Her words took me by surprise.
I hadn’t expected her to admit what she’d been doing.
For a moment, I didn’t know what to say.
“It’s okay, Darling,” I said.
“I don’t mind helping, but you’ve got to remember, I’m not as young as I used to be. These old knees can only take so much.”
She smiled back, looking relieved.
“We make a great team, though. From now on, I’ll be helping out more.
Let’s go put your feet up.
I’ll make you a cup of tea, okay?”
And just like that, the tension between us seemed to dissolve. It was a small Christmas miracle.
As we sat down with our tea, Eve even offered to massage my knees.
It was something I never would have expected.
As I sipped my tea, I realized that maybe things would be okay after all.
Eve had returned to being the kind, thoughtful daughter-in-law I knew, and for the first time in a while, I felt like I could finally relax.
Now, everything feels as it should be. I’m not a servant.
I’m family.
And as we sit on the porch together, sipping our tea, I can finally relax, knowing that I’ve taught Eve a lesson without a single harsh word.
But that’s just my story.
What would you have done in my shoes? Would you have taught a lesson, or would you have put your foot down from the start?
