
10/16/2025
My first husband died of cancer a few years ago, leaving me alone with my little son, Josh.
My son means everything to me. So when I remarried Dan, I was worried about how they would get along, but Dan accepted him as his own.
Josh's sixth birthday was in two days, and we wanted it to be unforgettable.
Dan and I spent the evening decorating the living room with balloons, streamers, and a shiny banner. It looked perfect. To keep it a surprise, we locked the room.
The next morning, we went to work while Josh was at school.
Around noon, Dan's mother, Linda, called.
"Emily, I can't come to the party tomorrow, but I want Josh to get my gift. Can I bring it today?"
I hesitated.
"Linda, we're not home. Maybe this evening?"
She insisted:
"You remember I live far away, right? Evening is too late for me. I'll just leave the gift. WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?"
I told her she could take the spare key from under the doormat. Why not?
But when we got home, Josh ran inside, and a moment later, HE SCREAMED.
We rushed to him. The living room door was open, the lock broken. The balloons were popped, the banner torn, trash everywhere.
And in the middle of all that chaos stood Linda—calm and cold.
My hands trembled as I shouted:
"WHAT DID YOU DO?!"
Her lips curled slightly.
"JOSH DOESN'T DESERVE THIS, BECAUSE HE'S NOT…"
I couldn't hold it in—tears streamed down my face. ⬇️