Not Himself
“Honey, what’s wrong? Why won’t you talk to us? Did something happen?” Katie asked. She was sure there was something wrong with her son. His behavior was unusual and he was not talking to his parents at all.
Her son remained silent and stared at the floor. She knew she had to find out what was wrong, and she suspected that her mother-in-law was involved.
Only Married A Year
Katie and Derek Pearson had only been married for a year when Derek’s mother, Caroline, asked to talk to them. She continued to ask them why they haven’t started a family yet.
Katie was uncomfortable with the discussion and tried to hide it with a smile. She did not like it when her mother-in-law interfered in their marriage.
Awkward Conversation
Derek could see that the conversation was awkward for Katie. “Mom, we spoke about this already”, he said. “These things can’t be rushed, and besides, Katie just started a new job, and we need to save up a bit more before we can bring a child into this world.”
Katie was proud of Derek for standing up to his mother, but her mother-in-law would not give up that easily.
Making Them Uncomfortable
Caroline proceeded to remind them that she is getting older. “ I, for one, want to have a grandchild while I’m still in reasonably good physical health”, she argued. “ Are you really going to deny me that right?”
Katie and Derek look at each other. They both knew that Caroline was manipulative and had a knack for making people uncomfortable.
Life-Changing
Katie tried to defuse the situation by telling Caroline that she and Derek would discuss it. “ It’s a really big decision”, she told her mother-in-law.
Caroline persisted, however. She smiled as she said, “Well, don’t wait too long, dear. You know us women only have a certain period in our lives to have kids before that window closes for good.
And Another Thing
Derek got up, signaling that it was time for them to leave, as Katie tried to hide her annoyance. They were not staying for this awkward conversation, but Caroline had to have the final say.
Katie was mortified at her next words. “I would prefer that my grandchild is conceived naturally and not via a test tube, if you know what I mean."
Concerned
Back home, Katie couldn’t get her mind off the conversation. Derek could see that she was concerned and reassured her that they would do it in their own time.
“Hey, don’t worry about what Mom said, okay? We’ll do it on our own time,” he told her. But Derek’s words did not appease Katie. Caroline had said something that really bothered Katie.
She Had A Point
Katie told Derek that, although speaking out of turn, Caroline wasn’t wrong. “Although I was annoyed with your mother, something that she said really got me thinking. She’s right.
We aren’t getting any younger, and the longer we wait, the lesser chance for us to possibly conceive naturally. So I think we should go for it,” she said. Derek was surprised by his wife’s sudden reversal on the subject.
She Had Decided
Derek expressed his concerns around having a child now. He thought that they had agreed to save a little more before starting a family. And Katie had just started a new job. It seemed that Katie was set on having a baby though.
They embraced, knowing that their life together would change forever once they had a baby. They would have to be prepared for the changes.
And Just Like That
A mere four months later, Katie learned that she was pregnant. The happy couple immediately started planning for the arrival of their first child.
Their joy and excitement were rivaled by Caroline’s, who was over the moon about becoming a grandmother. She was proud of what she saw as her role in speeding up the process.
Very Helpful
But in the end, she was very helpful with the pregnancy, so much so that she moved in and helped them around the house and cooked meals for them.
Katie and Derek were very grateful for Caroline’s help, and it was like she was a godsend in their time of need. But things would take a turn for the strange when the baby finally arrived.
Jessie
Katie gave birth to a healthy baby boy they named Jessie. He was the apple of their eyes, and everyone immediately fell in love with the little boy.
And as four years passed by in a flash, when Katie was ready to return to work full time, it was Caroline who stepped in to take care of Jessie while they were at work.
Charismatic Little Boy
Jessie was a charismatic little boy who had the ability to wrap anyone around his little finger with his cute charms. He had an infectious laugh, and he loved his Grandma Caroline.
But over time, things would take a worrying turn in the Pearson household. Katie and Derek would notice something very worrying about their son.
Not Talking
He became withdrawn and distant, and eventually, he wasn’t talking to any of them anymore. Katie and Derek couldn’t understand what had become of their usually happy son.
One evening, they decided to bring it up with Caroline. But she didn’t think anything was wrong with Jessie. “No, I don’t see it. He’s his usual self with me. He talks to me, so I don’t see a problem,” she replied confidently.
Months Later
But as weeks turned to months, Jessie was showing no signs of talking to his parents. They tried everything, and he just wasn’t saying anything.
That night, as they lay in bed, they spoke about their concerns. “I think something is horribly wrong with him, Derek. We need to take him to a doctor,” Katie suggested.
Wasting Your Time
Derek agreed, and the next morning, they got Jessie ready to go to the doctor. But not before Caroline protested. “Where do you think you’re taking him? Didn’t I say that there’s nothing wrong with my precious boy? You’ll be wasting your time and money. You’ll see.”
Katie just rolled her eyes. She knew that something wasn’t right, and all that mattered was their son.
All Clear
But after seeing the doctor, they were left more confused than ever. “There’s nothing physically wrong with him, but it could be psychological. He could be dealing with something. Only time will tell. We have to try to be patient with him,” the doctor suggested.
Katie couldn’t imagine what it could be that their son was dealing with.
I Told You So
When they got home, Caroline wasted no time with her unwanted comments. “I told you there was nothing wrong with him. But no, you don’t listen to me,” she replied sarcastically.
Katie took her son to his room and tried to talk to him again, but there was no luck. He looked at her like he wanted to say something, but every time he tried, Caroline interrupted him.
Please Leave
“I think it’s time for Jessie’s nap now. You’ve exhausted him by taking him to the doctor. Could you please leave the room while I put him to rest?” Caroline said.
Katie was taken aback by Caroline’s tone of voice. But she noticed something very troubling. Every time her son got the urge to speak to her, Caroline walked in. Something was up.
A Plan
She didn’t tell Derek just yet. She wanted to make sure first. She had a plan up her sleeve. She didn’t like the way Caroline had been talking to her lately.
She had been very dismissive of her concerns regarding their son, and that put up a lot of red flags for her. It was time to see what exactly was going on while they weren’t home. She set up a hidden camera.
The Hidden Camera
That morning, she left the house knowing that the camera would be recording whatever was going on in the house, and she wanted to hear if her son was really talking to Caroline like she claimed.
That afternoon, she raced home. She couldn't wait to hear what the hidden camera had recorded. Her heart was beating very fast. She didn’t know what she was about to uncover.
Unbelievable
When Caroline wasn’t looking, she quickly retrieved the camera from where she had hidden it and went to the bedroom. She pressed play and listened.
What she heard left her reeling with shock. Tears started falling down her cheeks. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She called Derek to come home immediately. There was something he needed to hear.
Listening To The Recording
Derek rushed through the front door to find Katie with tears streaming down her face. “Please tell your mother to come to the living room. There’s something that both of you need to hear,” Katie said.
After much protestation from Caroline, Katie finally pressed play on the device. “Stop calling her mommy! I’m your mommy now. I don’t want to hear you calling her that anymore, do you hear me?”
Derek's Shock
As the recording played, Derek's eyes widened in shock. He listened to the voice on the recording, realizing that it was his mother's voice, and she was instructing their son not to call Katie "mommy" anymore.
Caroline's face turned pale as she listened to her own voice on the recording. She tried to explain herself, but Katie and Derek were not in the mood for excuses.
Confrontation
Derek turned to his mother, anger evident in his eyes. "Mom, what's going on here? Why are you trying to alienate our son from his own mother?"
Caroline stammered, attempting to come up with an explanation, but she couldn't find one that would justify her actions. "I...I just thought it would be better if he was closer to me, you know, as his grandmother."
Broken Trust
Katie felt a mix of anger and betrayal. "Caroline, you've not only taken away our son's voice but also tried to break the bond between us as a family. We trusted you to take care of him."
Caroline realized the severity of her actions and how much she had hurt her own family. She began to sob, apologizing for her behavior and promising to make amends.
Seeking Help
After a heated confrontation, Katie and Derek decided that they needed to seek professional help for Jessie. They couldn't allow their son to be emotionally manipulated any further. Caroline was deeply regretful of her actions and offered her full support for the decision.
With the guidance of a child psychologist, Jessie slowly started to regain his speech and rebuild his bond with his parents. It was a long and challenging journey, but they were determined to help their son overcome the trauma he had experienced.
Rebuilding Trust
Caroline, feeling immense guilt for her actions, worked hard to rebuild her relationship with her son and daughter-in-law. She attended therapy sessions with them and apologized sincerely for her behavior.
Over time, with therapy and open communication, the Pearson family began to heal. Jessie's smile returned, and he started speaking again, albeit slowly. The family learned to forgive but not forget, and they worked together to ensure that such a painful episode never happened again.
New Beginnings
The Pearsons decided that it was time for a fresh start. They put the past behind them, moved into a new house, and focused on nurturing Jessie's growth in a loving and secure environment.
All that mattered was Jessie and his well-being. They needed to focus on getting him to his former cheerful self after the damage that Caroline inflicted upon him.
A Second Chance
Caroline, grateful for a second chance, became an active and loving grandmother, ensuring that she never overstepped her boundaries again.
The family grew stronger through adversity, appreciating the importance of trust, communication, and love in their lives. And so, the Pearsons embarked on a new chapter, determined to make their family stronger than ever before.