My MIL Left Me During Labor, and What Happened Next Was Unbelievable

My mother-in-lawm. Each time she stepped out, I heard strange voices outside. When I finally saw what it was, I couldn’t move.

When I told Josh I wanted a home birth, his face lit up like a child on Christmas morning. But his mother, Elizabeth, was even more excited. You would have thought we had just given her the keys to a shiny new car.

Oh, Nancy! This is such great news!” Elizabeth exclaimed, putting her hands together. “I have to be there to support you both. I can help with anything you need!”

I looked at Josh, raising my eyebrows. His shrug told me he was leaving the decision up to me.

I don’t know, Elizabeth,” I replied, sounding unsure. “It’s going to be really intense.”

She waved my worries away. “Nonsense! I’ve been through this myself. I know exactly what you’ll need.”

I bit my lip, thinking it over. Maybe having an extra pair of hands wouldn’t be so bad, right? It would also mean a lot to Josh if I invited his mother to help with our home birth.

“Okay,” I finally agreed. “You can be there.”

Elizabeth squealed with delight, her excitement so loud it could have scared the neighborhood dogs.

The big day finally came. Our midwife, Rosie, was setting up her things when Elizabeth rushed in, her arms full of bags.

“You won’t regret this, Nancy,” she said, hugging me tightly. “I promise to be the best support you could ask for.”

“I’m here!” she announced, as if we could have missed her entrance. “What do you need me to do?”

I was about to respond when a contraction hit, taking my breath away. Josh was instantly by my side, his hand on my lower back as I tensed and groaned.

“Just… put your things down for now,” I managed to say.

As the contraction passed, I noticed Elizabeth fidgeting, her eyes darting around the room. She seemed more nervous than excited, and I felt that something was off.

“Are you okay?” I asked, frowning.

She turned, startled. “What? Oh, yes! Just thinking about how I can help. You’re doing great, honey. Just keep pushing.”

Before I could ask her anything else, she rushed out the door, mumbling something about getting me some water.

Josh squeezed my hand. “Want me to talk to her?”

I shook my head. “No, it’s fine. She’s probably just nervous. It’s our first baby, right?”

As my labor went on, Elizabeth’s behavior became stranger. She would pop in, ask how I was doing, then leave again. Each time she returned, she seemed more flustered.

During a strong contraction, I held Josh’s hand so tightly I thought I might break it. As the pain faded, I heard a weird sound.

“Josh,” I panted, “do you hear that?”

He tilted his head to listen. “Sounds like… voices?”

I nodded, relieved I wasn’t imagining it. “And is that music?”

Josh frowned, kissed my forehead, and said, “I’ll check it out. I’ll be right back.”

As he left, Rosie smiled at me. “You’re doing great, Nancy. Not long now.”

When Josh came back, he looked pale, like he had seen a ghost.

“What is it?” I asked, dreading his answer.

He ran his hand through his hair, looking upset. “You’re not going to believe this. My mother is throwing a party. In our living room.”

I stared at him, thinking I must have misheard. “A what?”

“A party,” he repeated, frustration in his voice. “There are at least a dozen people out there.”

The pain of labor was nothing compared to the anger that flooded me. I struggled to get up, ignoring my midwife’s protests.

“Nancy, you shouldn’t—”

“I need to see this for myself,” I growled.

Josh helped me as we made our way to the living room. The scene was surreal. People were chatting and drinking, as if it were a casual Sunday barbecue.

A banner hung on the wall that read: “WELCOME BABY!”

Elizabeth was in the middle of it all, chatting with a group of women I didn’t recognize. She didn’t even notice us.

“What the heck is going on here?” I shouted, my voice slicing through the chatter.

The room went silent, all eyes on us. Elizabeth turned around, her face going pale when she saw me.

“Nancy! Oh my God! What are you doing here? You’re supposed to—”

“Elizabeth, what is happening here?”

“Oh, I… we were just…”

“Just what? Turning my home birth into a show?”

Elizabeth looked offended. “Now, Nancy, don’t be dramatic. We’re just celebrating!”

“Celebrating? I’m in labor, Elizabeth! This isn’t a party!”

She waved her hand dismissively. “Oh, you wouldn’t even know we were here! I thought you’d like the support.”

I felt another contraction coming on and gritted my teeth against the pain and anger. “Support? This is a circus!”

Josh stepped forward, his voice low and serious. “Everyone needs to leave. Now.”

People scrambled to grab their things, and Elizabeth tried one last time. “Nancy, you’re overreacting. This is a happy time!”

I turned to her, my words sharp. “This is my home birth. My moment. If you can’t respect that, you can leave too.”

Without waiting for a response, I waddled back to the bedroom to finish what I started, leaving Josh to handle the chaos.

Hours later, as I held my newborn son, the earlier drama felt like a distant nightmare. Josh sat beside me, eyes full of wonder as he stroked our baby’s cheek.

“He’s perfect!” he whispered.

I nodded, too overwhelmed for words. We enjoyed the quiet until a soft knock at the door broke the peace.

Elizabeth peeked in, her eyes red. “Can I… can I come in?”

My jaw tightened. “No!”

Her face fell. “Please, Nancy. I’m so sorry. I just want to see the baby.”

I looked at Josh, feeling torn. He squeezed my hand gently, his eyes understanding but pleading.

“Fine. Five minutes.”

Elizabeth walked in slowly, as if worried I might change my mind. Her face looked pale and drawn as she came closer to the bed.

“Nancy, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking. I got so excited and carried away.”

I didn’t respond, just stared at her. Josh cleared his throat. “Do you want to see your grandson, Mom?”

Elizabeth nodded, tears falling as Josh carefully handed our son to her. As she held him, her whole demeanor changed. The party-planner was gone, replaced by a gentle, awed grandmother.

After a few minutes, I spoke up. “It’s time for him to feed.”

Elizabeth nodded and reluctantly gave the baby back to me. She lingered at the door. “Thank you for letting me see him,” she said softly before leaving.

As the door closed, Josh turned to me. “Are you okay?”

I shook my head. “No. What she did… I can’t just forgive and forget, Josh.”

He nodded and pulled me close. “I understand. We’ll work it out together.”

In the weeks that followed, I struggled with how to move on. Part of me wanted to keep Elizabeth away from our son’s first celebration as revenge for her party crash.

I was still angry and hurt, which made it hard to think about including her.

But as I watched her care for our baby during her visits, always respectful of our space and routines, I realized there was a better way.

When it was time to plan the baby’s first party, I picked up the phone and called her.

“Elizabeth? It’s Nancy. I was hoping you could help with the preparations for the baby’s party next weekend.”

There was a long silence on the line. Finally, she spoke. “You want my help? After what I did?”

“Yes. Because this is what family does. We forgive, learn, and move forward together.”

I could hear tears in her voice as she replied, “Oh, Nancy. Thank you. I promise I won’t let you down.”

True to her word, Elizabeth was calm and helpful during the party. She worked quietly in the background, glowing with pride as we introduced our son to family and friends.

As the last guest left, she came up to me, her eyes shining. “Thank you for letting me be part of this, Nancy. I see now that this is how we celebrate: with love and respect.”

I smiled, feeling the barriers between us break down. “That’s right, Elizabeth. Welcome to the family!”

My Teenage Daughter Was Against My Marriage to a New Man, and It Tore Our Family Apart — Story of the Day

Falling in love at 47 was something I never saw coming, especially after the heartbreak of my first marriage. Now, as I prepare to marry John, my teenage daughter, Emilia, is struggling to accept him. Balancing my love for John and my bond with Emilia, I’m faced with difficult choices and unspoken fears.

I never could have imagined that at 47, I would fall in love again, or that I would ever want a relationship after my failed first marriage, which ended 12 years ago.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For a long time, I thought I was done with love. My ex-husband had been horrible to me. He constantly nagged, telling me I wasn’t doing enough around the house, even though I worked just as much as he did.

His words cut deep, especially when he made fun of me for gaining weight after my pregnancy. He didn’t care how hard I was trying or how much I juggled. I knew he was cheating, but I forgave him every time.

I told myself it was for the sake of our family, for our daughter. But when my then 4-year-old Emilia saw him with another woman, something broke inside me. That was the final straw. I couldn’t live like that anymore.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

The only good thing from that marriage is Emilia. She’s my everything—the best thing that ever happened to me. We’ve always been close.

For so long, it was just her and me, like a team against the world. I never thought I needed anyone else until a year ago when John came into my life.

John was different. He made me feel loved and cared for in ways I hadn’t felt in years. He treated Emilia with kindness, like she was his own daughter. Watching the two of them together gave me hope. I started to believe that maybe, just maybe, John could be the father Emilia never had.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

But everything changed after he proposed. Suddenly, Emilia wasn’t the same. She argued with John, with me, and left the house every time he came over. I didn’t understand it, and it broke my heart.

One evening, I sat in the kitchen with John, staring down at my cup of tea. I sighed, feeling the weight of everything. “I don’t know what to do,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

John looked at me, concerned. “Maybe we should start meeting at my place instead?” he suggested.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

I shook my head. “We’re getting married soon. What are we supposed to do, live apart then too?” I sighed again, feeling even more frustrated. “I don’t understand why she’s acting like this.”

John leaned back in his chair, thinking. “She’s jealous, Lucy. It’s been just you and her for so long. Now, you’ve got someone else in your life. Someone who’s taking up your time and love.”

“I guess,” I said. “But you two were fine before. She liked you.”

“That was different,” he replied calmly. “Back then, I was just your boyfriend. Now I’m going to be your husband and her stepfather. That’s a big change for her.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

I nodded slowly. “You’re right. But I still don’t know what to do.”

John reached for my hand. “Talk to her,” he said softly.

I snorted, trying to hide my nerves. “Talk to a teenage girl? That’s like walking into a fire.”

John smiled. “No, talk to your daughter. She needs you.” I leaned my head on his shoulder, wishing I had the answers.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

The next day, I knew I had to talk to Emilia. I stood outside her door for a moment before knocking. “Come in,” she said, sounding annoyed. I could almost hear her eyes rolling.

I stepped inside, feeling nervous, and sat down on the edge of her bed. She looked at me, waiting for me to speak. “I wanted to talk to you,” I said.

Emilia raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

“I know it’s probably hard for you, with John becoming part of our family,” I said, trying to meet her gaze.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

She shrugged. “It’s not hard. John’s fine.”

“Then why do you leave every time he comes over?” I asked, keeping my voice calm. “And why do you argue with him?”

“Just because,” she muttered.

I took a deep breath. “Look, just because I love John doesn’t mean I’ll love you any less. You’re my daughter, and—”

She cut me off, her voice rising. “I don’t believe that!” she shouted. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore. I have homework.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Her words stung, but I stood up slowly. “Alright. But if you ever want to talk, you can always come to me. It’s still you and me against the world, remember?”

Emilia didn’t respond. I looked at her for a moment, hoping for something, but she stayed silent. With a heavy heart, I left the room.

As the wedding day got closer, Emilia’s behavior only got worse. Every decision John and I made, she had a problem with. If we liked a caterer, she’d complain about the menu.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

It wasn’t until we chose the one she recommended that the complaints stopped. Picking out my wedding dress became a two-week ordeal, and she insisted on making my bouquet herself.

I thought it was her way of staying involved, but each time she demanded something to be changed, I could feel the tension growing. She had her own dress altered seven times, and John quietly paid for each adjustment.

It wasn’t just the wedding preparations that were exhausting—it was seeing how much pain she was in. I knew she was struggling, but I didn’t know how to help. Her anger felt like a wall between us, and every day, it seemed to grow taller.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“Maybe we should cancel the wedding,” I said to John one evening, my voice soft.

John looked at me, surprised. “What? Did I do something wrong?” he asked, concerned.

“No, you’re perfect,” I reassured him. “I love you, and that hasn’t changed. It’s just Emilia…”

John nodded, understanding. “This is really hard for her,” he said, confirming what I had feared all along.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“Yes,” I admitted, finally saying the words out loud. “I thought maybe if we just kept dating, she would come around. She might accept it better if we didn’t rush.”

John took a deep breath and said, “Lucy, I’ll support you no matter what. But this is your life, not Emilia’s. In two years, she’ll be in college, living her own life.”

“I know,” I replied, my chest tightening. “But it hurts to see her struggling like this.”

John reached for my hand. “You’re not alone in this. I’m here for both of you. We’ll figure it out together. I just want to make you both happy.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Then he paused as if considering something. “Actually, I’ve been thinking… I’d like to adopt Emilia. If she’s willing, of course. I already see her as my daughter.”

Tears filled my eyes as I threw my arms around him, hugging him tightly. Somewhere in the hallway, I heard a small noise, but I didn’t pay it much attention. Right now, I was focused on the love and support I had right in front of me.

The wedding day had finally come, and I felt both excited and nervous. I prayed to every god I could think of, hoping everything would go smoothly. But it seemed my prayers went unheard. Just minutes before the ceremony, my friend Kyra hurried into the room, looking worried.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“Lucy, we have a problem,” she said, her voice tense. My heart sank instantly. “Emilia hasn’t shown up yet.”

“What do you mean, she hasn’t shown up?” I asked, feeling my chest tighten.

“I don’t know,” Kyra said. “She’s not answering her phone or replying to texts.”

Panic rushed through me. I didn’t even think before I bolted out of the room to find John. When I saw him, I blurted out, “Emilia’s gone. She’s disappeared.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

John stayed calm. “Go find her,” he said with a small smile.

“But the ceremony starts in twenty minutes,” I said, unsure.

“Go,” he repeated, his voice gentle. “This wedding won’t mean anything if Emilia isn’t there.”

I wrapped my arms around him, hugging him tight. In that moment, I knew—once again—that I had chosen the right man.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

I had a feeling I knew where Emilia might be. My heart raced as I drove to the old playground we used to visit when she was younger. Sure enough, when I arrived, I spotted her sitting on one of the swings, her head down, gently swaying back and forth. Relief washed over me.

“Hey,” I said as I approached her, trying to keep my voice steady.

Emilia looked up at me, her eyes red and filled with tears. “Mom? What are you doing here? Isn’t your wedding starting soon?”

I sat down on the swing next to her and shook my head. “The ceremony doesn’t matter without you,” I said.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

She wiped her eyes and asked, “How did John take it? Did he leave you?”

“No, he didn’t leave,” I assured her. “He’s the one who sent me to find you. He told me the same thing I just told you—the ceremony won’t mean anything if you’re not there.”

Emilia blinked, surprised. “Really? He said that?”

I nodded. “What’s going on, Emilia? Why are you trying to stop the wedding? I thought you liked John.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“It’s not that,” she muttered. “It’s… it’s just that it’s always been you and me. I thought it would always stay that way. What if he leaves us like Dad did? I couldn’t handle that again.”

Hearing her say that made my heart ache. “So that’s what this is about? You’re testing John?”

She sighed, her voice small. “Not on purpose… but maybe.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

I reached over and took her hand. “Sweetheart, you don’t need to protect me. I’m the one who’s supposed to protect you. And trust me, John isn’t going anywhere. He loves both of us. He even told me he wants to adopt you.”

“I know,” she whispered. “I overheard you two talking about it. That’s why I’m not at the ceremony right now. What if I let him in, and then he just… leaves? I’m scared, Mom.”

I pulled her into my arms, holding her tight. “Oh, baby. I’m scared too. But love is about taking risks. We don’t know the future, but we choose love because it’s worth it.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

She rested her head on my shoulder. “I don’t know if I’m ready…”

“I get it,” I said softly. “But no matter what, you’ll always have me. No one, not even John, can change that. You and I? We’ve been a team from the start.”

Emilia let out a small laugh. “But now John’s part of the team too…”

I smiled and squeezed her hand. “It’s easier to fight with three of us, don’t you think?”