My Son Stays Quiet as His Wife Insults Me \u2014 But He Soon Teaches Her a Lesson in Front of Guests<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kate cannot wait to spend the holidays with her son and his wife \u2014 it\u2019s her first Christmas with the family. But when Liz criticizes her cooking, and John chooses silence over defending his mother, will the holidays be ruined?<\/p>\n\n\n\n I was always the feeder \u2014 especially after I got married, it was always me cooking for every family dinner and during the major holidays, like Christmas. But after Oliver, my husband, passed, I lost hold of that part of me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, I barely cook, just enough to keep myself going, and barely that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Except during the holidays because this is when my son, John, comes for his annual roast dinner. And then, it\u2019s time for me to shine. But this year, things got very heated in the kitchen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This was the first year with Liz, John\u2019s wife, joining us. When they were dating, she always went home to her parents instead of visiting us. Which, I\u2019ll admit, is fair because being with your family is everything during the holidays. Anyway, I was intrigued to see how Liz would mix with the rest of our family for the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Person chopping vegetables | Source: Unsplash<\/p>\n\n\n\n I got up early and began the Christmas meal, knowing that it would be an early dinner with many side dishes and different desserts to follow. I made the usual Christmas dinner that we\u2019ve done for years \u2014 chicken, with roasted potatoes and gravy being the main attraction, but with lots of little dishes. Things that John loved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But Liz? Oh, she definitely wasn\u2019t a fan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I was putting the final touches on the chicken when Liz strolled into the kitchen, cell phone in hand, eyeing my cooking. She looked around the kitchen with an expression that looked like she had smelt something terrible. I tried to ignore her because I was already sweating away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Roast chicken on plates | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then, she hit me with a line that slammed through me. \u201cHey, Kate,\u201d she said, \u201cmaybe we should order food. Not everyone wants what you\u2019ve cooked. I don\u2019t know if everyone enjoys your cooking, either. Every aspect of Christmas is supposed to be enjoyed by everyone. They should enjoy the food, too!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I was completely blindsided by her words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I saw John leaning against the archway, nibbling on a carrot. He altogether avoided my gaze, looking over me and out the window across the room. I held back my tears and bit my lip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Family get together | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n\n\n\n The guests were almost all present, sitting all over the house, and I didn\u2019t want to put a damper on the dinner, even if Liz had hurt me. Dinner rolled around, and the table groaned beneath the weight of the food. My guests, John included, were digging in and singing praises for the food I had been cooking for most of the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe food\u2019s great, right? Everyone\u2019s enjoying it?\u201d John asked the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n His uncle laughed and helped himself to another serving of roasted potatoes. \u201cWhy wouldn\u2019t we enjoy my sister\u2019s food?\u201d my brother said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBecause Liz said that the dinner might be ruined by Mom\u2019s dishes. She wanted us to order in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNonsense!\u201d my brother exclaimed, drowning his potatoes in gravy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Roasted potatoes | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n\n\n\n John looked at me and smiled. Which was when I realized that my sweet boy\u2019s silence wasn\u2019t meant to hurt me. No. He was trying to bide his time until he could teach Liz a lesson and embarrass her in front of our family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Liz turned red from his comment as everyone stared at her. I\u2019ll admit that I felt bad for her. It was her first Christmas with us, and already, it wasn\u2019t looking promising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Later on, when I was in the kitchen again, packing the dishwasher and emptying dishes of food, Liz came in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cKate, I\u2019m sorry,\u201d my daughter-in-law said. \u201cI was so wrong to do what I did. I am sorry, please understand.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUnderstand what?\u201d I asked her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I did feel bad, yes. But I was still hurt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Loaded dishwasher | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI only said that because John loves your food. He always talks about how you make all these special things for him. I can\u2019t make a basic mac and cheese without him saying yours is better. I looked at the food, smelt all the delicious smells from this kitchen, and panicked.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLiz, you should know that a boy and his mother\u2019s food is a relationship in and of itself,\u201d I laughed, trying to diffuse the tension. \u201cI can teach you how to cook just like me. My mother taught me everything I know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cReally?\u201d she asked. \u201cEven after I\u2019ve been so horrible?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes,\u201d I said with a softening smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then, I led her to the Christmas tree, ready to give Liz her present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I still think the whole thing hurts me, but I\u2019m grateful she didn\u2019t say what she said for a nasty reason. Liz felt threatened by John\u2019s relationship with my food instead of fostering a relationship with Liz\u2019s cooking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But I can teach her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Christmas present wrapped with red thread | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n\n\n\n If the same thing had happened to you, what would you have done? Would you have been silent until the truth came out, like me? Or would you have retaliated immediately?<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/news5.chainityai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/image-87-1024x512.png\")
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