Sunday dinners at our house are sacred — full of laughter, good food, and just the right amount of family chaos. But last weekend, something felt off. My mother-in-law showed up uninvited, looking pale and exhausted. Concerned, I asked if she was okay. She gave me a faint smile and said, “I’m fine.”
Later, I noticed her quietly sharing her water bottle with my son. I froze in disbelief. Before I could say anything, the moment passed, but the unease lingered.
Two days later, my son came down with the flu. I was furious and immediately told my husband, expecting some sympathy or action. But his words stopped me cold: “Mom just called me. She has pneumonia.” I couldn’t believe it. The next day, I called her, only to hear an unfamiliar woman answer. In a soft, almost haunting voice, she said, “You’re late… she’s already been moved to the hospital.”
Shock, guilt, and anger collided inside me. I hadn’t expected her illness to be so serious. At the same time, I was terrified for my son and worried about how he would handle everything. Thankfully, he recovered in a couple of days, and my mother-in-law was discharged from the hospital a week later.
Even now, I feel a storm of emotions — anger, confusion, worry — and I don’t know how to approach her or what’s appropriate.
