Here Comes the Bully

Even before marrying Wayne Cooper, I knew he had a fierce sister-in-law. He would always tell me to never get into a fight with her.

After we marry, we spend Christmas Eve at his parents' house for the first time. I'm forced to bustle around in the kitchen as I prepare a feast for over a dozen people.

Meanwhile, Wayne's family lounges in the living room. They chatter away while enjoying the fruits I've washed and sliced.

As I place the last dish on the table, Wayne's brother and sister-in-law, Kyle Cooper and Lucy Wren, arrive.

When I want to take my seat, I discover there isn't one for me. That's when Lucy snorts and says sarcastically, "I heard you're a good wife who's obedient and easygoing, Melanie. I have to say that your cooking is… mediocre, though."

This infuriates me. I'm about to retort when she turns to my mother-in-law. She says, "I think you should do the cooking from now on, Gloria. Your food is delicious…"

The moment my sister-in-law, Lucy Wren, finished speaking, my mother-in-law, Gloria Perkins, wore a look like a thunderstorm had just rolled in. I stood there, unsure what had just happened.

The vibe got uncomfortable, but Lucy sipped her drink as if nothing had happened.

Finally, my father-in-law, Michael Cooper, gave Gloria's sleeve a tug.

Gloria pursed her lips and said, "Mel's from Hummingdale. She was talking about making some of her hometown dishes for us."

I raised an eyebrow. My impression of Gloria took a dive. I hadn't said anything like that since I walked in.

Wayne Cooper and I had just gotten married, and this was my first time celebrating the holidays at the Cooper residence.

Mom always taught me to treat others how I wanted to be treated. Everyone said getting along with in-laws could be tricky, but I was willing to make the first move and show my sincerity for Wayne's sake.

I thought that by being nice, the Coopers would show the same in return, so I offered to pitch in. But I didn't expect Gloria to dump all the kitchen work on me.

She kept coming up with reasons, saying her back hurt or that she had to pick up her daughter, Emily Cooper, to bring her home for Christmas Eve.

Wayne and I had agreed to have each other's backs, but Gloria kept whisking him away. Eventually, it seemed like he had completely forgotten I was handling all the work in the kitchen.

So, there I was, rinsing vegetables, chopping them up, preparing salad, roasting the meat, and baking cinnamon rolls. While I worked, I decided that this would be my first and last time doing so much.

After a whole day of running myself ragged, I couldn't believe the Cooper family hadn't even saved me a spot at the table!

I was moments away from walking out when Lucy's voice broke the tension. "Why are you standing, Mel? Don't you have a seat? Looks like Gloria's picking on you."

Her words jabbed at everyone like a needle, and they froze and exchanged uncomfortable looks. Gloria felt awkward.

Wayne finally caught on. He got up, grabbed a stool, and placed it next to him.

"Babe," he said, "come sit beside me."

My heart sank when I saw the cheap blue plastic stool. Everyone else had a proper chair, and there I was, stuck with something that looked straight out of a dollar store.

Wayne came over and draped his arm around my shoulders, murmuring, "I'm sorry, babe. I never meant for you to be treated like this. You can take my seat."

I gazed at the man I loved with all my heart and swallowed the bitterness rising within me.

A small hiccup like this wasn't going to ruin Christmas Eve, though. The Coopers carried on eating happily, while Lucy seemed detached, almost as if she didn't have a care in the world.

Gloria cleared her throat, took out a gift from her pocket, and handed it to me. "Michael and I got you this because it's your first time at our place, Mel. We hope you'll like it.

"But just so you know, we don't normally give gifts to our daughters-in-law. That's just how our family works. Once you and Wayne have a baby, we'll start giving gifts to the grandkids instead. Lucy hasn't had a gift in ages, either."

She slid the gift toward me. It should have been a heartfelt moment, but her words stung, leaving me unsure if I should take it.

Just then, Lucy burst out laughing. "Seriously, Gloria? Who are you trying to fool?"