The relationship with the in-laws can be a challenging one. The truth is that things turn even messier when the spouse sides with his parents instead with his significant other, and these âissuesâ donât necessarily get easier to deal with as time passes.
A woman named Evelyn took to Reddit to ask if she was in the wrong for revealing to everyone on the social media about the treatment she received by her in-laws during a visit prior to the holiday.
Hereâs her story
Iâm Evelyn, and if you think your holiday was rough, you might want to hear this one. Imagine a cozy family Christmas with two adorable newborns.
Now, imagine all of that going completely wrong. Let me set the stage for you: twins, a creepy barn, and in-laws who somehow managed to make me feel more like the hired help than part of the family.
It all started innocently enough. My husband, Mike, and I had been married for two years, and this Christmas was a big oneâit was our twinsâ first. Naturally, Mikeâs parents invited us to stay at their house for two weeks. âItâll be wonderful!â his mother had gushed over the phone. âWe can finally meet our grandchildren!â
Of course, I was excited. Who wouldnât be? I imagined two blissful weeks of rest, with Mikeâs parents helping out with the babies, maybe even giving us a few precious hours of sleep.
I had packed everything with care; enough clothes for the twins, snacks for the plane, even a jar of wildflower honey for my mother-in-law because sheâs obsessed with it in her tea. I was ready for the perfect family reunion.
But when we arrived⌠well, letâs just say things didnât go as planned.
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Mike knocked on the door, and his mom opened it, her eyes lighting up as she spotted the twins. âOh, look at them! Theyâre so precious!â she cooed.
The moment we stepped inside, my inlaws practically pounced, sweeping the babies up, smothering them with kisses, and cooing over their every little movement. And honestly, that part made me happy. Thatâs what every mother wants, right? To see her children loved, adored, cherished.
But then, things started to get strange. The more time passed, the more it became clear that this wasnât the warm, family-filled Christmas I had imagined.
After we settled in, my father-in-law handed Mike a glass of wine, while his mom beamed, holding one of the twins. âOh, Evelyn, weâve set up your room,â she said, her voice a little too cheerful.
âOh great, where are we staying?â I asked, expecting the guest room or something nearby.
âWell, Mike will be in his old room,â she said, avoiding my gaze.
I blinked. âAnd⌠where will I be?â
She hesitated. âWe thought you might appreciate some space. Youâll be in the barn.â
I laughed, thinking it was a joke. âWait, the barn? As in⌠an actual barn?â
âYes, dear. Itâs been converted. Thereâs a heater out there. Itâs really quite cozy,â she said, nodding as if that explained everything.
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âCozy? You want me to sleep in the barn? Away from my husband? Away from my kids?â I could feel my voice rising, but I tried to keep calm. Maybe there was some weird reasoning behind this.
Mike, standing behind his mom, shrugged. âItâs not a big deal, Ev. Youâre making this into something itâs not.â
âNot a big deal? Mike, itâs a barn. With a bed and a space heater. It smells like hay and⌠I donât even know what!â My stomach tightened just thinking about it. âWhy would I be out there, while youâre in the house?â
He sighed, taking a sip of his wine. âYouâre overreacting. The house is full, and my old room barely fits one person. Plus, the twins need quiet. Itâs just for a couple of nights.â
I stared at him, disbelief washing over me. âMike, weâre married. We have children. What kind of twisted logic is this?â
He rolled his eyes, already done with the conversation. âWhat are you complaining about? The barn has a bed, doesnât it? Itâs not like youâre roughing it in a tent.â
âYou canât be serious,â I said, my voice shaking. âI just had twins. I thought weâd be together for Christmas, not⌠separated like teenagers on some church retreat.â
Mike shrugged again as if it was no big deal. âItâs fine. Stop making this into a thing.â
I looked back at the barn, cold dread settling in. This was going to be a long two weeks.
I couldnât believe what I was hearing. âWait, where are the twins supposed to sleep?â I asked, my voice tight. I glanced at the barn again, panic rising. There was no way I could fit both babies in a single bed with me, and certainly not in a freezing barn that smelled like hay and dust.
Mikeâs mother smiled politely as if she were about to tell me something wonderful. âOh, weâve set up a crib for them in our room.â