When my mother-in-law handed me an envelope at our anniversary party, I expected a thoughtful gesture or some caustic coupons. Instead, I discovered a stunning bill claiming reimbursement for rearing my husband. She was caught off guard by what I did next.
So, I’ve always had a tense relationship with my mother-in-law, but what she did this time was just unacceptable. I’m sure none of you have ever experienced anything so bizarre.
Laura, my mother-in-law, is the type of person who believes she is always correct. She insists on offering her opinion on every topic, even if she has no idea what she is talking about.
Kitchen hacks? She’ll give you a list of stuff you’ve never heard before.
What is the current current state of affairs? Oh, she will make you feel like you have been living under a rock.
Artificial intelligence? Scientific discoveries? That woman thinks she knows everything.
She also believes she’s the best mother in the world. Laura has two kids named Edward and Michael. Edward, the youngest one, is my husband.
Ask Edward about his mother, and he’ll give you five reasons why she’s not the finest mother.
“She always used to scream at us for no reason,” he told me one day. “She would punish us for the tiniest of mistakes and make us feel like we didn’t deserve to be loved.”
I feel bad for Edward and Michael, and I can assure you that Edward is not exaggerating about his mother. When I first met Edward in college, he was a quiet man who wouldn’t even chat to the girls in his class.
I’m not one to brag, but I was the one who taught him how to care for himself and convinced him he was worthy of love.
I vividly recall when he told me about his horrific childhood memories before we married. I was sh0cked.
“I remember shaking with fear when Mom used to argue with Dad in front of us,” Edward told me. “She used to scream at us after that.”
“That sounds terrible, babe,” I shook my head. “I’m so sorry you had to go through all of that.”
“I just want you to know what kind of childhood I had,” he said, looking straight into my eyes. “It’s important for me to be honest before you decide to start a new chapter of your life with me, Ray.”
“I know, Edward,” I said as I reached for his hand. “You don’t have to worry about anything now. I’m with you, and I’ll stay. I’ll stay forever.”
That’s when I decided to marry the man I loved most, but I had no idea his mother would transform my life into a nightmare. I knew she was challenging, but what she did a few weeks ago went beyond my expectations.
It was our second wedding anniversary, so Edward and I decided to have a small celebration at our home. We invited our closest friends, including my parents, Edward’s brother, and my mother-in-law.
I spent hours beautifying the house and preparing the best dishes for the occasion. I even purchased a stunning anniversary cake that I nearly didn’t want to cut!
Anyway, the visitors started arriving, and everything was going fine.
They spoke, ate, played games, and expressed gratitude for our invitation. After everyone had departed, my mother-in-law invited me into the living room and handed me an envelope.
“What’s this?” I asked with a smile.
“Just a little gift from my side,” she said as she stood up to leave. “It’s only for you, okay? It’s not for my son.”
“Oh, thank you,” I said in a cheerful tone.
Then she hugged Edward and me and smiled as she departed.
“That’s strange,” I said to Edward once she left. “Your mom didn’t make any mean remarks today. I’m surprised!”
“Oh, she might have spared you because it’s our anniversary,” Edward laughed.
“By the way, what’s that?” he asked while pointing towards the envelope in my hand.
“Your mother said it’s a gift for me,” I said. “It better be something nice.”
“For you?” Edward chuckled. “You’re one lucky woman, Ray!”
After we finished cleaning the kitchen, I sat on the bed, ready to open the envelope.
“I’m opening your mom’s gift!” I called out to Edward who was in the shower.
“Good luck, babe!” I heard his muffled voice from behind the bathroom door.
I expected to see a few dollar cash or grocery store coupons inside the package, but Laura had gone above and beyond my expectations. My smile faded when I removed a piece of paper from the envelope.
When I opened it and read the first line, I couldn’t help but gaze at the page, eyes wide open. My mother-in-law sent me a bill for all of the “expenses” she claimed to have incurred while raising my husband. I am not even kidding.
Here’s part of the list she sent:
Diapers — $2,500
School supplies — $1,200
Sports equipment — $1,100
College tuition — $25,000
Emotional support (yes, this was actually listed) — $10,000
“Nurturing a loving son for you'”— priceless (with a smiley face)
The list continued on and on, and as I read, my eyes twitched. She even included a small note at the end.
Since you’re enjoying the benefits, you can help me recover the costs.
“What the heck?” I said to myself. “How could she even think of doing this? She’s asking me to pay her for raising such a wonderful husband?”
That’s when Edward came out of the bathroom.
“What happened, babe?” he asked after looking at my face. “Is everything alright?”
“Your mother needs help, Edward,” I handed the bill to him. “Serious help.”
I watched Edward carefully read the bill, expecting him to react the same way I did, but he simply laughed it off.
“I’m sure Mom’s just playing around,” he chuckled. “She can’t be serious.”
“She sent me a bill totaling $50,000, and you think this is a joke?” I said, my tone serious.
Edward shrugged his shoulders.
“Laura and I aren’t high school buddies,” I said, rolling my eyes. “I know she’s serious. You know how she loves making people feel terrible. This is just another one of her stunts, I’m sure.”
That is when Edward agreed with me.
“I won’t let her get away with this,” I told Edward. “This is just… absurd!”
Edward fell asleep quickly after we got into bed, but I kept tossing and turning, trying to figure out how to get back at Laura in the best way possible.
I wanted to make her feel as bad as she made me feel today.
How could she have asked me to repay her for all of that? I thought. How could she have thought she was emotionally supporting her children when she only yelled at them?
The following morning, I awoke with a fantastic notion. After breakfast, I took a notebook and began writing down what Laura had put me through.
Then I created an itemized bill, similar to the one she supplied me. I even called my bank and requested them to provide me a statement of how much money I had spent on therapy over the prior two years.
Here’s how my list looked:
Listening to her criticize my cooking — $5,000
Smiling through backhanded compliments at family dinners — $8,000
Pretending not to notice when she “accidentally” forgets my birthday — $1,000
The therapy sessions after her constant interference in our marriage — $30,000
Teaching her son what a normal family looks like — $20,000
“Emotional support for dealing with her drama”— priceless
I created a bogus invoice with an outstanding balance of $5,000 and mailed it to her. I even included a little message for her reference. It stated:
Dear Laura,
Here’s a list of all the things you put me through during the past two years. Since you enjoyed passing insulting comments and making me feel horrible, you might as well help me recover the costs.
Your loving daughter-in-law,
Ray
Sending that envelope felt very relieving because it was the first time I stood up for myself, intending to establish a boundary in our relationship.
I’m not one to insult or hurt others, but Laura’s actions on our anniversary were intolerable. This seemed like the greatest way to make her understand her error.
Do you know what the finest part is? She had been abnormally silent since the day she received the mail. I expected her to call and shout at me, but all I got was silence.
When I saw her a few days later, she couldn’t meet my gaze. It seems that she was humiliated about what she had done, which I consider a triumph. I think she finally realized she isn’t always right!
I’m relieved I finally spoke up for myself. But more than anything, I believe I did it for Edward. The little boy from 20 years ago who never received the love and attention he needed.
I hope that this makes up for all of the harsh words and hurtful situations he has encountered. He deserved far better, and I am pleased to have battled for both of us.
Do you think I did the correct thing?
