When my daughter-in-law, Sarah, gifted me a three-day vacation for my birthday, I was touched by her thoughtfulness. She knew how hard I’d been working and insisted that I take the time to relax. I’d never been away from home for so long, but I thought it would be a great opportunity to unwind.
During the trip, I enjoyed peaceful days of sightseeing and indulging in some much-needed self-care. But when I returned home, the warm sense of relaxation quickly turned to shock. As I approached my front door, I noticed something was off. My things were scattered on the front lawn, and the door was locked.
Panic set in as I rang the doorbell. No one answered. I fumbled for my keys, but they didn’t work. I knocked on the neighbours’ doors, but they were just as confused as I was. Finally, my son, David, called me back.
“Mom, where are you?” he asked, his voice strange. I explained what had happened.
There was a long silence on the other end of the phone. Finally, David spoke. “Mom, Sarah… well, she told me you were coming back to a new start.”
What? I couldn’t process his words. “What do you mean, a new start?”
David hesitated. “She thought it would be best if you… moved out. She didn’t want to say it over the phone, but the house is hers now. She had the locks changed.”
I felt the blood drain from my face. How could this be happening? After all these years of living in the same home, suddenly, I was being pushed out by the woman I had considered family?
When Sarah finally arrived at the house, I was still in disbelief. She stood at the door, her arms crossed. “It was time for a change, and I thought it would be better for everyone. You’ve been living with us long enough.”
I tried to remain calm as I gathered my belongings, feeling betrayed by the very person who had sent me away on what I thought was a thoughtful gift. My son, David, was silent through it all, and I couldn’t understand why he hadn’t intervened.
In the end, I left the house, devastated and confused. What was once a home filled with love now felt like a place of betrayal. The vacation I had been so excited about had turned into a nightmare, and I was left questioning everything about my relationship with Sarah—and with my own son.
