Me and my mother-in-law have never gotten along, and she was always trying to annoy me. But when she pulled a stunt at my workplace, I had enough and decided to teach her a lesson right there, much to the delight of my coworkers and my manager.
Yesterday, I was about halfway through my shift at the upscale grocery store where I work part-time when I saw her: Denise, my mother-in-law. She walked through the automatic doors as if entering her kingdom. I had no idea her presence would provoke a confrontation where I’d have to defend myself.
The soft background music in the store did nothing to muffle the sound of her heels clacking on the shiny floor as she made her grand entrance, dripping in expensive jewelry. Denise had this expression on her face that said everyone should stop what they were doing and admire her presence.
And to be honest, she expected it.
She was wearing her usual outfit: a tailored designer coat, oversized sunglasses despite the perfect indoor lighting, and a diamond necklace that probably cost me more than I earned in a year.
When she headed straight to my register, already forming a smirk on her lips, my stomach churned. But what the hell was she doing here?
Denise had never come to my work before, and at that moment, a part of me wished it would stay that way forever. This woman had a way of making me feel small, as if her disapproving glances and passive-aggressive comments weren’t enough to remind me every day that I wasn’t “good enough” for her precious son, Jack.
We’ve been married for five years, yet my mother-in-law always found ways to remind me that I fell short of her expectations. My husband didn’t help much, always seeming to take her side to avoid further drama, saying things like, “That’s just how Mom is.”
His refusal to support me drove me crazy! But I love him and thought that eventually, my mother-in-law would tire of her antics. For years, I endured her antics and kept biting my tongue… until yesterday. Yesterday was the last time Denise disturbed me because I taught her a lesson she would never forget.
Here’s how it happened…
She stopped in front of my register and gave me that fake smile that sent chills down my spine. In her arms were two cans of caviar, the specialty, premium high-end caviar that cost more than my rent.
I glanced at the price tags. Yes, it was as horrendous as I thought: hundreds of dollars for two tiny boxes.
“Sweetheart,” Denise said with that sickly sweet tone she always used when she wanted something. She dropped the boxes with a thud on the counter and looked over her shoulder, probably to ensure we had an audience.
“I need you to take care of this for me.”
Confused, I blinked, trying to understand what she was asking.
“Sure,” I replied, reaching for the boxes to examine them for her, but she stopped me to clarify.
“No, stupid, I need you to take care of this for me, sweetheart,” she replied, sounding annoyed but happy to put me in the spotlight.
“Take care of it?” I repeated, unsure if I had heard her correctly or understood what she really wanted.
“I’d like to introduce you to a very special guest today, my mother-in-law, Denise! She’s here to buy two boxes of our finest caviar and has asked me, her cashier daughter-in-law, to pay for her. Let’s give her a round of applause for being such a generous family member!”
For a split second, the store fell silent. Then someone at the back started to clap slowly, but soon others joined in. Before long, the whole store was clapping and cheering!
My coworkers were grinning from ear to ear, and even the customers in line were laughing and clapping!
Denise’s face turned a shade of red I had never seen before!
“What the hell are you doing?” she hissed quietly, looking at me as if I had just committed a crime.
I kept smiling, pretending not to notice.
“Oh, I just thought everyone should know how generous you are, Denise. Isn’t that what you wanted?”
She snatched the bag from the counter, her lips pressed into a thin line. Without saying another word, she rushed out of the store, her heels clicking furiously against the tiles while the applause continued!
It didn’t stop until she was out the door, and at that point, I was practically glowing with satisfaction!
After she left, my coworker Rachel came over to me, barely able to contain her laughter.
“This is the most LEGENDARY thing I’ve ever seen!” she whispered.
The store manager, who had been watching the whole scene from the back, winked at me as he passed by. “Remind me never to alienate you,” he said with a smile.
I couldn’t stop smiling as I finished my shift. It wasn’t just the applause or the fact that I had finally stood up to Denise in such a public way. It was knowing that, for once, I had gotten the better of her.
Only later that evening, when I got home, did I realize the impact of what had happened. Jack was sitting on the couch, phone in hand, looking both confused and impressed at the same time.
“What happened with my mom today?” he asked, unable to hide a hint of a smile.
I sat next to him and told him everything. I braced myself, expecting him to be angry or at least a little annoyed. But instead, he just shook his head, stifling a laugh.
“You know,” he said, “I think she might leave us alone for a while.”
And guess what? He was right. Since then, my mother-in-law hasn’t called, texted, or shown up!
