I always knew my mother-in-law, Denise, didn’t really like me. She wasn’t rude, but made me feel like a temporary part of Julian’s life. So when she suddenly got a “work call” before dinner, I wasn’t surprised. But I noticed her front camera was on—not a real call.
Instead of calling her out, I smiled and reminded her we made her favorite meal. She stuck to her lie and left quickly.
Later, I told Julian, and he found it amusing. We invited Denise over again, and when she faked another call, Julian and I surprised her by offering to wait.
Caught, she admitted she felt left out, missing the time when it was just her and Julian. We reassured her she was always welcome, not out of obligation but because we wanted her there.
That night, we had our first honest conversation, and maybe she finally saw me as more than a phase.
Denise’s fake calls were really about fear of losing her place. When we addressed it with kindness, things began to improve.
