“Is it incorrect that I ejected my mother-in-law from the dinner that she prepared for me?”
In order to make her life easier while she is expecting twins, Melissa asks her mother-in-law to stay with her and her spouse, Harry. But the pair is forced to send Penny packing after she adds a potentially dangerous ingredient to the cuisine.
I am pregnant with twins for the first time. Due to my small frame, my body is bearing a lot of physical strain during this pregnancy, therefore it’s been rather difficult thus far.
Harry, my spouse, has been a huge help, but lately he’s been working a lot. We thus extended an invitation to Penny, his mother, to stay with us.
Harry remarked, “I know you’re not exactly excited to have her around, Mel.”
She will assist us around the house, though. You can rest and elevate your feet as advised by the physician.
To be honest, I wasn’t too fond of the thought of inviting Penny around. Still, it sounded good to know that she would be available to assist.
Penny then moved in.
She replied, “I’ll just stay until the twins are born,” one day while preparing a salad for me. “I’ll leave you and Harry with your babies after that.”
Then, last week, Harry was unable to leave a meeting in order to accompany me to my checkup.
As he prepared to go, he remarked, “I’m sorry, love.” “Let Mom drive; bring her along. and give me a call right away.
He gave my feet a massage to lessen the impact.
Anyway, everything appeared fine when we visited the doctor.
“The heartbeats of these babies are robust! Mel, you’re doing great.
My mother-in-law, of course, had to weigh in at that point.
However, Dr., she remarked. Mel has been sluggish lately. She doesn’t do anything and lacks energy.
That’s completely natural; her body has to adjust to accommodate two infants. Mel, you have to get some rest. Eat a healthy diet that includes nourishing foods, even if you have cravings for junk food.
I vowed to carry out my commitment. After recording the twin’s heartbeat, we departed.
My mother-in-law insisted on preparing us dinner as soon as we arrived home. I saw her remove two steaks from the refrigerator.
“I refuse to eat red meat,” I declared. “My love for steak and chips was stolen by this pregnancy.”
As she gave me potatoes to peel, Penny laughed.
“I am aware,” she replied. “I have a delicious stew ready for you. It was prepared for me by my mother during each of my pregnancies.
I must admit that I enjoyed getting special treatment from Penny on occasion. My mom lived abroad, so there were moments when all I needed was a mother’s comfort when my body hurt.
Well, Penny performed most of the cooking, but we still cooked in quiet. I simply chopped or peeled whatever she gave me while I sat at the counter.
When she was preparing the stew, I was really attentive.
“What is that?” When Penny added a spice that I hadn’t seen before, I inquired.
I brought this homemade spice from home. It gives the stew a delicious taste boost.
Harry took a shower when he got home, and I played about with the twin’s heartbeat recording.
He remarked, “I wish I had been there.”
After that, we had dinner. It had been months since I had stopped cooking steak, so Harry was really enjoying it. I felt like Penny’s stew was overly rich, even though it was excellent.
I spent hours that night tossing and turning, unable to settle down and sleep.
I eventually got Harry to wake up, at about three.
Seated upright, he enquired, “What’s wrong?”
I was about to gag, though, so I hurried to the bathroom.
Harry responded, “We need to go to the ER.” Mel, don’t argue with me on this. We must ensure the twins’ well-being.
I was weak, experiencing cramps and cold sweats, and I had no intention of fighting him. Penny was already asleep when we departed for the hospital.
Once we arrived at the hospital, the ER physician verified the twins’ well-being and proceeded with additional testing.
When the blood test results came back hours later, the doctor approached us with a horrified expression.
He questioned, “What in the world has your wife been eating?” Her body is fending off dangerous chemicals. She has been throwing up because of this. She has a temperature because of it as well.
Harry turned to face me as the doctor departed.
What meals have you been having? Any fresh dietary supplements?
“Your mother’s stew was the only new item I tried.” Nothing appeared to be unusual. Despite adding some spice, which I have never seen before, she did it.
We were eventually released.
When I was well enough to get out of bed the following day, I strolled to the kitchen. Sipping her tea serenely at the kitchen table, my mother-in-law pretended nothing had occurred.
Her composure was what enraged me the most.
“What did that spice last night contain?” I enquired.
“Just a little bit to ease the pregnancy. It’s a traditional family cure.
It stunned me. Her apathy towards the entire circumstance was perplexing.
What was the intended purpose? trigger my pregnancy?
It affects each person differently. Still, it should be beneficial. Are you not bleeding in any way? while taking a drink of her tea.
I summoned Harry into the kitchen, and we talked about everything for a very long time.
It came out that Penny was a believer in antiquated, possibly hazardous home treatments that had little chance of working during a pregnancy and only in exceptional circumstances.
Admittedly, I acknowledge that her heart might have been in the right place – I am aware of effective home cures. However, it was concerning that she failed to warn us in advance and showed no care for the possible risks.
We ultimately came to the conclusion that she should move out of our house. Our unborn children’s protection was our top priority once our trust was betrayed. Harry acknowledged that it was the right choice, but he felt divided between his mother and our family.
Too much was on the line, and Penny’s wounded pride would eventually mend.
Happily, the twins and I are doing well, although Harry and I are watching what we eat very carefully.
And what about my friendship with Penny? She became distant from me and declared that she would never be able to forgive us for sending her home. However, once the twins are delivered, we believe she will make amends with us.
Even though my mother-in-law claims she only wanted the best for the twins and me, am I wrong to have kicked her out?