My husband and I decided to spend a week at his parents’ home in the hopes that it would be a fun opportunity to grow closer to one another. At two in the morning, however, I went to the kitchen because I was unable to sleep. While I was searching for water, I came upon something terrifying—something that revealed the true nature of my mother-in-law when no one was looking…
After a long day at work, Chester and I were washing dishes on a Tuesday when we received the invitation as we were doing so. It had been eleven months after we had tied the knot, and his parents had been dropping hints about a visit for weeks. I was a little taken aback by their aggressive behavior.
It was while he was washing the same dish twice that he made the statement, “Mom wants us to come to Sage Hill for a week.” He did not look at me. “They miss me.”
One more dish was presented to him while I observed his expression. When is it? ”
Which weekend is it? I was kind of saying that we would probably come,” he added with a voice that had that hopeful sound that he used when he really wanted something but was afraid to ask for it.
I was annoyed by the fact that he made the decision without consulting me, but I contained my anger. It’s fine.
The expression on Chester’s face read, “I’ve agreed to go on a big trip.” Isn’t it true that marriage is about giving and taking? I told myself that, and I believe it.
When we arrived on their doorstep on Saturday afternoon, my husband’s parents, Thelma and Vernon, were already there waiting for us. Their home was located on a peaceful street where nothing very significant ever took place. I had no concept that I would be so foolish.
“There he is, me boy!” During the moment that Chester was exiting the vehicle, Thelma called out, virtually bouncing.
She looked much smaller than I had recalled her to be during our wedding, and her silver hair was styled in exquisite waves, most likely as a result of her frequent visits to the salon. It seemed as though she was trying to make up for lost time as she hugged Chester for a considerable amount of time.
When Vernon arrived, he greeted me with a friendly smile and gave me a solid handshake. “Phyllis, it is wonderful to see you once more.”
While Thelma was looking at me, I noticed something in her eyes that made me think that this week might not go as smoothly as I had hoped. Her embrace appeared to be phony, as if she were simply ticking off a box for “welcome daughter-in-law” rather than truly expressing her affection for her.
As she continued to keep her arm firmly wrapped over Chester’s, she stated, “I’ve been cooking all morning.” “Apple pie, pork roast, and two cups of green beans.” Every one of Chester’s favorites.”
I wondered if Chester had picked up on the fact that she made it abundantly plain that the dinner was intended for him.
Dinner was a formal affair, as if it were reserved for distinguished visitors. Chester’s childhood or his employment was the subject of every conversation that Thelma led. In response to my attempts to participate, she would smile nicely, but her eyes would remain icy as she returned her attention to her kid.
“Do you remember that enormous fish that was caught at Miller’s Pond? ” she inquired as she prepared to serve him additional food before he finished his dish.
“Mom, that fish wasn’t particularly large! Despite the fact that Chester laughed, I could tell that he enjoyed the attention.
“It was enormous! It is important that you convey to Vernon how proud you were when he brought it home.
I waited for the appropriate time to make my statement. Thelma, the food is really incredible. Do you mind if I ask for the recipe? ”
Oh, it’s simply something I concocted in a hurry! ” and she waved it off with her hand. “There’s nothing particularly noteworthy.”
But when Chester praised the same dish a few minutes later, it all of a sudden became a distinctive family recipe that her grandmother had passed down to her. The disparity appeared to be a difficult obstacle.
The apple pie was then brought out, and Thelma watched Chester take his first piece with the anticipation that she would hear a loud applause. In my head, I was watching a performance, but I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing.
“Phyllis, do you enjoy baking? ” she inquired, her tone piercing in a manner that I was unable to identify.
I looked at my husband and said, “I make chocolate cake that Chester likes.” I was expecting that he would agree with me.
“How nice,” Thelma murmured, but her smile had a malicious quality to it. “Sweetheart, Chester never had a taste for chocolate when he was a child, did he? ”
Chester writhed in his chair, which was positioned in the middle of us. “All right, I’ll admit that I enjoy Phyllis’s cake…”
“Of course you do, dear,” Thelma said in a smooth and confident manner. It was her words that caused my chest to tighten, and I couldn’t put my finger on what it was. “You’re just being nice.”
A similar pattern continued for the rest of the evening, with Thelma discreetly putting down everything that I had to say. I had a feeling of exhaustion and unease by the time we arrived at our guest room.
On the evening of Monday, Thelma recommended that we browse through photo albums with a great deal of phony excitement. She made her way through the closets and brought out boxes, each one of which was neatly packed with photographs of Chester at every age and event.
“Take a look at this adorable one,” she added as she displayed a photograph of Chester, a teenager, attending a school dance. His attire consisted of a black tuxedo, and he was accompanied by a lovely blonde female who had a gleaming smile.
It’s who is that? I inquired, but Thelma’s expression made it clear to me that this was not a random memory.
“Frances,” she said with a friendly tone that I hadn’t heard from her in the past week. “What a lovely young lady. During their entire time in high school, they remained close friends.
The manner in which she spoke to “close friends” made me feel chilly, and I made an effort to ignore it.
“What on earth happened to her? ” I inquired, looking at the photograph for a longer period of time than I had intended to.
Currently, she is working as a nurse at the local hospital. Can you believe that I am still the only one? The lights in Thelma’s eyes shined brightly as she spoke. Although you are in town, we ought to get together. She’s one of the family.”
After hearing her mention that she was “still single,” I couldn’t help but feel uneasy because it seemed as like she was presenting Frances as a more desirable option.
Chester called out, “Mom,” but he sounded more amused than upset, which made the pain much more intense.
In order to get away from Thelma’s pointed looks and careful words, I quickly left because I needed some air and space. I had the impression that something was wrong in this place, and it was becoming worse.
That night, I was unable to fall asleep and spent hours tossing and turning in bed. All of the creaks in the ancient house were audible in the darkness, and Chester’s calm breathing made me feel as though I was the only one dealing with my mounting panic. I gave up trying to sleep at two in the morning and went to fetch some water in the hopes that it would help me relax.
The guest room was located at the end of the hallway on the upper floor, and I had acquired the skill of walking silently on the floors that creaked. It came as a surprise to me when I heard a low voice in the otherwise silent house as I was getting closer to the kitchen.
I paused at the entrance to the kitchen. It was Thelma, very alert and aware. Initially, I was under the impression that she was on the phone with a buddy. The closer I got, however, the more clear her words became, and they caused me to become frozen.
You are correct, the wedding went just as we had anticipated. Not to worry, she won’t be around for very long. I’ll see to it that it gets the job done.”
As her words set in, my heart came to a complete stop. At such a late hour, who was she talking to? To what did she refer when she said, “like we planned”? Is she referring to me and my marriage to Chester in this conversation? What exactly did it mean when it was said that “she won’t be here for long”? My thoughts were filled with fear.
I was listening to the phone click down, then I heard a chair scrape. Because my heart was beating so fast, I was afraid that it would give out on me.
During that brief minute, I entertained the idea of sneaking back to bed and pretending that I had not heard anything. On the other hand, I pretended that I was just sleepless and forced myself to go grab the water.
Only one faint light was present in the kitchen, and it formed eerie shadows. I was really aback by what I witnessed, and it completely altered my perception of Thelma, who was so kind and compassionate.
The dark robe she wore was something I had never seen before, and she had a black scarf wrapped tightly around her silver hair. My legs went weak as I looked at the photographs that were laid out on the kitchen table, where there was only one candle flickering. These photographs were taken during my wedding and honeymoon.
Some were still whole, while others had been reduced to ash and were sitting in a basin by her arm. The lips of Thelma moved quickly, and she spoke things in a strange tongue that I was not familiar with. It felt like a nightmare, and I questioned whether or not I was still asleep at the time.
As soon as she spotted me standing in the doorway, she jerked as if she had been struck, and her body became rigid. However, she quickly became quiet, way too quickly.
“Oh, sweetie,” she murmured with a phony expression of joy. “I was just holding you in my prayers. hope that you will soon become a mother. To ensure one’s health.”
Her fingers shook as she attempted to conceal the bowl of ashes, but I was able to make out fragments of my face among the charred remains. The pungent odor of paper that had been burned permeated the air, and it made me feel sick.
I said, “I was unable to get to sleep.” All I wanted was some water.
She smiled, but it didn’t feel quite right. “Of course, dear,” she insisted.
With trembling hands, I grabbed a glass and raced upstairs without uttering a single word, my pulse beating exceptionally fast.
Although it was dark, I shook my husband’s shoulder and said, “Chester.” “Wake up… we beg you…”
“Honey, what exactly is it? ” He moaned, narrowing his eyes at me, visibly perplexed.
“I need you come downstairs right now. While your mother was in the kitchen, she was acting in an odd manner. During the time that she was speaking in an other language, she got my photographs out and was burning them.
He slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes and attempting to comprehend what was going on. What exactly are you claiming? ”
There was a ceremony that she was doing with the photographs of my wedding. Fear caused my voice to break as I pleaded with you to come look. I am relying on you to look at this.
What we discovered downstairs would either demonstrate that I was correct or cause me to question my own judgment.
Despite his sigh, he got out of bed and followed me down the stairs in a sluggish manner. Upon our arrival, we found the kitchen to be tidy and in its usual state. There was no bowl of ashes, no photos, and no candle. There was only a small whiff of burned wax, almost like a foreshadowing of what I had witnessed.
In response, Chester stated, “I don’t see anything.”
It had been here. Totality of it”
“Perhaps it was actually a nightmare? You have been under a lot of pressure.”
“I wasn’t sleeping,” I said.
This is what he said: “Let’s talk tomorrow.”
The following morning, as Chester was taking a shower, I was packing. “We don’t have to leave,” he said as he sat down next to me after observing how quickly I was folding the clothing.
“Yes, that is the case.”
The previous evening, I will discuss with my mother.
You have faith in me? ”
While I was stopping what I was doing and nodding my head, he added, “I believe something scared you.”
After a period of one hour, Chester returned, appearing concerned but not entirely persuaded. “She has no idea what you are talking about,” you might say. Nothing could be heard by Dad because he was sleeping.
“That is something that she did say,”
“She appeared to be perplexed. It is hurtful that you would believe that she was causing you harm.
“Two more days,” I pleaded with you. “I will remain vigilant.”
He looked at me and said, “Okay.”
Later that evening, Thelma appeared to be irritated. While she was delivering potatoes to Phyllis, she stated, “Perhaps I ought to teach you the fundamentals of cooking.”
I am able to cook.
No, my dear, of course. Having said that, there is always space for improvement. In Chester’s childhood, he was always provided with delicious home-cooked meals. He is accustomed to doing things in a particular manner.
Chester writhed in pain. Oh, Mom, Phyllis is a wonderful cook.
I’m sure she makes an effort. Although some people are born to be housewives, others possess a variety of other abilities.
“What do you have? ‘ I inquired.
“Women who want to work like you. Very contemporary and self-sufficient. It’s not possible for everyone to be the kind of caring person that men require.
Every statement had a pleasant sound to it, but it also had the impression of a covert assault, and Chester didn’t appear to notice. At the conclusion of the meal, I had the impression that I had traversed a battlefield of fabricated compliments.
In the following two days, I experienced the same thing: Thelma’s stealthy barbs disguised as care, which caused me to question my own judgment. The following day, on Wednesday afternoon, Thelma informed Chester that she was going to take him to an eye doctor in town.
After staring at me for an excessive amount of time, she feigned a grin and stated, “We’ll be gone in an hour.” “Relax and make yourself relaxed, my dear.”
Following the departure of their vehicle, I made my way upstairs to Thelma’s bedroom, my pulse racing with both anticipation and resolve. It made me feel awful to go through her belongings, but after what I saw, I had no choice but to know what I was dealing with.
Under the tidy linens that were tucked away in the bottom drawer of her wardrobe, I discovered evidence that frightened me.
Small dolls made of cloth and wire that were coiled and connected tightly with black thread that looked like veins were discovered by me. Some of them had sharp pins in the midst, while others had burns around the margins of their bodies. One of the scary dolls had a snapshot of my face from our wedding inscribed on its head, which was lumpy.
There were more terrifying things as well. Photos of me that I had burned, some of which had holes in my face, and I had no recollection of taking them. What appeared to be recipes were written in a big notebook, but the writing was written in weird symbols that I was unable to interpret.
When I was taking pictures of everything with my phone, my hands were shaking. I made sure to put everything back exactly how I had found it.
In spite of this, I heard a car come into the driveway just as I was closing the drawer. They returned an early hour.
During dinner that evening, I put on a performance. “What is it about me that you want me to leave? ”
Fake laughter came from her. “What an odd question, my dear,” she said.
“Just curious about it.”
“You’re getting things in your head. “Perhaps you’re feeling anxious, my darling.”
Probably due to stress. We stain our bedding, that’s for sure. Can we obtain fresh ones at this time? ”
Of sure, my sweetheart. Please, Chester, assist me in obtaining them.
While Thelma was working to retrieve linens from a high shelf, I opened the drawer at the bottom of the shelf. There was a spillage of dolls and photographs.
The color had left Chester’s face. What exactly is this, Mom? ”
Following her turn, Thelma’s phony smile vanished. “That was not intended for you to go and see it.”
“Are you causing discomfort to my wife in any way? ”
You had the intention of getting married to Frances! “The daughter of my friend.” A good girl who comes from a good family. Not this unknown person,” Thelma yelled angrily.
French from your high school years? ”
It is a fantastic match for you. I wanted you to notice that this one is not very good so that Frances would appear to be quite impressive.
I uttered the words, “You have been destroying my marriage.”
Anger could be seen flashing in Thelma’s eyes. Take a trip tonight if you don’t want to get into any difficulty.
During the next morning, when Thelma was sleeping, I shared each and every photo with her church friends and neighbors by posting them in a secret Facebook group. It was said in the caption that “Thelma’s hobby is cursing people.” “At night, she engages in sinful rituals.”
After noon, people began to speak in hushed tones. As dusk approached, the phone calls continued to come in. The people who Thelma had impressed with her flawless image in church were suddenly able to see evidence of her true self.
While we were packing, Thelma was answering angry calls, and her voice became increasingly harsher with each justification she made.
“Are you ready? While he was carrying our things, Chester inquired.
I had a peek at the house where I discovered that friendly smiles might conceal quite sinister intentions. My response was, “Let’s go home.”
While we were driving away, Chester took my hand in his.
Thank you for revealing to me the true nature of my mother. Also, for battling for us when I was blind to the situation.”
Taking his hand away, I experienced a sense of relief. “There are some battles that are worth fighting for. Especially when the alternative is to allow someone else to dominate the narrative of your occurrence.
There was no need for candles or curses in the vengeance that I chose. There are times when the most powerful magic is just the truth, which is powerful enough to destroy dishonesty.
