The day my child was born, my mother-in-law used her bad back as an excuse and went home to her hometown to recover.

My own mother quit her job on the spot and came to look after me through my postpartum recovery and to help raise my son.

For eighteen full years, she never took a single day off.

Then, the moment my son started college, my husband immediately brought his mother back from her hometown, threw my mother's luggage out the door, and said to me:

"Our son's in college now. He doesn't need anyone looking after him. Send your mother home today. My mom's moving in."

"She's getting old, her health's not good, so from now on you'd better put in more effort. Take good care of her and treat her right."

I looked at my mother, who had toiled through half her life, her hair gone completely gray. Then I looked at my mother-in-law, ruddy-faced and bursting with energy.

I nodded and said, "All right."

1

Seeing how readily I agreed, Dirk James broke into a satisfied smile.

"You're a sensible woman. That means a lot to me."

My mother-in-law folded her arms, looking smug, and turned to my mother.

"Well, since Corinne Henson agrees, you'd best hurry up and get going now."

"And don't bother coming around anymore. I like my peace and quiet. I don't want extra people cluttering up the house."

At those words, my mother's body went stiff.

She stared, dazed, at the luggage scattered across the doorway, and couldn't stop her eyes from going red.

I knew she felt wronged.

Eighteen years ago, the day I gave birth, my mother-in-law came to the hospital just long enough to glance at the baby, then pressed a hand to her back and sighed at me.

"Corinne, my back's hurting so badly I can't stand it. If I stay here I'll only be a burden to you, so I'll go home first and recover."

"Once my back's better, I'll come and look after you and the baby."

And with that, she pressed a hand to her back and left the hospital without looking back.

I sat there watching her walk away, and it was a long time before I could pull myself together.

Because after Dirk and I got married, my mother-in-law nagged me day after day to have a child.

She kept promising me all I had to do was give birth. With her around, she swore I wouldn't have to raise the baby a single day.

I believed her.

And then, the baby was barely born before she used her bad back as an excuse and went straight back to her hometown.

That was eighteen years ago.

For eighteen full years, she vanished like she'd evaporated off the face of the earth, and never spent a single day caring for the child.

Never bought him one piece of clothing.

Never gave him a cent for his birthdays or the holidays.

It was my mother who deliberately quit her job and rushed over overnight to care for me and the baby.

In the days right after the birth, I was so weak I couldn't even get out of bed.

It was my mother who tended to me day and night, wiping me down, cooking soups to build me back up.

When the baby cried at night, it was her who got up again and again to hold and soothe him, feed him, change his diapers. For three whole years, she never slept a full night.

For all of it, Dirk never once said thank you. Instead, every month, right on schedule, he wired eight thousand a month to his mother for living expenses.

He said, "My mom's back is bad. It isn't easy for her living alone back home."

But I could see plain as day that my mother-in-law posted about her life on the short-video app every single day.

Back home she ate, drank, and had a fine time every day. If she wasn't dancing with the group in the park, she was off traveling or hiking a mountain.

She was living better than anyone, her body sturdier than mine, and I was the young one.

My mother, by contrast, wore herself down doing housework and caring for the child, day after grinding day, until she'd turned into a little old woman with white hair and hands covered in calluses.

And in the end, she was the one written off as extra baggage and swept out the door.

No one could take that. No one.

Seeing my mother still hadn't moved, my mother-in-law frowned, a flicker of displeasure in her face.

"My grandson's in college now. He doesn't need looking after. You staying on here does nothing but take up space."

"For the sake of us being family, we let you live in this fine house for free for eighteen years. That's already going out of our way for you."

"But you can't just keep freeloading in my son's home forever, now, can you?"

My mother's whole face went red.

She'd been honest and decent her entire life, thin-skinned as paper.

Thrown out so bluntly by her son-in-law's mother, she ducked her head in embarrassment, her hands kneading the hem of her jacket over and over, her voice small as a mosquito's:

"You're right. I'll go now…"

With that, my mother walked slowly to the door and picked up the luggage off the floor.

Dirk didn't spare her another glance. He looked at me instead and spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world:

"Corinne, my mom had a hard time raising me. She's old now, her health isn't good, and I brought her here specially so she could enjoy her old age in comfort."

"From today on, you'll handle everything in this house and take good care of my mom. Don't let her lift a finger."

At that, my mother stopped short.

She turned back to Dirk, her tone humble and full of worry:

"Dirk, Corinne works so hard every day. She's often too worn out to even eat or sleep. Where would she find the time to wait on an elder…"

Used up and cast out on the spot, my mother hadn't said a word for herself.

But the moment she saw me wronged, her eyes went red with the ache of it.

Trina gave a cold snort:

"Country people, always making a fuss."

"What daughter-in-law doesn't wait on her husband's parents? My back's hurt for years, and I never once made Corinne bring me tea or water. I've been more than good to her."

"Now I'm only asking her to care for me in my old age. Isn't that exactly how it should be?"

Dirk nodded along:

"That's right. A woman marries into a family to run a household. Waiting on her husband's parents is only natural."

"These past eighteen years my mom was being generous. For the child's sake, she let it go."

"Now the boy's in college and hardly comes home. It's time Corinne showed some devotion. We can't keep spoiling her."

My mother opened her mouth, wanting to say something more for me.

But I got there first and stopped her, nodding to Dirk and Trina.

"You're both right."

"I really should show my devotion properly."

Seeing me give in so readily, Dirk looked at me the way you'd look at a child who had finally learned some sense.

Trina folded her arms across her chest and smiled, satisfied:

"Good that you understand."

Only my mother stared at me, disbelieving, her eyes full of confusion.

I explained nothing. I only took the luggage from her hands and led her out the door.

For eighteen years my mother had shouldered this household, bitter work and no rest, not a single day off.

She really did deserve to go home and rest.

After I dropped my mother at the train station, she looked at me with tears in her eyes, her gaze full of worry:

"Corinne, you can barely keep up with your own job. How are you going to manage from here on…"

I smiled. "Don't worry, Mom. I can handle it."

The tears spilled down her face:

"It's all my fault, useless, can't do a thing to help you…"

I wiped the tears from her cheeks:

"Mom, you've helped me plenty already."

"The rest of the road, I'll walk it fine on my own."

She thought I was still putting on a brave face, and it pained her:

"Corinne, don't push yourself, whatever you do."

"If it ever gets to be too much, come home. I'll take care of you and the boy for the rest of my life, gladly."

I reached out and held my mother's rough hands, looked into her eyes, and said it word by word:

"Mom, don't worry. I know exactly what I'm doing."

I, Corinne Henson, have never been one to go looking for trouble.

But I am absolutely not a soft persimmon for anyone to squeeze.

I knew my mother-in-law had faked that bad back for eighteen years, all so she wouldn't have to help with my postpartum recovery, wouldn't have to raise the child.

But the debts they ran up cheating me, exploiting my mother, driving my mother out.

Every last one, with interest, I would collect back.

After watching my mother disappear into the train station, I turned and went home.

When I pushed the door open, my mother-in-law was on the phone, chattering away, all smiles and full of energy.

Dirk glanced at me and said, offhand, "You see your mom off?"

"Yes."

He nodded. "Good. One less freeloader in the house, that's some peace and quiet."

Ha.

A man who'd had everything handed to him for eighteen years, all thanks to my mother, calling the woman who'd broken her back for this family a freeloader?

Truly laughable.

Before I could say anything, Trina hung up, drew herself up like the head of the household, and delivered her announcement from on high.

"Corinne, Dirk and I talked it over. We're having all the relatives over tomorrow for a get-together."

"After all, I spent so many years back home nursing my bad back. I never got much of a chance to see everyone."

"Now that I've finally come to the city for my retirement, we ought to have a proper gathering with the family."

"I've already called every last one of them. They're all coming over for dinner tomorrow."

"Make sure you get the house cleaned up, and cook a big spread to entertain them."

As if worried I might refuse, Dirk chimed in gently right away.

"Corinne, I know work keeps you busy and your time's tight, and cooking for a whole houseful might be too much for you. So I already went ahead and asked your boss to give you the day off."

"Tomorrow I'll take Mom out with the relatives to show them around first, so you'll have plenty of time to get everything ready."

"Mom's back is only just starting to recover. She really can't overexert herself, so I'll have to trouble you with this."

Watching Dirk put on that fake show of reluctant sympathy, I smiled and said, giving nothing away, "It's no trouble."

"I'll be sure to take good care of everyone."

Seeing that I didn't refuse, both Trina and Dirk looked at me the way you'd look at prey that had finally been tamed.

The next morning, at the first gray light of dawn.

Trina was already up, dressing and fixing her hair.

Then, brisk and full of energy, she reminded me:

"Corinne, Dirk and I are off to pick up the relatives. You're on your own here, so remember to clean the place and cook plenty."

"Don't you dare slack off and embarrass the James family."

I nodded obediently.

"Don't worry. I guarantee you'll be satisfied."

Seeing how meek I was, Dirk and Trina exchanged a smile.

I smiled too.

They were laughing at how stupid I was.

I was laughing at how naive they were.