When I was seven months pregnant, I discovered that my husband was having an affair. The shock and heartbreak were so overwhelming that I ended up in the hospital. While I was lying there on an IV and crying, my husband packed his things and left to be with his mistress. I felt completely abandoned, especially because my parents were no longer alive.

Then my mother-in-law walked into my hospital room. She sat beside me and said, “Lena, I never liked you, so our relationship was never good. But what my son did is disgusting. I’m sorry I didn’t raise him well. We may not be friends, but you’re carrying my grandchild, and I’m here for you.” Her words weren’t overly emotional, but they meant everything because she backed them up with actions.

She brought me a nightgown, slippers, a cup, and home-cooked food. When I was discharged, she came to meet me and continued supporting me throughout my pregnancy. After my daughter was born, she was the one who picked my baby and me up from the maternity hospital. With no parents to turn to and no money to afford the apartment I had once rented, I eventually moved in with her.

My mother-in-law now helps me tremendously with my daughter and has given us a safe place to live while I rebuild my life. We may never become the closest of friends, and our relationship has never been perfect, but I will always be grateful for what she did when I was at my most vulnerable. My husband walked away when I needed him most, but his mother chose to stay—and sometimes, love is shown not through words, but through simply being there.