By Christmas, I’d filed for divorce, and my daughters and I spent the holidays at my mom’s house. I was sad that my in-laws would no longer be my family, but we’d always be connected through my daughters. By the next Thanksgiving, I was with a wonderful new man, who woke up earlier than me to prepare the feast.
He was a great cook and took charge of the kitchen while I got to rest for the first time in years. Since leaving Ryan, my holidays only got better, and that’s what I want for anyone in my position. My MIL Showed Up to Thanksgiving Dinner Hiding Something Under Her Sweater — Everyone Went Pale When Her Secret Was Revealed
Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday.
Meeting each other’s families soon followed. Jeff and I got married, and three years ago, we welcomed our daughter, Ava. My MIL, Linda, was always a reserved, enigmatic woman, but she was thrilled to become a grandmother.
She doted on Ava with gifts and babysitting offers. Life felt picture-perfect until last year when Ronny passed away suddenly from a heart attack. Linda was devastated.
His absence left a gaping hole in her life. Jeff and I tried to support her as best we could, but grief has a way of isolating people. Over the months, she began withdrawing from the family.
Whenever we invited her for dinner, she gave us excuses like “I’m not feeling well,” “Oh, I have a few errands to run,” and “I just don’t feel like leaving the house today.”
Then came Thanksgiving. I figured she’d say no when I invited her to dinner, but to my surprise, she agreed. “Wait, seriously?” Jeff asked when I told him the news.
“Seriously,” I said, grinning. “Maybe she’s finally ready to come out of her shell.”
“Or maybe she’s plotting something,” Jeff joked, wiggling his eyebrows. I laughed, but deep down, his words stuck with me.
Linda had always been unpredictable, and I couldn’t help but wonder what had changed her mind. When the big day arrived, the house smelled of roasted turkey, candied yams, and freshly baked pumpkin pie. Everything was going according to plan until Linda walked through the door.
She muttered a quick “Happy Thanksgiving” before dropping the bag by the door and excusing herself to the bathroom. That in itself wasn’t strange, but then Linda locked the door behind her. She’d never done that before, not even when Ava had accidentally barged in on her once.
It was out of character, and it made me curious. When Linda emerged from the bathroom, I swear her sweater looked bulkier than before. She stiffly entered the dining room, keeping her arms crossed over her chest as if protecting whatever was beneath the thick fabric.
I nudged Jeff. “Something’s not right,” I whispered. “What’s she hiding?”
He glanced at her and raised an eyebrow.
“Uh, maybe she’s smuggling the turkey she was supposed to bring.”
I rolled my eyes, but his joke didn’t ease the knot of suspicion growing in my stomach. Everyone was enjoying their meals when we heard a faint rustle. At first, I thought it was the chairs scraping against the floor, but then Ava’s voice rang out.
“Grandma, why is your tummy wiggling?” she asked. Linda let out an awkward laugh. “Oh, no, no, sweetie,” she said.
Suddenly, another muffled sound came from her direction. This time, it was a soft, unmistakable “meow.”
“Did anyone else hear that?” I asked.
We all looked at Linda, who avoided eye contact. “Mom, seriously, what’s going on?” Jeff asked. “You’ve been acting weird all night.”
Before Linda could respond, Ava ran up to her.
“Grandma, what’s under your sweater?” She lightly tugged at the hem of Linda’s sweater and then it happened. “Oh my God, Linda! WHAT IS THAT?!” I shouted.
Three tiny heads peeked out from beneath the fabric. Linda sighed and pulled back her sweater gently. I couldn’t believe my eyes as three tiny kittens tumbled out.
They blinked at us with wide, curious eyes, unsure of what was happening. “Mom,” Jeff began. “Why, uh, why do you have kittens under your sweater?”
Linda’s eyes filled with tears as she reached for the closest kitten, cradling it in her hands.Continue reading…
