When I married Toby, I was fortunate to have a wonderful mother-in-law, Julia. She embraced me as her daughter, always full of life and joy. “She’s loved you since the beginning, Larissa,” Toby reassured me. Julia often visited, filling our home with laughter and delicious meals.
After three years of marriage, Toby and I were eager to start a family but struggled to conceive. We sought advice from Julia, who took me to wellness coaches and fertility massages. She even bought us a new mattress, saying, “Maybe you just need to give your body the best chance possible at this.” Surprisingly, I got pregnant soon after.
One night, after our baby Maddie had a diaper blowout, Toby found a silk bag with herbs pinned to our mattress. “It’s fertility herbs, it has to be!” he exclaimed. Toby’s fear of the supernatural led him to burn the mattress, leaving us confused about Julia’s intentions.
The next morning, Toby confronted Julia about the herbs. She tearfully admitted, “I just wanted to help. I thought if it worked, you wouldn’t care how.” Though shaken, we agreed to move forward with transparency. Despite the strange circumstances, Julia’s love and support remained invaluable as we cherished our new life with Maddie.
