Am I Wrong for Testing My Mother-in-Law on Christmas?
I had two Christmas presents when I walked into my MIL’s spotless mansion, and my goal was to expose her true self. Which gift—the opulent one or the emotive, intimate one—will she value more?
On a Tuesday, I met Richard. I was trying to push my way into the elevator while holding a phone in one hand and two coffees in the other. He had already entered and was beaming as if he had been at the circus all day.
His voice was as pleasant as a late spring breeze as he inquired, “Need help?”
“Nope,” I said, balancing everything to show that I could. I spilled half a coffee on my blouse, of course.
He held out a napkin as if he had been waiting for this moment his entire life. “Impressive,” he remarked.
In a whisper, I grabbed it from him and said, “Don’t start.”
He became my person sometime between shared lunch breaks and spilled coffee. In less than a year, we were getting married on the shores of Lake Crescent.
As we exchanged vows in front of nature (and two fishermen) as our witnesses, the wind blasted over my curls. No visitors. No elaborate shows. Together, we vowed to face the world.
It became out that his mother, Diane, was part of the world.
You see, I worked my way up from nothing on the wrong side of town, while Richard came from a wealthy family. Despite our varied backgrounds, Richard and I have always had a solid connection, even though my career is fantastic and I make enough money.
For us, the fact that we love one another is sufficient. However, Diane’s response when Richard called to inform her that we were married tells it all.
She utterly disregarded our small ceremony, claiming that Richard should have had a lavish wedding that would be talked about for years, rather than a “cheap elopement.”
Even though I hadn’t met her yet, I was already hesitant to have a cordial connection with her. But I’m not the kind of person who makes assumptions about other people.
Therefore, it felt like the ideal chance to discover Diane’s genuine personality when we made the decision to go see her on Christmas so I could meet her for the first time.
“Are you sure about this?” As I finished varnishing a little hand-painted stone that had his mother’s cat, Mittens, on it, Richard asked me.
“Positive,” I murmured, my lips forming a partial smile. “The stone comes from the heart, but it’s a straightforward gift. This is just pricey flash,” I said, hovering over the Gucci website link on my phone, which already had a bag in my cart. I’ll know from this exam whether we can accept one another for who we truly are.
His eyes lingered on me, a mixture of pride and worry. He was aware. He was always aware.
Before long, Christmas had arrived and everything was ready.
Here’s If You Love to Read More: Jennifer Love Hewitt Says Daughter, 11, Has ‘Big Dreams’ to Be on a Disney Show: ‘She’s a Very Good Manifester’ (Exclusive)
With the exception of the faint tire marks leading up to Diane’s estate, the snow was new and unspoiled. It seemed to know it owned the world as it stood atop the hill.
We walked to the front door, and Richard squeezed my hand. “You good?”
I cocked my head in his direction. “Rich, don’t ask me that. You are aware that I must be.
He let out a sigh but did not press. We entered.
Perched on immaculately cleaned tabletops were fresh flowers in containers made of white porcelain. The hallway was lined with photos of families. It was like to exploring a museum where you couldn’t actually touch anything.
“Richard!” Before Diane showed up with her arms spread wide, her voice drifted in our direction. She swayed slightly as though he were still a boy and gave him a close hug.
Her gaze caught me as she withdrew.
She said, “Oh, Suzy,” as she looked from my face to my shoes. “You’re taller than I expected.”
On the edge of my smile, I bit down. “It’s ‘Sue,’ not Suzy.”
“Sue and Suzy look a lot alike. A small, courteous smile stretched over her lips as she said, “You have a… strong presence.” She seemed to be waiting for me to shrink back as her eyes lingered on me. I didn’t.
As she turned on her heel, she asked, “Shall we?” We trailed after, and her house engulfed us.
Two identical white sofas facing one another were in the sitting area. Diane poured eggnog into crystal-cut glasses and gestured for us to sit.
“So,” she explained as she handed us our drinks, “I think you two met at work before you rashly left.” Sue, what do you do again? Maybe secretarial work?
When I said, “I’m VP of Marketing,” I noticed her eyebrows slightly twitching.
She remarked, “That’s nice,” as if I had mentioned that I was employed at a nearby bakery.
I leaned forward and let my fingers rest on the small, wrapped box in my lap for a moment longer than was required after twenty minutes of superficial talk. My heart hammered steadily against my ribs, a pounding of silent determination and expectation.
I added, “I brought you something, Diane,” cocking my head slightly to look her in the eyes.
Her eyebrows raised, a little puzzled, a little amused.
Her voice was as clear and light as a folded napkin as she inquired, “For me?”
In front of her, I slid the box onto the table. The silver wrapping paper caught the light just right, shimmering in the light from the chandelier.
“Just a little something I thought you’d appreciate.”
Diane’s gaze briefly shifted to me. Like she was defusing a bomb, she carefully untied the ribbon with her manicured fingertips.
The paper fell away in hushed, silky folds, and I forced myself not to look at Richard. I could see he was observing.
As though it had become caught in my ribs, my breath felt constricted in my chest. Diane, have a look at it. Look at it like it is.
As she examined the stone, her fingers wrapped around it, holding it in her palm. With each whisker and each detail caught in those brushstrokes, Mittens’ small face gazed back at her.
“Oh,” she remarked as she tipped it in the illumination. “This is… fascinating. Adorable.
Richard stated, “Sue painted it herself,” and I could hear how stern he was. Sharp enough to be felt, but not loud.
Diane hummed. “It’s beautiful. It’s unfortunate that I don’t have a place that can accommodate anything so… folkloric. It could look good next to Mittens’ water fountain.
Her icy, sharp eyes slashed at me. My cheeks were burning.
I whispered, “Of course,” as I brought the eggnog glass to my lips. The bitterness rolling in my chest made the nutmeg taste bland when it touched my tongue.
The idea of putting something I’d spent so much time painting and honing next to a simple water bowl struck a chord, even though I knew the present wasn’t particularly noteworthy.
However, the test’s second section was still in its elegant gift bag beneath the couch. It waited. I waited.
Diane said, “Your turn,” and held out a tiny item that was wrapped in rumpled tissue paper. “This is for you.”
I said, “Thank you,” without giving it too much thought.
Here’s If You Love to Read More: Amanda Seyfried Reveals the 1 Item of Her Daughter’s That Is Off-Limits to Her Son: ‘She Has Very Clear Boundaries’ (Exclusive)
It wasn’t big. Perhaps earrings or a bracelet. I pulled the paper back. Staring back at me was a $20 movie theater gift card. My fingers went cold. I gave one blink. Twice.
“Movies,” Diane replied cheerfully as she raised her eggnog glass. “Everyone likes movies.”
Sharp as a slap, I let forth a hollow laugh. Richard tensed up next to me. His brow furrowed in silent rage as his head tipped slightly in my direction.
“Mom,” he said in a quiet voice.
Diane’s gaze expanded. “What? It’s useful.
Slowly, I leaned forward and took the second present out from beneath the couch. The time had come.
streamlined, lustrous, and distinctive. I folded my hands neatly in my lap and set the Gucci bag on her lap.
I answered, “Almost forgot,” with a lovely smile on my face. “Merry Christmas, Diane.”
Her gaze broadened, a spark of avarice lighting it up. Her breath caught as her fingers touched the logo. She carefully undid the bag, checking the zipper, the tag, and the seams.
Like a jeweler evaluating a fake diamond, her nails moved slowly and deliberately over the stitching.
She believes it to be phony.
She gave it one last turn, her gaze narrowing and her lips pursed. Her eyes shifted from me to Richard. Never me.
“Well, well,” she remarked in a gentle yet piercing tone. “You ought not to have allowed her to purchase this for me, Richard. Most likely with your money as well.
Richard replied, “No,” in a stronger voice than I had ever heard. Sharp. final. It cut like a cleaver across the air. “She bought it herself.”
Diane’s smile wavered like the unsteadiness of a picture frame. She blinked quickly and shallowly, as if she had been caught in the middle of a lie. “I didn’t mean…”
He interrupted, “No, you did,” and his tone was serious this time. His jaw was so stiff it may break when his gaze locked onto hers.
Mom, Sue is my wife, and I expect you to treat her with dignity. She picked out those two presents for you with care. It’s unfortunate that you appear to value the costly gift more than the heartfelt one.
Quiet. Not the silent type. In your ears, the type that hums. The type that extracts all the oxygen from the space.
Diane’s knuckles turned white as she pressed her fingers into the leather of the Gucci purse. Her smile, as fragile as porcelain exposed to the light for too long, flicked from Richard to me.
“Of course, Richard,” she responded, her eyes not matching the light laugh she was giving. “I meant no offense.”
“Of course,” I said gently, my voice silky smooth but piercing enough to pierce.
As forgotten as last week’s mail, my eyes strayed to the cat stone at the far end of the coffee table. However, the Gucci purse? She gripped that tightly with both hands as if it may vanish if she didn’t.
Even if she didn’t pass the test, at least I now understood Diane’s priorities.
Diane, hold on tight. Keep it near you. You’ll think about me each time you do.
Here’s If You Love to Read More: Fans Share Strong Reactions to the Season 5 Finale of ‘Yellowstone’ – Here’s What They’re Saying
Here’s If You Love to Watch Movie: MyFlixerHD
