{"id":91948,"date":"2024-12-25T11:43:07","date_gmt":"2024-12-25T04:43:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/levanews.com\/?p=46857"},"modified":"2024-12-25T11:43:30","modified_gmt":"2024-12-25T04:43:30","slug":"my-mil-faked-an-emergency-so-my-husband-would-cancel-our-plans-and-spend-christmas-eve-alone-with-her","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/echowoven.com\/my-mil-faked-an-emergency-so-my-husband-would-cancel-our-plans-and-spend-christmas-eve-alone-with-her\/","title":{"rendered":"My MIL Faked an Emergency So My Husband Would Cancel Our Plans and Spend Christmas Eve Alone with Her"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><em>We had been looking forward to this Christmas vacation for months\u2014a cozy mountain retreat, just Daniel, me, and our three kids: Nora, Sienna, and Jacob. No interruptions, no drama, just snow-covered hills, the warmth of a crackling fireplace, and endless hot cocoa and mulled wine. It was supposed to be our perfect holiday escape\u2014far away from the chaos, especially Christine.\n<p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"alignnone' size-full wp-image-46865 aligncenter src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/echowoven.com%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2024%5C/12%5C/462585604_1131637781708927_787797938854618318_n.png%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"992\"' height='\"992\"' title='\"\"'>\n</p><p>Christine is my mother-in-law.\n</p><p>Now, Christine isn\u2019t evil\u2014she doesn\u2019t plot or cackle\u2014but she is\u2026 exhausting. Even after ten years of marriage, she still hasn\u2019t quite accepted me.\n</p><p>\u201cYou took my son from me, Tessa,\u201d she often says, her words sugar-coated but dripping with judgment.\n</p><p>With her talent for passive-aggressive comments and her knack for stirring up drama, Christine can turn any peaceful moment into a circus.\n</p><p>But this year, Daniel and I had drawn the line. No surprise visits, no guilt trips, no sabotaged plans. This Christmas, we were reclaiming our holiday.\n</p><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"alignnone' size-full wp-image-46864 aligncenter src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/echowoven.com%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2024%5C/12%5C/466957798_481663631205565_5886962662958198829_n.png%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"992\"' height='\"992\"' title='\"\"'>\n</p><p>Daniel had been adamant about it. \u201cWe need this, Tess,\u201d he\u2019d said one morning over coffee. \u201cI love my mom, but these are the memories our kids will carry into adulthood. These are the traditions they\u2019ll pass on someday.\u201d\n</p><p>And so, we booked the cabin and never looked back.\n</p><p>Christmas Eve began like a dream. Sunlight danced on the snow, and the kids eagerly opened small pre-holiday presents while I flipped pancakes and bacon in the cabin\u2019s kitchen.\n</p><p>\u201cMom, fuzzy socks! Just like I wanted!\u201d Jacob exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear.\n</p><p>But then Daniel\u2019s phone buzzed loudly on the counter.\n</p><p>\u201cMom calling,\u201d the screen read.\n</p><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"alignnone' size-full wp-image-46863 aligncenter src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/echowoven.com%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2024%5C/12%5C/467475243_9102285319886848_8851396754359969840_n.png%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"992\"' height='\"992\"' title='\"\"'>\n</p><p>He sighed, picking up and putting her on speaker as I continued cooking.\n</p><p>\u201cHi, Mom. Merry Christmas Eve. What\u2019s up?\u201d\n</p><p>Christine\u2019s voice came through in a frantic, high-pitched rush. \u201cOh, Daniel, it\u2019s a disaster! The pipes burst, and the entire downstairs is flooding. Your father can\u2019t handle it alone! You have to come home right now!\u201d\n</p><p>\u201cMom, we\u2019re six hours away in the mountains,\u201d Daniel reminded her, trying to keep his tone neutral.\n</p><p>\u201cI know, but who else can I call? It\u2019s Christmas Eve! Please, Daniel, I need you!\u201d\n</p><p>\u201cWhy not call a plumber?\u201d I suggested calmly.\n</p><p>\u201cNo, no, it\u2019s too late for that! Everyone\u2019s booked solid for the holidays. I just need my son!\u201d\n</p><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"alignnone' size-full wp-image-46862 aligncenter src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/echowoven.com%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2024%5C/12%5C/462567459_773572344967039_4959736000103926830_n.png%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"992\"' height='\"992\"' title='\"\"'>\n</p><p>I exchanged a glance with Daniel. This wasn\u2019t our first run-in with Christine\u2019s \u201cemergencies.\u201d There had been the infamous July incident where she\u2019d claimed to have fallen, only for us to find her perfectly fine, sipping tea when we arrived.\n</p><p>Daniel muted the call and leaned toward me, smirking. \u201cLet\u2019s verify this.\u201d\n</p><p>He dialed his father from my phone.\n</p><p>\u201cHey, Dad. What\u2019s going on at the house? Mom says the pipes burst, and the house is flooding.\u201d\n</p><p>Philip chuckled. \u201cFlooding? What\u2019s she talking about? She\u2019s upstairs in bed. I\u2019m downstairs watching a movie. Everything\u2019s fine here, son.\u201d\n</p><p>Daniel\u2019s smirk deepened. \u201cThanks, Dad. Just checking.\u201d\n</p><p>Unmuting Christine, he kept his voice level. \u201cOkay, Mom. I\u2019ll head over soon.\u201d\n</p><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-46861 aligncenter src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/echowoven.com%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2024%5C/12%5C/467474281_1573686926594077_6853477455527120937_n.png%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"992\"' height='\"992\"' title='\"\"'>\n</p><p>After hanging up, he turned to me. \u201cIt\u2019s time to put an end to this once and for all.\u201d\n</p><p>\u201cDan, this will ruin our holiday,\u201d I protested.\n</p><p>\u201cTrust me,\u201d he said with a wink.\n</p><p>So, I did.\n</p><p>We packed up the kids and drove the six hours to his parents\u2019 house. When we arrived, Daniel had us hang back while he approached the door alone.\n</p><p>Christine greeted him with over-the-top relief. \u201cOh, thank goodness you\u2019re here, Daniel! It\u2019s a miracle\u2014the flood is gone!\u201d\n</p><p>\u201cHow convenient,\u201d he replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm.\n</p><p>Then, without missing a beat, he turned back toward the car. \u201cCome on, kids! Let\u2019s get inside!\u201d\n</p><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"alignnone' size-full wp-image-46860 aligncenter src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/echowoven.com%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2024%5C/12%5C/467482382_964411952274510_7357199417515689349_n.png%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"992\"' height='\"992\"' title='\"\"'>\n</p><p>Christine\u2019s face twisted in confusion. \u201cWho\u2019s here? What\u2019s going on?\u201d\n</p><p>\u201cMy family,\u201d Daniel said, brushing past her. \u201cDid you think I\u2019d leave them behind in a snowy cabin on Christmas Eve?\u201d\n</p><p>Before she could respond, cars began pulling into the driveway.\n</p><p>I couldn\u2019t help but grin as my family arrived, carrying trays of food, decorations, and presents.\n</p><p>\u201cThis was your plan?\u201d I whispered to Daniel, stifling a laugh.\n</p><p>\u201cYup. If she\u2019s going to cry wolf, she might as well host the whole pack,\u201d he replied.\n</p><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"alignnone' size-full wp-image-46859 aligncenter src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/echowoven.com%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2024%5C/12%5C/462584553_1943982776028453_1297507215958097478_n.png%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"992\"' height='\"992\"' title='\"\"'>\n</p><p>Christine\u2019s eyes widened as wave after wave of my family spilled into her pristine home, filling it with laughter and holiday cheer.\n</p><p>Her husband, Philip, was delighted. \u201cThis is the best Christmas gift ever!\u201d he declared, roaring with laughter.\n</p><p>Christine, meanwhile, fluttered around like a panicked bird, trying to regain control.\n</p><p>\u201cDaniel! Why didn\u2019t you warn me?\u201d she hissed at one point, downing a glass of wine.\n</p><p>\u201cBecause you lied, Mom,\u201d he said simply.\n</p><p>When dinner was served, Daniel raised his glass for a toast. \u201cTo family\u2014and to spending the holidays with everyone you love, even the ones who manipulate you into coming over.\u201d\n</p><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"alignnone' size-full wp-image-46858 aligncenter src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/echowoven.com%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2024%5C/12%5C/462583481_2103798036741880_2519686331102750478_n.png%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"992\"' height='\"992\"' title='\"\"'>\n</p><p>Philip nearly fell out of his chair laughing, while Christine\u2019s glare could have frozen the roast.\n</p><p>As the night wound down, Daniel hugged his mom goodbye. \u201cMerry Christmas, Mom. Let\u2019s not do this again, okay?\u201d\n</p><p>She didn\u2019t reply, but her expression said everything.\n</p><p>As we drove back to the cabin, the kids fast asleep in the backseat, Daniel reached over to squeeze my hand.\n</p><p>\u201cBest Christmas ever?\u201d he asked, grinning.\n</p><p>I laughed, leaning against the window. \u201cDefinitely one for the books.\u201d\n</p><p>That Christmas Eve, Christine learned the hard way that crying wolf doesn\u2019t always go unpunished\u2014and we got a holiday story to remember forever.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"</p><p>We had been looking forward to this Christmas vacation for months\u2014a cozy mountain retreat, just Daniel, me, and our three kids: Nora, Sienna, and Jacob. No interruptions, no drama, just snow-covered hills, the warmth of a crackling fireplace, and endless hot cocoa and mulled wine. It was supposed to be our perfect holiday escape\u2014far away &hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":91949,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1439],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-91948","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/echowoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91948","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/echowoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/echowoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/echowoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/31"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/echowoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=91948"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/echowoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91948\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":91958,"href":"https:\/\/echowoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91948\/revisions\/91958"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/echowoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/91949"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/echowoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=91948"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/echowoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=91948"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/echowoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=91948"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}</p></em></strong></p>