sharply. "If you work, who'll take care of me and this family?"

"I'll hire a housekeeper."

"That's still spending my son's money." Ruby grumbled.

I looked at Daniel, who acted like it wasn't his problem, and asked. "Do you feel the same way?"

Daniel rubbed his forehead. "Christine, you've been out of the workforce for two years. It's not realistic."

Ruby smirked at me triumphantly.

"Fine, then let's divorce." I said calmly.