Maddie, pregnant and wanting to reconcile with her mother-in-law before the baby arrives, discovers Meredith executing an unusual ritual in the middle of the bed. What’s going on, and should Maddie be concerned?I unexpectedly went home early one day, only to see my mother-in-law in the most horrific scenario, right in my new bedroom.
Theo, my husband, and I recently purchased a new house. We had just moved in when Theo was supposed to travel for work. So my mother-in-law, Meredith, who has never hidden her distaste for me, offered to help me set up our new home. Given that I was pregnant, I assumed this was her way of extending an olive branch.
“Maybe it won’t be so bad,” Theo commented before going on his trip. “Maybe this is how Mom will get to know you better.” But that wasn’t exactly what Meredith had in mind.The relationship between her and Kelsey, Theo’s ex-wife, was legendary. There was no animosity between Kelsey and Theo; they just broke their marriage because Kelsey decided she wanted to explore the world rather than settle down with a regular job.
She also stated that she did not want children, which were not for Theo. In contrast, Meredith adored Kelsey. Kelsey, in her opinion, was the ideal match for her son, a lady with the grace and dignity she felt was appropriate for their family’s legacy, as she told me one day over lunch.Meredith disliked me not only for personal reasons, but also because she believed I could never fill Kelsey’s shoes.
On that unfortunate day, after being afflicted with morning nausea, my supervisor instructed me to leave early and return home. “Go and rest, Maddie,” he urged. “Work will always be here.” I strolled into the home and kicked off my shoes. The house was peaceful, almost too quiet—Meredith was always the type to listen to gentle music when she was alone.
I searched each room, hoping to find her. As I approached our bedroom door, I felt uneasy, and I could hear a single voice in frantic whispers. What’s going on? I thought to myself.I pushed the door open, only to find Meredith seated cross-legged in the middle of our bed, surrounded by candles and old photographs of my husband and Kelsey.
She clasped a ring in one hand and Theo’s baby blanket in the other, murmuring something that sounded like a combination of a prayer and curse. “What are you doing?” I exclaimed, shocked, and the baby kicked away in my tummy. Meredith’s reaction began with disbelief and rapidly turned defensive. “I’m fixing things, Maddie,” she said abruptly.
“Fixing? “By doing what?” I asked. “Some kind of ritual on my bed?” “It’s not a ritual,” she replied coldly. “It is a blessing.” A cleaning. Theodore made a mistake by choosing you after Kelsey left. I’m attempting to bring her back from her worldly adventures. I need to correct the mistakes that Kelsey and my kid have committed.”
“Meredith,” I whispered, noticing the familiar sense of morning sickness mounting. “Get out of my home. Now!” I yelled, gathering strength from an untapped reservoir within me. She hesitated, but eventually began to gather her belongings. She blew out the candles, picked up the ring and blanket, and mumbled about how ungrateful her daughters-in-law had been.
“You’ll regret this,” she exclaimed, storming away from me. I snapped photos of the scene, anxious to show Theo what his mother was up to. I refused to sleep in the master bedroom afterward. Knowing that Theo would be gone for a week, I settled into the guest bedroom awaiting his return. When he returned, I showed him the evidence—photographs that spoke louder than words. The pain and confusion in his eyes were evident.
“I knew she was struggling to accept you,” he told her. “But I had no idea that she was going to take it this far.” We concluded that, for the sake of our infant, we needed to face the matter head on. The conversation with his mother was heated and passionate. She broke down, expressing her difficulty to let go of the past. “I loved Kelsey like a daughter,” she explained.
Theo urged his mother to undergo treatment, explaining that it was the only way she would be permitted back into our life. “If you want to see the baby and be a part of his life, you will do this, Mom,” he told me. It was not a quick cure; it required time and effort. Meredith slowly began to transform. She genuinely wanted to be a part of our life. She threw us a baby shower, inviting all of our family and friends.
When our son was born, she was the first person to hold him after Theo and I. Despite everything, I believe Theo recognized his mother’s ability to change, which helped me learn to forgive her. I won’t confess it to Theo, but I’m extremely cautious when she has the baby with her. Although it appears that her aspirations of a life with Kelsey are over, I don’t want to be too relaxed.