I stared at the package the TSA officer placed into my palm. Part of me wanted to throw it away, but I hurriedly tossed it into one of the airport lockers before jogging to catch my flight. I barely made it and spent the entire trip to Chicago with my mind racing.
Why would Debbie do this? What was she trying to accomplish?
Each possibility I considered seemed more outlandish than the last, but they all pointed to one unavoidable conclusion: my mother-in-law had deliberately set me up. I took the bag to a lab for testing immediately after I returned home.
When the results came back, I couldn’t believe my eyes. I stared at the report, my coffee growing cold beside me. Mugwort.
Yarrow. St. John’s Wort.
According to my frantic Google searches, these herbs were used in folk magic. They were used for spells meant to drive people away, sever connections, or “protect” someone from unwanted influences. Debbie had tried to use magic to get rid of me.
That evening, I waited until Arthur and I had finished dinner. He was loading the dishwasher, humming under his breath, when I finally worked up the courage. “We need to talk about your mother,” I said.
He turned, dish soap bubbles clinging to his hands. “What’s wrong?”
I told him everything about the airport, the herbs, and what I’d discovered about their supposed magical properties. His face grew darker with each word, the muscle in his jaw ticking as he clenched it.
“She’s never wanted me in your life. This proves it. I was almost arrested because of this stunt, Arthur.
All because she can’t accept that you chose me.”
Arthur dried his hands slowly, methodically, like he needed the simple task to ground himself. “I knew she was having trouble accepting you, but this…” He shook his head. “This is something else entirely.
It’s on a whole other level, and it’s unforgivable.”
“What are we going to do?”
He looked at me, and I saw the pain in his eyes. But there was also determination. “I’m going to call her right now.
And then I’m going to tell her that until she can admit what she did and genuinely apologize to you, she’s not welcome in our home.”
“Arthur, you don’t have to—”
“Yes, I do.” He took my hand, his grip firm and sure. “She crossed a line, Jess. She tried to hurt you and made you look like a criminal.
I love my mother, but I won’t let her destroy my marriage. You’re my family too, and it’s time she understood that.”
I leaned into him, feeling the steady beat of his heart against my cheek. The shoes sat in our closet, a reminder that sometimes the most dangerous gifts come wrapped in the prettiest packages.
As Arthur reached for his phone, I knew we’d weather this storm together and be stronger for facing it head-on. Maybe that’s what really drives Debbie crazy: knowing that every attempt to separate us only brings us closer together. Maybe someday she’ll realize there’s enough room in Arthur’s heart for both of us.
Until then, we’ll keep our distance, and I’ll be more careful about accepting gifts.
